# Can you wash baseball caps in the laundry? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981 "2005-11-07T23:41:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/1 "2005-11-07T23:41:57Z")
This question pretty much explains itself. Do any special precautions need to be taken? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/2 "2005-11-07T23:46:48Z")
They make a [plastic holder](http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/sportcap_buddy-2.html) you put the hat in so it will hold its shape. Otherwise, you’ll ruin it. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/3 "2005-11-07T23:47:24Z")
Yes you can wash them. Do you want to? No. Say goodbye to a good brim if you do. [Here’s some more info on to clean your caps.](http://www.sport-smart.com/wash-baseball-hat-cap.htm) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/4 "2005-11-07T23:48:03Z")
Tips[@](http://www.sport-smart.com/wash-baseball-hat-cap.htm). ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/5 "2005-11-07T23:53:00Z")
I wash mine in the dishwasher. Put a bowl inside it to keep its shape. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/6 "2005-11-08T00:02:31Z")
I’ve done it many times, nearly always with good results. Have never done anything more than throw it in the washing machine on Permanent Press cycle. Presumably, a cheap bill (e.g. stiffened with cardboard) could have problems. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/7 "2005-11-08T00:07:02Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > This question pretty much explains itself. Do any special precautions need to be taken? Nope. My wife throws mine in the tub with everyting else and washes it with impunity! P.S. Impunity isn’t too happy about it. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/8 "2005-11-08T00:07:47Z")
I run a sink of hot soapy water (with some bleach because I don’t care about fading) and just use a scrub brush. Works like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/9 "2005-11-08T09:25:21Z")
I wouldn’t wash a fitted pro cap in a washing machine. They’re made of wool and machine washing ruins them, even if you use a plastic holder. I know because I did it once, and the crown of the cap lost its shape. I once had a pro cap dry cleaned, and it came out fine. ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/10 "2005-11-08T09:40:53Z")
Don’t wash a bright red hat with a white shirt, or the shirt might turn pink and when you wear it you’ll get committed to a lunatic asylum where you’ll meet a huge bald white guy claiming to be Michael Jackson who will later help your son compose a song for your daughter’s birthday, and you don’t want that now, do you? ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-wash-baseball-caps-in-the-laundry/329981/11 "2005-11-08T12:41:59Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > Don’t wash a bright red hat with a white shirt, or the shirt might turn pink and when you wear it you’ll get committed to a lunatic asylum where you’ll meet a huge bald white guy claiming to be Michael Jackson who will later help your son compose a song for your daughter’s birthday, and you don’t want that now, do you? Lisa, it’s your birthday – Happy Birthday Lisa… too bad I don’t know how to make music notes!