Sweat Stains and Silverbellys

[easportsracer13]

I have a beautiful Silverbelly Serratelli I bought from heritage Hats in Phoenix. Ive worn it a few times and once out to the desert where I sweated up a storm. The sweat went right through the liner like it was nothing and absorbed right into the felt. when it dried it left darkened edges around where the sweat was.

I had gotten out smaller blotches of stain using distilled water and Q tips, but this was huge so I tried lots of distilled and a hat sponge. It reduced it but its still present...but it also caused the stain to creep up to the top of the crown.

So I have questions. id like this to be a nice hat i can wear, and I dont want unsightly dark stains on it. Is there any advice on this? Is the liner just awful? How about cleaning products like Scout, can that get it out? Did I damage the felt by using distilled water to clean it? How can I prevent this problem in other light felt hats? Grrr...

 

[Seth Hawkins]

I've always managed to get sweat stains out of the felt using water. I have a small spray bottle that I use to spritz the felt. I spray an area larger than the stain. If it's a tough stain - being stubborn - I'll use a piece of cloth or cotton towel to lift the stain from the felt. I think the stain is probably salt from our sweat, since water alone doesn't cause a stain on the felt. I've never used any chemicals on mine. I usually see the worst staining on the ribbon where the same principle applies.

 

[easportsracer13]

Do you rub it out or blot it out?

 

[Seth Hawkins]

Blot it. I use a white cotton handkerchief - you don't want the towel or rag to bleed it's color into the ribbon or felt. Usually just spraying an area about twice the size of the stain will dilute the salt enough that it disappears. If it doesn't, I use the towel/rag to blot it out.

 

[easportsracer13]

Thanks, On a side note, I've heard on this board that the Dark Scout hat cleaner will work fine on light felt hats with no repercussions, is that true?

 

[zetwal]

Thanks, On a side note, I've heard on this board that the Dark Scout hat cleaner will work fine on light felt hats with no repercussions, is that true?

I would caution against proceeding until you have read the various threads on the topic. For example,

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/archive/index.php/t-50356.html

 

[johnnycanuck]

I use this for all my hats.
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=83
Johnny

 

[Seth Hawkins]

I've not used anything other than water to clean any of my hats, so I can offer no advice on any of the cleaners. However, I have had excellent results getting surface dirt and light stains off the felt with a brush and a sponge.

 

[mattface]

Talc and a horsehair brush actually works wonders for me. It doesn't do everything I need, but it did a LOT on this very stained (grey) hat I picked up yesterday. It seems to wick out the oils and allow me to brush them away. Not sure about silverbelly hats, but it couldn't hurt and might help to try it.

 

[easportsracer13]

Do you mean talcum powder?