The Beginner’s Guide to Caring for Your Prized Cowboy Hat the Right Way
When you buy a cowboy hat, it is not only for sheltering from the elements or pushing up your style quotient by several notches. It is a tribute to the classic western style of dressing that demands a certain amount of commitment for the honor and privilege of owning and wearing a cowboy hat. A well-crafted cowboy hat can be expensive but will last for many years if you take good care of it.
Storing a Cowboy Hat
There will be plenty of times when you will not be wearing your cowboy hat, so you need to know how to store it. The first thing you need to do is to hang the hat on a hat stand, so it gets support from the inside. According to Cowboy Way, you must remember not to keep your hat on a flat surface by the brim as you will spoil its shape. Flip it, so it rests on the crown. Also, make it a point to keep the hat in a cool and dry place, which means you should never keep the hat in your car or under the blazing sun for a long time because it will dry out, warp, and shrink, spoiling its shape. You should turn the hat inside out to prevent it from fading. If you intend to travel, you should ideally keep the hat inside a hat box to avoid it getting crushed and wet. You should use a hat box for long-term storage, ideally with a hat liner, to help preserve the shape in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Cleaning Your Cowboy Hat
Cowboy hats for men are bound to become dusty, grimy, and dirty due to exposure to pollution, sweat, wind, rain, etc. If the hat is damp, you should leave it to dry naturally in a cool and dry place away from any direct sunshine or source of heat. You can turn the sweatband down and hang it on a hat stand to let it dry naturally. You must not keep it under the sun or use a hair dryer to speed up the process, as it will invariably leave behind stains and damage the material and shape.
For regular maintenance, you should dust the hat with a soft brush using a gentle stroking action. You can use a sticky tap to lift stubborn lint from the surface. Follow it up by wiping the hat with a slightly damp cloth to remove light stains. You can use a mild soap solution to moisten the cloth to remove harder stains. When cleaning a felt cowboy hat, you should use an anticlockwise motion. Remember not to use excess water to prevent water stains. Dressing oil can help keep a leather hat from becoming dry and cracking. Regardless of the hat material, you should keep it away from rain and snow.
Conclusion
Following a regular cleaning schedule can help to add many more years to the life of your cowboy hat and keep it looking fresh and new. However, if the hat has become dirty, stained, or misshapen, you should take it to a hatter for professional care.
