Why would you want to know if you can wash your beanie?

 After all, it's just a beanie, something you throw on as a quick and effortless way to accessorise your outfit. 

It can't get that dirty just by wearing it, can it? 

What if we told you that humans lose 200,000,000 skin cells every hour!

 That's a huge number and likely will cause a mess of your beanie.

  Don't forget you've got the oils and sweat your head constantly emits. 

 Wearing a beanie is dirty work, but you have to do it.  

 It's worth also considering that winter hats work like sponges and are great at attracting dust, dirt, pet fur, and flint. 

 It's not just your dirty head making your winter hat rotten; it's the world too!  

You know how filthy that train station gets if you live in a city. 

 

The smog and pollution in the air will live in the membranes of your hats forever unless you wash them. 

Beanies are like a magnet for muck, and yours is likely overdue an excellent clean. 

Have you just marked your favourite beanie and want to wear it on a date? or are you just concerned that you have become nose blind?

We think it's about time you washed your beanie.

Now, you might be inclined to throw your beanie in the washing machine with your jeans, chuck it on 40c and call it a day.

 

You can do that, but you will likely wreck your beanie. 

 Machine washing beanies can be one of the fastest ways to reshape the structure of your hat, morphing them into a style that never sits nicely on your head again. 

 

Beanies are delicate garments, and you should handle your headwear with care. 

 Delicate washing means going back to basics, and we are talking: a sink full of soapy & cold water and your hands.  

Can You Wash Beanies?

It's right to wash your beanies but with great care. Beanies can snag and shrink when you clean them in a washing machine, so your best approach is to hand wash them delicately. You can use a small amount of mild detergent (5ml per 4 Litres). Gently swirl the hat amongst the water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Isolate tough stains and persistently massage them in soapy water to remove them. Then remove the excess soap by rinsing in a basin of cold water, press, roll and air dry to finish, do not tumble dry your beanie.   

How To Hand Wash A Beanie? | The great guide on how to clean beanies.

• Fill a sink with cold water and a mild liquid detergent
• Drop your dirty beanie into the soapy water, massaging and swishing it for 4-5 minutes.
• Isolate stubborn marks to work them out; soak for longer than 5 minutes if necessary. 
• Drain the sink of soapy water and refill it with clean, cold water.
• Squeeze and massage the excess soap out of your beanie. 
• Once the soap is extracted, lay your beanie flat on a towel, roll and press the towel to dry your hat. 
• Leave your beanie in a well-ventilated area until it's bone dry.  

The Step By Step Guide on How To Hand Wash A Beanie.

 Fill Your Sink 

 Firstly fill your sink with cold water and add a mild liquid washing detergent when full.

 Something like ecozone liquid laundry detergent is ideal for this job. 

 You want to avoid using washing powder because it won't do the job. Liquid soap will dissolve quickly and is perfect for removing your beanie's stubborn stains. 

 

 Inspect Your Winter Hat 

Before you begin washing your hat, determine any stubborn marks or stains. 

These are harder to identify when the hat is submerged and wet. Take a mental note as you want to take a little more time cleaning these areas. 

 

Get That Dirty Beanie In The Water

Next, drop your beanie into the soapy mixture so it can begin absorbing the detergent. 

 Swirl it about, massage and work the general dirt out for around 4-5 minutes. 

 At this point, bring your focus back to the stubborn marks you identified at the beginning and with your thumb and forefinger, rub and work the stains out. 

 At this point, the beanie should have absorbed enough of the detergent, so you can make light work of this. 

 

Keep Soaking That Hat ... 

If some marks aren't budging, leave them in the water. 

But remember, it won't wash by itself, so keep the hat moving.  

Drain The Sink 

If you feel your beanie is clean enough, it's time to get the soap out. 

Beanies work similarly to sponges in the way they absorb liquid, so after minutes of soaking, your beanie will be full of soap. 

We need to get that out, or it will cause discolouration to your hat. 

Drain your sink, so the soapy water runs down the drain, and rinse the basin. 

 ** Don't let the running water land on your beanie as this can cause it damage, depending on your skully's material. 

 

Refill Your Sink 

Once the soapy water has drained, refill your sink with clean cold water and continue to work and squeeze your beanie to remove all of the soap.

The water will likely turn soapy again; if it does, drain the sink and refill it. 

