How to Clean a Cowboy Hat

Cleaning a cowboy hat is often needed to maintain a nice appearance. The way to clean a cowboy hat depends of the type of material the hat is made of. The more expensive cowboy hats are usually made of felt. Others may be made of straw.

Things You'll Need

• Cornstarch
• Soft bristle brush
• Soft, barely damp towel
• Make-up sponge or art gum eraser
• Very fine sandpaper
• Whisk broom

Instructions

How to Clean a Felt Cowboy Hat

1. Sprinkle a little cornstarch on any stains on the felt cowboy hat and let it set for a few hours.

2. Brush the cowboy hat very gently with a soft bristle brush. In addition, you may use a soft, barely damp towel to rub the cowboy hat in a circular, counterclockwise motion.

3. Try using a small make-up sponge or an art gum eraser to blot the stain, if the brush or damp towel does not remove the dirt or stain.

4. Rub gently the areas with difficult stains and dirt with an extremely fine grade of sandpaper.

How to Clean a Straw Cowboy Hat

1. Brush the straw cowboy hat gently with an ordinary whisk broom to remove any loose dirt or dust.

2. Wipe the hat very carefully with a soft, barely damp towel if there is still dirt or dust on your straw cowboy hat.

3. Try using a small make-up sponge to blot the stain or an art gum eraser to gently rub on the stain, if the brush or damp towel does not remove it.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your cowboy hats in appropriate sized hatboxes to protect them from dust, dirt and being crushed. The best way to clean a cowboy hat is to take your cowboy hat to a hat restorer or western wear hat store for a more professional cleaning.