Hat Cleaner/Deoderiser

[Bertie]

With all this clammy weather we've been having my head has been getting very sweaty during riding (pleasant thought ;) Not!!) and as a result my hat get a little wet inside I'm worrieed that it's going to start stinking and possibly retain bacteria.

Does anyone know of a good deoderiser which also cleans at the same time???

Also hat's in loose in car boots not a good thing, does anyone have a hat bag? Are they useful? Where did you get it from?

Thanks

[Maria]

Charles Owen do spray cans of hat deodoriser and a hat shampoo. I've used both with good results. You should be able to get them from a tack shop locally.

I hate my head getting hot and sticky. I'm wondering whether to buy one of their ventilated skull caps with the washable pads inside, or perhaps look at one of the vented skull caps elsewhere.

[Bertie]

Thanks Maria is the shampoo for the inside of the hat or the outside of velvet ones?? (I have a charles & owen skull cap)

[AliC]

Hi! I have just got a hat bag (sent away for it with Your Horse or Horse & Rider, can't remember which) and it is really good. It protects the hat and stops it rolling around in the boot of the car getting covered in bits. I have started taking my hat out of the car and bringing it indoors with me as I don't think it does them much good being in extremes of temperatures and it gets pretty hot in the boot with the weather we're having at the mo.

I am also going to buy some hat deodoriser but haven't managed to get to the tack shop lately so don't know what's best with regard to that yet.

[Em 1]

My head always gets hot. I have to say I have found all the hat cleaners worse than useless but I have let my hat get into a bit of a state before trying them! They may be more use on a weekly basis. I've taken to using washing powder on my hat. If you pull the piece of fabric/foam away from the polystyrene, rub with a paste of washing powder and then rinse, it works really well. I only do the edges so it never gets near the glue. Maybe once you've done this a hat cleaner will keep it clean - I must try it!

[virtuallyhorses]

Mine has an insert that you can just tack out (its velcro'd on) and put in the washing machine - but I do know what you mean ;) I put mine on a while back and wondering what the pong was for the entire ride - pheww!! :D

Have you tried a fabric spray like Febreze? it's a deodoriser and anti-bacterial (might have a different name over there). Otherwise your best treatment is the sun. UV rays will kill bacteria and therefore the smell. But you'd have to find some way to protect the outer fabric from getting bleached.

[Bertie]

cheers everyone - mum suggested Febreeze and have been trying that and it seems to help so might stick with this for the time being :)