Hats
How to take care of a cowboy hat
Four habits. Three of them take seconds and the fourth saves a soaked hat.
By Selena H. · Updated October 13, 2026
Brush it after wearing, store it crown-down or on a hook rather than on its brim, keep it out of hot cars, and dry a soaked hat upside down at room temperature away from any heat. Wipe the sweatband occasionally. That is the entire routine.
Brushing
A soft hat brush, counter-clockwise around the crown and the brim, after any dusty wear. The direction matters on felt because the nap lies one way, and brushing against it roughens the finish. Dust left to settle works into the felt and is far harder to remove later than it is to prevent.
Storage
- Crown-down or on a hat hook. The weight of the crown resting on a brim warps it permanently.
- Out of the sun. UV fades felt and straw alike, and it dries the sweatband leather out.
- Out of hot cars. This is the single most common way a good hat is ruined. Heat and a brim pressed against a seat equals a hat that no longer fits its own shape.
- In a hat box for long storage. Especially for felt, and especially if it would otherwise be stacked under something.
Drying a wet hat
Shake off surface water
Gently. Do not wring or squeeze the crown.
Set it crown-down on a towel
Upside down so the brim keeps its curl as it dries rather than flattening under the crown's weight.
Room temperature, no heat
No radiator, no hairdryer, no sunny windowsill. Heat shrinks and distorts felt.
Leave it until fully dry
Usually overnight. A hat that feels dry on the outside may still be damp in the sweatband.
Brush once dry
Water lifts the nap on felt; a brush settles it back down.
The sweatband
This is where a hat starts to smell, and almost nobody cleans it. Fold the leather band out and wipe it with a barely damp cloth every few wears, then let it dry before folding it back. On a hat worn in hot weather, that one habit is the difference between a hat you keep and a hat you quietly stop wearing.
Hats worth looking after
Felt rewards care for decades; straw is the one you learn on.
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Illustrative photoResistol Cisco Straw Hat
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Common questions
How do you clean a felt cowboy hat?
Brush it counter-clockwise with a soft hat brush after wearing, and wipe the sweatband with a barely damp cloth every few wears. For stains or reshaping, a hatter can steam and re-block felt.
What do you do if your cowboy hat gets wet?
Shake off the surface water, set it crown-down on a towel, and let it dry at room temperature away from any heat. Brush it once fully dry. Never use a hairdryer or a radiator.
How should you store a cowboy hat?
Crown-down on a flat surface or hung on a hat hook, out of direct sun and never in a hot car. Resting a hat on its brim warps it permanently.
Can a hatter fix a damaged cowboy hat?
Felt, yes - steaming and re-blocking can fix most shape problems and some stains. Straw, essentially no: once it is warped or cracked the hat is finished.
How do you stop a cowboy hat smelling?
Clean the sweatband. Fold the leather band out and wipe it with a barely damp cloth every few wears, letting it dry before folding it back. That is where the smell starts.
About the author
Selena H.
Selena H. is the owner and editor of Spur & Stitch. She started the site after discovering how much western-boot buying advice assumes you already know what a welt is. Every guide here is written for the person buying their first pair.
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