What is the best way to wash/clean old Trucking Caps?

I hand wash mine, in the sink, hot water, and a bit of laundry soap.

 

Washing machine, gentle wash. Then take them out and place over a large coffee can so when they dry you keep the top shape. Also bend or not bend the bill into the shape you want. When they dry they take that shape. I've washed the same caps half a dozen times with no harm. Try spreading liquid soap on the dirty parts of the bill before washing.

 

I use the dish washer for my caps, top rack. It has always done a good job for me, then I just let them air dry. I never have a problem with the top shape but as TMNT suggested the coffee can seems to be a good idea.

 

When they're done I put a balled up towel or newspapers inside to keep shape.

 

Take 'em down to the drycleaners - I took the sleeper curtain and a pair of real dirty coveralls down this week, and $20 later - nice and clean. I'm willing to bet they'll make a nice job for less than $10, and the wife won't be on your case about 'meessing up' the washer.

 

Actually thats not a bad idea. Might dry faster because the paper will absorb moisture.

 

I spray mine with any laundry pre-treat that we happen to have, let it soak over night then re-spray and then machine wash with jeans then reshape and dry on a plastic coffee bucket. But have learned in the last 5 or so years to spray and respray waterproofing spray inside and out and both sides of the entire bill, almost totally eliminates all sweat stains before they start. I have used "scotch-guard" a couple of times but on embroidered hats or multi-colored hats you have to use several light coats I have had a couple new caps "bleed" the darker colors onto the lighter colors if I spay too much or too fast.

 

When I first read topic, for some reason I thought hub caps. like the chrome type that goes over the lug nuts. then started to read posts like washing machine, dishwasher, & thought I must have wandered onto the drunk drivers forum.


I have not had my 1st cup of coffee yet! finally got it. not the coffee, but the topic... yeah me too. I like a good wearing cap & try to keep it. usually wash by hand in sink with dish soap, scrub soiled areas with ole tooth brush, wring out by hand put on clothes line along with the used washed out coffee filters.




just kidding about the coffee filters.

 

i bought two plastic frames years ago .probably at walmart. they open up and you put a hat in and close it and put it in the washer.it looks kind of like a white plastic skeleton of a hat. i used it 2 weeks ago.
i also use those led hat lights every day.
i bought a couple of those hats at cabelas that had the lights built in and wore them out.
then i got one that clips on at rei and at the same time i found one at fred meyer thats cheap.great for pretrip inspection chaining up and going to the woodshed.use them everyday