Hat smell...

[RJR]

As Viclip suggests,time is most likely the answer and you may well need to renew the baking soda a time or two.

 

[Allenworsham]

It has already been suggested in a previous thread that instead of baking soda that I could use Activated Charcoal, Kitty Litter (which has Activated Charcoal in it) or Coffee directly from the bag/can though I don't drink coffee and am not a fan of the smell of Coffee. Would these be a better option than using Baking Soda?

 

[rclark]

I have had some success in getting rid of odors from hats by putting them out in the warm sun.

 

[gtdean48]

Crumpled newspaper worked for heavy pipe smoker smell. Also using talcum powder to cover hat, gently rubbed in & brushed off, helps with stains & smells

 

[-30-]

Am I to guess that it's back to Square One:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?81152-Getting-musty-smell-out-of-hats


J T

 

[Allenworsham]

Am I to guess that it's back to Square One:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?81152-Getting-musty-smell-out-of-hats


J T

The Circle of Life with smelly hats.
It is getting there slowly but surely and it is still a bit frustrating.

 

[triple-d]

One of my Ebay gems had that moldy smell. I could smell the hat when the mailman turned the corner coming onto my block.......it was a real jewel. I keep it in the garage next to the steamer. I keep a bottle of Fabreeze next to it. I squirt at it when I walk past.......steam it about once a week. I checked it just now, and it seems to be healing it's self. It's been out there for about 8 months....lol......

 

[Allenworsham]

I got some Talcum Powder and gave the hat a dusting inside and out and rubbed it in. Then I gave it a good brushing with a hat brush before I used the brush attachment on the vacuum to get the fine particles left on the hat before I hit it a second time with the hat brush. The felt smells pretty good inside and out, but there was still some odor coming from the leather head band. So I sat it outside in the sun for a few hours with the crown down on top of a towel with the leather head band folded out. Being in So. Calif. our weather today was in the mid 80's so the direct sun was able to cook the hat pretty well. It helped the smell a fair amount, but it still has some odor to it.

So now for my next question...."How can I get the smell out of a leather head band?"

 

[gtdean48]

Leather is a different story for sure.
I use Lexol Cleaner & Conditioner, typically their wipes.

 

[RJR]

I'm with GTD,Lexol wipes and fresh air.

 

[Allenworsham]

I will give the Lexol a shot.

Thanks.

 

[Obsessed]

I've never noticed any odor when I've worn an Akubra in the rain, but when my Stetson Chatham gets just a little wet it develops that "wet dog" smell, which is very off-putting. Any thoughts on why that happens with one brand and not the other?

 

[johnnycanuck]

Akubra doesent use dog in their felting process....... sorry couldn't help it.
Johnny

 

[LuvMyMan]

Akubra doesent use dog in their felting process....... sorry couldn't help it.
Johnny

Hahahahah!

 

[LuvMyMan]

I've never noticed any odor when I've worn an Akubra in the rain, but when my Stetson Chatham gets just a little wet it develops that "wet dog" smell, which is very off-putting. Any thoughts on why that happens with one brand and not the other?

I do think the felt material itself is far different then your Akubra. And for sure how it is dyed may play some part in it. I can tell you a good way to rid your hat of some of that smell....buy some french vanilla coffee, put some in a paper cup like what you use for cup cakes...put you hat crown side down in what box you store it in...CAREFULLY place your cup with the coffee ground in the center of your hat with your hat in a hat box...and have the hat box someplace like a counter top or table so you can slide the box with the lid on it, into a large plastic trash bag and do not spill the coffee grounds...then close up with out moving the box around, close up the plastic bag with a twist tie. Let is sit for at least 24 hours...your hat will smell real nice...and the coffee will have absorbed any "stink". I do this to vintage hats that have that nasty strong musty smell.....it works every time for me and no complaints...just do not spell those coffee grounds in your hat or they will stain it badly!

 

[GHT]

Akubra doesent use dog in their felting process....... sorry couldn't help it.
Johnny

you might have added the helpful hint of holding onto the brim and shaking your head from left to right, vigorously.

 

[RJR]

Akubra doesent use dog in their felting process....... sorry couldn't help it.
Johnny

 

[johnnycanuck]

If you want a serious answer. You could always use scotchguard to protect the hat from getting wet. If it can't get wet it won't smell.
Johnny.

 

[LuvMyMan]

If you want a serious answer. You could always use scotchguard to protect the hat from getting wet. If it can't get wet it won't smell.
Johnny.

If you want a serious answer. You could always use scotchguard to protect the hat from getting wet. If it can't get wet it won't smell.
Johnny.

They actually make a fairly decent hat spray (Bick) for helping water repel off a fedora. I think we used it on a few dress hats that were not a light or silverbelly color, and it worked great. However it has to be applied real lightly or it makes a hat sort of sticky.

I also wonder if a hat gets soaked a few times if that may wash out what ever is in the felt body enough to remove the source for the "stink"??????

 

[TheDane]

I've never noticed any odor when I've worn an Akubra in the rain, but when my Stetson Chatham gets just a little wet it develops that "wet dog" smell, which is very off-putting. Any thoughts on why that happens with one brand and not the other?

It depends on what you exactly mean with " "wet dog" smell ". I bought a hemp-hat this Spring, and it had a very bad smell when damp/wet - not as much anymore, though. A bit like "rotten" socks.

I suspect the stiffener to be the cause. The smell reminded me of white PVA-glue, that has become stale or "rotten". As PVA is also used for some hat-stiffeners, I find that to be a plausible explanation in the case of my hemp. If that's also the case with your Stetson, I don't know.

The smell seemed to get weaker with time, but I don't know if it's totally gone. I try to keep my straws out of the rain - and usually I'm pretty successful

I would go for Cindy's coffee-trick. It's been tried with very good results by several loungers. Crumpled newspaper pages packed around and inside the hat in a plastic bag also works on bad smells. You may try both - maybe with a few iterations over the processes. Hoping for a good result ...