Selecting the right hat cleaner

[Pompidou]

I went on google today to browse hat cleaners, and they come in two varieties - dark hats, and light hats. At first, I thought, "No problem, cabernet red is a light hat," but then I got to wondering... Why would there be a need for two different types of hat cleaner? I fear discoloring my hat. Dark on light offers a particularly disastrous possibility. If I'm even conceiving hat cleaner correctly, there should only be a need for light color hat cleaner. Please don't tell me hat cleaner is like shoe polish - that would be crazy. They don't offer "Cabernet red" hat cleaner, after all.

 

[danofarlington]

I went on google today to browse hat cleaners, and they come in two varieties - dark hats, and light hats. At first, I thought, "No problem, cabernet red is a light hat," but then I got to wondering... Why would there be a need for two different types of hat cleaner? I fear discoloring my hat. Dark on light offers a particularly disastrous possibility. If I'm even conceiving hat cleaner correctly, there should only be a need for light color hat cleaner. Please don't tell me hat cleaner is like shoe polish - that would be crazy. They don't offer "Cabernet red" hat cleaner, after all.

Out of curiosity, what propels you to get a hat cleaner for your new red hat? I would think it would be fine as is indefinitely unless there's a stain or something on it. Brushing would be the maintenance otherwise. I don't know anything about cleaners, but my philosophy is to not mess with what doesn't need to be messed with. I may not know the situation, but that's my thought.

 

[fluteplayer07]

...Brushing would be the maintenance otherwise...

Yes.

 

[Pompidou]

I don't need a cleaner right now. Honestly, I'm just planning ahead. I wear this hat every day. One time, I went to the bar without my hat, and a friend of mine said, "Matt, where's your hat?" in the tone of voice your mother might have used when you went to play in the snow without a cap on as a kid. I said, "Oh, someone told me to not wear a hat once in a while, because she liked my hair, but if you want, I'll always wear my hat from now on." She said, "Uh, yessss," in a valley girl teenager accent. I learned my lesson. I can't afford to ask for cleaning advice the day I need it. People expect the hat to be on my head, and I'd like to be ready to take care of it asap.

 

[fluteplayer07]

A lot of vintage hats have been worn for over 60 or 70+ years... I don't think they were more than brushed on a regular basis. But you could use naptha, if it's real dirty. Or call up Art and have it professionally cleaned and the crown freshened up with a reblocking. But that's years down the line.

 

[Pompidou]

That's good to know. I should say I already ruined one hat by caring for it too much. I don't like making the same mistake twice.

 

[Dinerman]

Never use the light scout cleaner on any hat.

 

[jonbuilder]

I wear my hats outdoors allot and really sweat them up. I gave my three regular wears a bath in camp stove flue today and filtered out a lot of dirt, oils and salt between hat cleaning. I agree with Dinerman and will never use scout clean again. Most the hats I give heavy use I remove the linings. You need to be aware that naptha white gas solvents will bleed and mute unprotected lining crests. I also clean and condition the sweat after a naptha soaking.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Never use the light scout cleaner on any hat.

Unless it is a white hat. That is what Graham at Optimo told me.

 

[Undertow]

Never use the light scout cleaner on any hat.

Would you suggest avoiding Scout altogether, or simply using the dark cleaner on most hats instead? Or naptha?

 

[zetwal]

Would you suggest avoiding Scout altogether, or simply using the dark cleaner on most hats instead?

I don't know how D-man feels about Scout. But I would avoid the stuff altogether. I think it's nasty and ineffective.

That's not to say that there aren't people who like and believe in the stuff, some have been pleased with product. But there are several threads where Scout was discussed. As with most anything, we find advocates and retractors. Why not test the product on something unimportant before using it on something you wear and cherish? Maybe you will think it's great. Maybe you will think it's something that you don't want to spray on your favorite hat(s).

 

[DanielJones]

I've used the Scouts dark cleaner on a variety of hats without any problems. Their light hat cleaner is a different formula all together and will leave light patches on the lightest of hats. The local guys who clean hats at Boot Barn showed me what could happen. Wasn't pretty. And, the light patches don't go away, most likely the cleaner residue that sticks around.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Dinerman]

Having tried both I wouldn't recommend either. I don't find they do a great job and the light colored one leaves a powder that takes a long time to kick out and the felt is never the same after it.

 

[Undertow]

Anyone have a favorite cleaner - besides - Naptha?

Otherwise, I think I'll be getting a gallon of the stuff next weekend for a cleaning job I have in mind.

 

[JimWagner]

I've used the light Scout cleaner on a couple of sweat stained silver belly hats with good effect and no problems. It takes a bit of brushing to get the residue off the hat, but that's all I've found.

 

[jeffconnors]

I have used it all. iso, peroxide, scout ,naphtha,water ,lemon juice and vinegar .
Naphtha is really the only thing that works on the felt of the hat. I would be nice to find something that can eat up more organic stains and act just like naphtha.
Lemon juice and vinegar are good on sweats.
Felt is pretty much that hardest thing in the world to clean because of it is so dense and at the same time very permeable.
Make sure you have some leather conditioner after the bath for the sweet band.
Like diner man I think scout is garbage, it seems to dye the hat more than it removes stains, thus the really hard to remove residue for the white cleaner..