Removing Sweat Stains from Baseball Caps

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated August 2, 2021)

Making its debut in 1860 when an amateur baseball team—the Brooklyn Excelsiors—first wore them, the baseball cap has not changed much over the years. That "Brooklyn style" rounded cap became very popular in the 1900s, and when latex rubber was added in the 1940s as a stiffening agent, the modern baseball cap emerged. Basically, the only other change made to the original baseball cap was to add an adjustable strap to the back in order to have a custom fit. Today's baseball caps are made of wool or polyester, and some include Lyrca.

A baseball cap conforms to the head where it can absorb perspiration. If you have a light-colored ball cap, sweat stains can discolor the fabric, causing unsightly yellow stains. Always read the care label inside of the baseball cap and follow the manufacturer's directions when washing the cap, and then follow these tips for removing sweat stains from baseball caps before washing:

  • Dissolve two aspirins in one-half cup of water and then pour the mixture directly onto the stains, allowing it to soak in for at least two hours. Add a few drops of Woolite, agitate with a toothbrush, and then rinse with clear water.
  • Make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the stains with a toothbrush, and then add a teaspoon of white vinegar and continue to agitate with the toothbrush. Rinse with clear water.
  • Wet the sweat stains with cold water, and then apply meat tenderizer liberally and work it into the stain. Rinse with clear water.
  • Combine one-half cup of ammonia with one-half cup of water and pour the mixture over the stains, agitate with your fingers or a toothbrush, and then rinse with clear water.
  • Combine equal amounts of pure lemon juice and water, and pour over the stains and allow to sit for at least a few hours. Rinse with clear water.
  • Dissolve one-quarter cup of table salt in one-eighth cup of warm water. Allow the liquid to cool and then apply to the stains with a toothbrush. Rinse with clear water.

After you've treated the sweat stains, launder the ballcap according to the care label on the garment. Most manufacturers do not recommend machine-washing your cap, since the beating action of the machine's agitator can change the shape of the cap. Never dry a baseball cap in a dryer, since the heat will shrink the cap. You can purchase a baseball cap cage and place the cap onto it after hand-washing to help the cap retain its shape. Some people place the cap onto the cage and then onto the top rack of the dishwasher and run it through one cycle. If you do choose to do that, make sure the dishwasher is not set to a heated dry cycle.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Choosing a Paintbrush

When choosing a paintbrush, consider the surface area you will paint, the type of paint you will use, and whether you ...

Discover More

Winterizing Your Sprinklers

Removing all of the water from your sprinkling system might sound like a daunting task, but can be quite easy. Depending ...

Discover More

Prom Fashion Basics for Girls

The number one rule to remember when choosing accessories for your Prom ensemble is never to overpower your dress. The ...

Discover More

The Power of Microfiber! Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths will become your favorite tool for every cleaning task. This 36-cloth package is perfect for hundreds of uses in the garage, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and all around the house. Each cloth is tough, streak-free, lint-free, reusable, and washable. Check out Microfiber Cleaning Cloths today!

More Cleaning Tips

Tips for Washing Your Blue Jeans

Blue jeans are a staple in almost any wardrobe—you need them. Because you use them so much you want to make sure ...

Discover More

Bleachless Whites

Tired of putting bleach on your clothes trying to get them cleaner? Then the bleach splashes all over and on to your new ...

Discover More

Restoring Old Silk

Silk is an absolutely beautiful material whose beauty only seems to increase with age. But even this material is going to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 1 + 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.