hat maintenance

HOW TO ENSURE YOUR HAT IS A KEEPSAKE

At Bruh & Ella, we understand the importance of having a hat that lasts. That’s why we provide our customers with all the supplies and information they need to find the right fit and care for their hats. We know that investing in a quality hat is important, and we strive to provide the best products and advice so your hat stands the test of time. Shop with Bruh & Ella to experience a hat you can enjoy for years to come!

CORN STARCH

Ella had a "home remedy" for everything and that care was on the list of "this is what you're supposed to do". If you notice a grease stain on your hat, sprinkle a little cornstarch over the stained area. We recommend a half tbsp to start. Rub it gently onto the stain. After 5-10 minutes, brush it away.

FABRIC STAIN REMOVER

Everyone has some sort of fabric stain remover lying around their laundry room. This is best for stubborn dust or dirt. Wet a cloth so it's moist, but not too saturated, and add some fabric stain remover. Our favorite gentle stain remover is Woolite, YEP Woolite! After stain treatment, rinse the cloth and wipe the stains again to remove stain remover from hats.

To refresh and deep clean that prized Bruh & Ella, sprinkle some absorbent powder similar to the color of your hat to avoid any discoloring. Let the hat sit for several hours to allow the powder to soak up dirt and oils. Place it upside down on its crown to avoid misshaping the brim. Shake off the powder and remove the rest with the hose of your vacuum cleaner.

Pro tip: Use wheat germ for dark-colored hats, baking soda for white hats, and cornmeal for beige and tan hats.

CLEANING THE SWEATBAND?

One of the best ways is using a dry powder that you rub onto the surface of the leather sweatband that will help lift off grime and oil. This can also be used to clean spots on the hat itself as mentioned above. The great thing about this stuff is that because it’s dry, it only affects the area you’re rubbing and will just fall off any other places it touches. You can also use a commercial leather cleaner to remove stains and odor by placing a small amount of cleaner on a paper towel or cloth and rubbing it in, being careful not to get any onto the hat itself and following package directions, making sure you allow the band to air dry. When the band is dry, you can then use a leather conditioner or lotion to keep it supple.

HAT BRUSH

Use a hat brush to help remove dust and dirt from the surface of your hat. For best practice, gently brush the hat counterclockwise, starting at the front and working your way around.

Pro tip: Always brush in the same direction consistently.

Cleaning your felt hat can be a delicate task. Whether you need to give it a light cleaning to refresh and revamp your Bruh & Ella or you literally wear your hat every day and you know better than putting your prized Chapo in the washing machine, the advice we have will keep your investment | legacy piece looking brand new for years to come. At anytime, search your local area for professional hat cleaning services, contact us and maybe we can help.

HAT SPONGE

Ever wondered how cowboys keep their hats clean? Hat sponges. They're the best way to remove dirt or smudges from your brim. Use small circular motions on the affected area with the dry sponge to brush dried dirt, dust, and any other debris off of your hat. Use one sponge for dark and one for light felt hats. Dried dirt will flake off easily as you wipe it.

Pro tip: Don't ever rub your stains. That just allows the stain to set in deeper and makes it harder to remove.

LINT ROLLER

A good rule of thumb is to always keep a lint roller on hand to remove lint, hair, and dust. If you aren't that well prepared, you can use a piece of tape to remove that stubborn dust and debris your hat might collect over time. For the tape option, just wrap the tape around your hand, sticky side out, and gently sweep and dab across the surface of your hat. Our hat care kit with our lint roller works wonders.

Pro tip: Replace the tape frequently to ensure you remove it as much as possible.

While we have provided hat care advice we encourage for the legacy of your purchase use a local professional cleaning service so every hat is a heirloom worthy of passing on to the next generation.

There are tons of ways you can steam out the scrunch, the crunch, or really anything that’s deformed by simply using an industrial steamer, a handheld steamer you can get from your local supermarket, or even boiling a pot of water at home. Heck, you can even throw it in the bathroom to steam while you shower. Just like steam gets wrinkles out of clothes, it does the same for hats. We personally use an industrial steamer since we have a large volume of hats to handle every day. But don't worry, no matter what streaming device you

have, we will walk you through each option.

HOW TO RESHAPE A FELT HAT WITH A STEAMER

Steam the area of your hat that needs to be reshaped
Make sure you can feel the material softening
Use your hands to push out the dents or straighten the brim
Let the hat cool

Fixing your hat's crushed sections is super straightforward with a steamer. Let the steam envelop the hat section by section and knead the areas into shape after the steam has made them softer and more pliable. Avoid letting the hat get too wet. If this starts to happen, let it dry out and take another pass at it.

HOW TO FIX A SMASHED HAT WITH A BOILING POT

If you don't have a steamer on hand, you can boil water in a tea kettle or a regular metal pot you would use for cooking. When the water boils, dump it out and hold your hat about a foot from the steam as you drain it, or open the tea kettle and let the steam roll out and onto your hat.

HOW TO FIX A HAT USING A HOT SHOWER

Steam your hat by turning on the shower to the hottest setting and shut the door. Remember, you want the hat to get steamed but not wet. Hang the hat away from the water's steam on the back of the door or a hook for about 20 minutes or less and that should do the trick!

HOW TO FIX A BENT HAT BRIM

To fix a bent hat brim, steam the area until the material is pliable. You can then use your hands to work the brim into the right shape. We recommend using a flat surface to guide you as you reshape the brim.

HOW TO RESHAPE A CRUSHED STRAW HAT

Straw hats or sun hats might get smashed going to or from your vacation destination. When it comes to Two Roads Hat Co. hats, you can de-crunch both your straw and felt hats. When fixing straw hats, heat them evenly, working continuously on the wire lining. Start with the brim of the hat and work your way around. Shape it up as you steam, but be sure to lay it flat using books or weight to dry.

TIPS FOR RESHAPING A FEDORA HAT

Everything from a smashed brim to a dent in the crown can cause you to need to reshape your fedora. Using steam to get things moving is a great start, but be sure to use these tips to snap your hat back into shape:

Use both hands to guide steamed sections of the hat back where they need to be. You can use an open palm for large sections and your fingers to focus in on smaller parts.
Be sure to check the overall shape of the fedora every few adjustments so that the general shape keeps moving in the right direction.
The brim is one of the most classic elements of the fedora. Make sure you know the style of your brim before reshaping it so it ends up looking like new.
Felt hats usually require just steaming the brim, but make sure it is heated evenly and work your way around the hat until it's back to its original shape.

So if you accidentally sit on your hat, don't panic! It can be fixed.