How Do You Clean a Panama Jack Hat?

Panama Jack hats may be cleaned with a hat brush, a lint roller, cornstarch or talc, hydrogen peroxide and a damp washcloth, a stain stick or laundry detergent, depending on what they are made of. Panama Jack makes hats out of a variety of materials including canvas, nylon, microfiber, cotton, cotton blends and straw, and each material requires a different cleaning method.

Panama Jack hats that are made of straw may be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide and water dabbed on the hat with a clean cloth. The hat should be brushed with a hat brush to remove dust or loose dirt before a solution of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water is dabbed on problem areas. To avoid breaking the straw, the hat should not be rubbed or soaked. It can also be cleaned by rubbing with dry talc or cornstarch to remove spots or to clean the sweat band inside the hat.

A lint roller and a damp wash cloth may be used to clean a cotton or cotton-blend hat, or the hat may be spot-cleaned with a washcloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide mixed with laundry detergent or treated with a stain stick. Canvas hats may be hand-washed in a gentle detergent. Cotton/polyester blends are machine-washable; the hat may be placed in a plastic hat form made specifically to keep the shape of the hat while in the wash. Let all hats air dry. Do not dry any hat in the dryer.