 Keep repeating these steps until all of the soap is gone from your beanie.  

 

Roll The Beanie Up

Once all of the soap is out of your beanie, we need to get it dry.

Next, you need to roll the beanie up into a loose ball. 

Make sure it's not too tight, as you will change the structure of your hat. 

You can press and squeeze the water out when you have balled up the beanie. 

Consider doing this over your sink or bucket to avoid making a mess.  

Never wring your hat dry, as this will destroy its shape. 

 

Wrap The Hat In A Towel

The beanie should now be wet to the touch but not dripping water. 

What you want to do next is place it in a clean towel. A hand towel will likely do, as long as it's twice the size of the hat. 

Now lay the beanie down flat in the centre of the towel. 

Proceed by rolling from the top of the towel to the bottom, wrapping the beanie up in the process.   

Once you've wrapped the beanie, press with both hands on the rolled towel.

 Use your body weight to drain the excess water out. 

 Here, your aim is to drain the water from the beanie and transfer it to the towel. 

 

Shape Your Hat

Now remove the beanie from the towel. 

 At this point, you may find it somewhat distorted, but not to worry, we can amend this whilst it's still damp. 

 

Finish Drying Your Beanie

You should have extracted most of the moisture from your hat at this point, but it's imperative to let it dry in a well-ventilated area until it's 100% dry. 

 If you were to stuff your beanie back in your drawer or cupboard just the slightest bit wet, you would end up with an incredibly stinky hat. 

 It's essential to let your skully dry in a well-ventilated area to get the real clean you are after. 

 When hanging dry, ensure the beanie is separated from other clothes and even try drying it next to a fan or radiator to speed up the process.

 If you leave your beanie out in the sun to dry, ensure you don't leave it out for too long, as prolonged drying time in direct sunlight can cause damage to the hat's fabrics. 

How not to wash a beanie | 9 Things not to do when cleaning your favourite beanie hat. 

So we have discussed the best method for washing your beanie to give you the ultimate clean finish. 

 We've covered the washing detergent to use all the way to the best drying method for your hat, so it's safe to say that you've got what it takes to start the process. 

 Before you do, you might want to avoid these common mistakes when washing beanies from home, as you could ruin your favourite headwear piece.  

Avoid Running Water 

If using a basin to hand wash your garment, avoid letting the running water hit the hat directly. 

 In some cases, this can cause colour leakage from the fabrics and, in some extreme conditions, break down the structure of the beanie fabric and cause the hat damage. 

 

Don't use a hairdryer on your wet beanie hat. 

So you've gone through the cleaning process, which seems to have been a success, but you are eager to wear your favourite beanie again. 

 The problem is it's sopping wet, and you don't have the patience to let it dry. 

 Instead, you find the nearest outlet and plug in your hair dryer to get that beanie ready to wear. 

Stop! Don't do this, high heat levels on wet garments can cause shrinkage and damage to the fabrics of your beanie. 

 It can do irreversible damage to the hat, leaving your favourite beanie as just another item for the rag pile.   

 After all, good things come to those who wait, so dry your hat with care and diligence.  

Avoid using hot water. 

Hot water, especially boiling water, can cause your hat to shrink.

Instead of using hot water, opt for a cold/lukewarm temperature when washing your beanie.

 Hot water can also cause the colour to bleed out of the fabrics and is another important reason for using cooler temperatures to wash your hat. 

 

Don't dry your beanie in direct sunlight for too long.

Drying your beanie in direct sunlight can ruin your favourite headwear piece. 

 Leaving any wet laundry directly in the sun for a prolonged period can cause discolouration in the fabrics and cause irreversible damage.

 Don't leave your hat in the sun for longer than 2-3 hours at any given time to avoid this. 

 

Avoid using powder washing detergent to clean your beanie.

Powder detergent is not the best when hand washing your beanie at home. 

 There are many reasons to opt for liquid detergent over powder detergent when washing your favourite skull cap, but the main one is the wash mix.

 The liquid detergent binds and mixes with the water far better than powder detergent, especially when washing at cooler temperatures. 

 So if you are washing your beanie today, reach for that mild liquid detergent over the powder.  

Don't wring your beanie out.  

Wringing your beanie is a big no-no when washing and drying your hats. 

