How do you get the stink out of hats?

[cantdrv55]

My favorite hats are truckers caps and they smell but I don’t want to throw them away. One says Best Dad and the other is my Jeep hat. I’ve handwashed, machine washed, used Tide and even Oxy Clean - no help. Is there a secret or are they just toast?

[HobieMarty]

Febreeze perhaps???

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[cantdrv55]

I’m going to try that tomorrow

[Bill Douglas]

On amazon you can buy tea tree oil. You mix a bit with water then wash the hat in it, then leave it out in the sun. It's natural so doesn't poison you but kills of any nasties. And the sun also kills off the musty and other smells. I've used this trick for shoes too.

[Jeff Hail]

I put mine in the dishwasher. Put it on the quick setting as to not harm the cardboard in the visor. If you can turn off the heat dry setting do it.

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

My favorite hats are truckers caps and they smell but I don’t want to throw them away. One says Best Dad and the other is my Jeep hat. I’ve handwashed, machine washed, used Tide and even Oxy Clean - no help. Is there a secret or are they just toast?

OxyFresh and dish soap. Put in a bucket, add hot water and soak the hat for a few hours or overnight. Got the cockroach funk out of my sisters Tupperware that I donated to Goodwill.

[stevej37]

I've tried using Febreeze a few times....I can't stand the smell of it.

[dad911]

ozonator.

[pavulon]

Baking soda detergent or regular baking soda added with regular detergent. Seems too simple but makes for great results in a dressing smell as opposed to covering it up with other smells.

[John Rogers]

I actually bought a combo dryer/dry cleaner to use for my racing fire suit and helmet as they can get ripe as all get out after a race weekend! Using the drycleaning part made the suit or helmet smell just like new!
John

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I've tried using Febreeze a few times....I can't stand the smell of it.

We bought some febreze once a long time ago. I know in the commercials they talked about how it had some technology to encapsulate odors. From my point of view, it mostly just was a deodorant/air freshener. It was like taking a nasty dump and then spraying air freshener. That never fixes the problem, and it doesn't even really mask the problem, then you just have two scents that together may actually be worse than either one by itself.

[rcecale]

I had an odor problem with my workout clothes. They would come out of the dryer smelling nice and clean, but 10 minutes into my next workout wearing them, the odor would resurface. The issue is the oils that get trapped in the fabric. Washing masks the odor, but once they start getting agitated, the odors are released once again from the oils. They key is to get rid of the oils.

My simple solution to this is to add a cup or two of white vinegar to a 5 gallon bucket of water. (Google this, if you like). Add the aromatic clothing and fill the bucket the rest of the way with water...enough to cover the clothing, or your hats. Let it soak for an hour and then toss them back in the washer and let it do it's thing.

I no longer have that issue with my clothes.

Randy

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I've tried using Febreeze a few times....I can't stand the smell of it.

I agree! Fabreeze stinks more than most of the odors it is supposed to cover up. We made the mistake of buying kitchen trash bags that were "scented with Fabreeze" and it stunk worse than any garbage ever did. I was really happy to finish that box of trash bags.

Vinegar added to soapy water is supposed to help with body order in clothes.

[pete3799]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hail

I put mine in the dishwasher. Put it on the quick setting as to not harm the cardboard in the visor. If you can turn off the heat dry setting do it.

This.

[Jeff Hail]

Just a thought if these ideas fail to resolve the issue.

[Bill Douglas]

When I bought my motorbike jacket from an op' shop it had that "old man on a bus" smell. No very nice. The thing that mainly killed off the smell was sunshine.

♪♪ Give me sunshine ♪♪

[KFC911]

I've always toased my stinky hats into the wash with my whites (hot water) and that gets the smell out, but beats the hell outta the visors eventually.

I need some new hats and I have white vinegar ....

Thanks!

[john70t]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

used Tide and even Oxy Clean - no help.

OxyClean aka some (odorless) chemical hydrogen peroxide base is i believe what hospitals use to clean.

Hydrogen Peroxide at low levels is also a debribment for teeth.

Surfacants and Sterilizers are not the same thing.
-Surfacants lift dirt from a surface.
-Sterilizers kill bacteria and/or virii

[juanbenae]

my bald buddy says that once a hat starts stinking there's no saving them. it seems to be a bald guy thing.

[A930Rocket]

I like to use a concoction of Oxyfresh, baking soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, OxyClean, vinegar, bleach, Fabreeze, tea tree oil in the washing machine on hot, then leave it in the sun to dry.

Edit: if your hat survives, it has to work!