 Wringing your beanie when wet will ruin the hat's elasticity as most beanies are now a synthetic blend of materials, and they are dependent on elasticity to give you the fit you require. 

 Wringing your beanie will not only sabotage the hat's shape but also cause it to lose its elasticity. 

 Always aim to dry naturally. 

 

Don't use a washing machine to clean your beanie.

Our plain and simple advice would be don't use a washing machine to clean your beanie. 

 Admittedly, there are ways to use a washing machine when cleaning your delicate hats, but they will always be inferior to handwashing. 

 Using a washing machine to clean your beanie leaves it susceptible to snags as it will be exposed to the drum moving at high speeds. 

 If you pick the machine's wrong speed and temperature settings, you can wave goodbye to that new hat and end up with something almost unrecognisable. 

 We recommend handwashing because it is more delicate on the garment and a more targeted approach for those stubborn stains. 

 

Never tumble dry your beanie.

This one is a no-brainer. If you read the label on the inside of your hat, it will most likely directly express not to tumble dry your beanie. 

 But, if, like us, you are born curious and want to know what would happen if you tumble dry your hat, then you have come to the right place. 

 Death, death of a hat, that's what would happen!

 Tumble drying beanies might be the single worst thing for your hat, but if you are looking to: 

• Snag your beanie.
• Cause the colours of the fabric to fade. 
• Ruin the elasticity of your synthetic blend hat.
• Ultimately compromise the integrity, shape and fit of your beanie.

Then, throw it in the tumble dryer by all means, but don't say we didn't warn you. 

Don't hang your beanie upside down to dry. 

When beanies are wet, they become very pliable. Combine that with the force of gravity over time, and you have the recipe for a very distorted piece of headwear.  

We always recommend letting your beanie dry naturally in a well-ventilated space. 

Make sure you put it into shape before it dry's because it's challenging to reset if it's not wet. 

 

Can beanies be washed in the washing machine?

If you are feeling lazy and decide our simple method of handwashing beanies won't work for you, that's ok.  

If it's a quick and effortless solution you are after, you're probably thinking something like, can beanies be washed in the washing machine, and if they can, what are the risks? 

The simple answer is yes, you can clean a beanie in the washing machine, but there are some risks. 

So to ensure that you minimise these risks, we have devised a guide so you can safely wash your beanie in the washing machine. 

 

1. Make sure your beanie can be machine washed. Some fabrics will not go in the washing machine full stop. You can determine whether your beanie is machine washable by looking at the inside label.
2. Grab A pillowcase! Leaving your beanie exposed to the machine's drum is probably one of the most significant risks to your hat's integrity. We like placing our beanie inside a pillowcase before machine washing to give it some extra protection. 
3. Wash your beanie as part of a larger load. Washing your beanie alone will cause it to bash around in the machine's drum, leaving it susceptible to damage. It's better to add it to a load of similar colours. 
4. Always use mild washing detergent when cleaning your beanie in the machine. Ensure that you add the washing detergent to the draw instead of pouring it directly onto your hat, as this can cause discolouration. 
5. Apply the delicate wash setting on your machine and ensure that you have turned down the wash's temperature and the drum rotation's speed. Heat and speed are a recipe for disaster for your beanie fabrics. 
6. As always, air dry your beanie when washed. DON'T TUMBLE DRY IT!

We always recommend handwashing your hats over machine washing them as delicate fabrics require tender care; however, we appreciate some of you won't have the time and patience to do that every time. 

If you follow the above steps carefully, you will be well on your way to having a clean beanie.  

How often should I wash my beanie? 

Beanies might be the dirtiest garments on the planet. We have already discussed the countess skin particles that get trapped within the fabrics of your hat daily.  

Combine that with sweat, hair, dust and dirt, and we've found one filthy accessory. 

We believe in an ideal world, and your beanie should get washed weekly, failing that, at least once a month. 

Beanies don't get washed nearly as much as they should, and it's time to take a stance.  

Why is this hat so overlooked when it comes to washing; The fact that some people are still asking, can you wash beanies? Suggests that they aren't getting cleaned regularly enough. 

Skateboarders wear beanies regularly for many reasons and can even be spotted wearing hats whilst competing in the Olympics.

They have become synonymous with the sport, like a headband for a tennis player.  

But how often do you think they get washed? Weekly, Monthly, Yearly?  

You can guarantee Roger Federer isn't re-using his headband, yet a visit down to your local skatepark would likely uncover nuclear levels of beanie stench!

How often you wash your beanie will depend on multiple variables like:

• Do you sweat when wearing your beanie?
• Do you wear make-up when wearing a beanie? 
• Has your beanie been exposed to city smog, on a subway or underground train, for instance?
• Has your beanie been rained on and then dried in an unventilated area? 

But the harsh reality is if you are questioning whether your hat needs to get washed or not, then it almost certainly does. 

What temperature or setting can I machine wash beanies on? 

So you want to know how to wash a beanie hat in the washing machine and what settings best suit your headwear. 

 Firstly it's important to understand that beanie hats are delicate items and are best suited to being washed by hand, where they get the care and diligence needed to get cleaned correctly. 

However you can wash your beanie in the washing machine, but you must determine what temperature and settings are best for the garment.  

 

With your beanie being a delicate item, you should ensure you opt for the light setting on your washing machine. You want a low agitation with a low spin speed. 

 This is because the threads and fabrics of the beanie are prone to snags on the machine's drum, and the slower the spin cycle, the less chance a catch will occur. 

 In terms of temperature, we recommend that you don't exceed a heat of 30c; this is considered a cold wash and is best for your beanie primarily because high heat levels can cause shrinkage to the hat and the possibility of a colour bleed.  

How to hand wash a wool beanie. 

Wool is a delicate fabric, and although you may find a wool setting on your washing machine, we advise you not to put your hat in the washing drum if possible. 

The best way to wash your wool beanie is by hand in a basin, as you can give your hat the diligence and targeted cleaning that it needs without damaging its structure. 

Follow our simple steps to get your wool beanie clean:

• Fill a basin or sink with cold water. 
• Add mild liquid washing detergent or a delicate wool detergent like Woolite. 
• Submerge your beanie in the solution and leave it to sit for up to ten minutes.
• Very delicately, work any marks out with your fingers, do not rub the fibres of the hat together as this can cause abrasion and make your hat fray.
• Drain the sink of the soapy water and re-submerge the wool hat. Swash the headwear piece around in the water until it becomes soapy again.
• Re-drain the sink and repeat the above until all the soap has gone from the beanie. 
• To dry your hat, leave the garment in a well-ventilated area that's out of direct sunlight.

Things not to do when washing your wool beanie.

With wool being such a delicate fabric, there are some things you want to avoid when washing your wool beanie. 

If you want to avoid giving your woollen garment a massacre, make sure you avoid these common mistakes on how to wash a wool beanie:

 

• Don't use harsh detergent on your wool beanie.
• Don't wash your beanie in hot water; this can cause the hat to bleed. 
• Don't hang dry your wool beanie as it will lose its original shape. 
• Don't wring dry your beanie, as the hat can be misshapen. 
• Don't use a hairdryer to dry your wool beanie, as high heat can cause shrinkage. 
• Don't leave your wool beanie to dry in direct sunlight as you leave the hat susceptible to sun damage.  

How to wash cashmere beanies?

 Pre-washed cashmere beanies are becoming very popular at the moment but have you ever wondered what the best method is to remove those nasty stains, sweat and dirt from the headband of your cashmere hat? 

Unlike other materials, pre-washed cashmere hats can be cleaned exceptionally well in the washing machine.

But there are still risks to using the washing machine to clean delicate hats.  

Follow these steps to ensure the best machine wash for your cashmere beanie: 

•  Use the delicate cycle option on your machine. 
• Ensure that the water temperature does not exceed 30 degrees. 
• Do not use fabric softener on your cashmere beanie. 
• Ensure the cycle speed isn't too fast, as the beanie can get damaged in the washer's drum. 
• Don't dry the beanie in direct sunlight, as this can damage the fibres of the hat. 
• Avoid wringing your cashmere beanie dry. Instead, leave it to sit in a well-ventilated area. 

 As you can see, there are various ways to get your beanies washed, depending on their materials.  

But handwashing proves to be the best method across the board. 

If you have the time and patience to hand wash your beanie, you can achieve a clean that beats the washing machine, and there is also less risk of damage to the hat. 

Just ensure you follow the above steps carefully and whatever you do, don't tumble dry your beanie.