How to Get Sunscreen Out of a Hat
To get sunscreen out of a hat, blot off the excess, cover fresh grease with cornstarch or baking soda for 15 to 30 minutes, brush it off, then scrub the spot with a drop of dish soap and a soft brush and wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Air dry on a form, away from sun and heat.
Sunscreen stains are oil stains. They show up as dark greasy patches on the brim, shiny marks on the front panel, or a slick line on the sweatband. Dish soap is the hero here because it’s made to cut grease.
The quick answer
- Blot fresh sunscreen with a dry cloth. Don’t rub.
- Sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda on fresh greasy spots and let it sit 15 to 30 minutes.
- Brush off the powder.
- Work a drop of dish soap into the stain with a soft brush.
- Wipe with a damp cloth until no suds come up.
- Air dry on a form for 4 to 8 hours, then check it in good light.
Types of sunscreen stains
- Greasy dark marks. The oil soaks into the fabric and makes it look wet or darker. Common on brims from sunscreen-covered fingers.
- White streaks. Usually mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They sit on top of the fabric, mostly on dark hats.
- Yellow or orange marks. Some chemical sunscreens, especially ones with avobenzone, can leave yellowish or rusty stains, and minerals in hard water can make them worse.
What you’ll need
- A dry cloth or paper towel
- Cornstarch or baking soda
- Gentle dish soap
- A soft-bristle brush or old toothbrush
- Two microfiber cloths
- Cool water (distilled helps if you have hard water and yellow stains)
- A rolled towel or ball for drying
Which method for which stain
| Stain | Best first step | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh greasy spot | Cornstarch or baking soda, 15 to 30 minutes | Dish soap and soft brush |
| Old greasy patch on the brim | Dish soap, let it sit 3 to 5 minutes | Brush, wipe, repeat |
| White mineral streaks | Dry brush | Damp cloth, then dish soap if needed |
| Oily sweatband | Dish soap and brush | Deodorize once dry |
| Yellow or orange marks | Dish soap with distilled water | Several gentle rounds; skip chlorine bleach |
How to get sunscreen out of a hat, step by step
1. Blot what’s fresh
Press a dry cloth onto the spot and lift. Don’t wipe side to side. Rubbing spreads oil and pushes it in.
2. Absorb the oil
Sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda over the greasy area so it’s fully covered. Pat it in lightly. Leave it 15 to 30 minutes so it can pull oil out of the fabric. This step does the most good on fresh stains.
3. Brush it off
Brush the powder away with a dry soft brush. Get it all off, especially on dark hats, so it doesn’t turn into paste in the next step.
4. Degrease with dish soap
Put one drop of dish soap on the stain, or dip your brush into a cup of cool water with a few drops of soap. Brush in small circles for about a minute. Light pressure on the crown and brim fabric, a bit more on the sweatband.
5. Wipe it clean
Wipe with a damp cloth, rinse the cloth, and repeat until no suds come up. Soap left behind can leave its own ring.
6. Dry and check
Stuff the crown with a rolled towel and let it dry 4 to 8 hours. Don’t dry it in the sun. Once dry, look at the spot in good light. Oil stains often look gone while damp and come back as a faint shadow when dry. If so, do another round.
Sunscreen on the brim
The brim gets the worst of it because you grab it with sunscreen hands. Brims are stiff, so they’re easy to work on, but older caps can have cardboard inside. Use a damp cloth, not running water, and don’t let the brim get soaked. Our full brim cleaning guide has more.
Sunscreen on the sweatband
Sunscreen on your forehead melts into the band along with sweat. That mix is greasy and smells after a while. Fold the band out, use the dish soap method, and let it dry completely before you deodorize. See how to clean a hat sweatband for the full process.
Still stained? Try this
A dark shadow after drying. Let dish soap sit on it for 5 minutes, then brush and wipe. Two or three rounds over a couple of days often works better than one long scrub.
Yellow or rusty marks. Use distilled water for wiping, since hard water minerals can make these worse. Skip chlorine bleach. On a white hat, an oxygen-based cleaner may help, but spot test it first. More in how to wash a white hat.
It’s a performance or golf hat. Synthetic fabrics hold onto oil but handle a bit more water. See how to clean a golf hat.
Don’t do this
- Rubbing a fresh stain. It spreads the oil.
- Hot water. It can set the stain and shrink the hat.
- Chlorine bleach. It can react with some sunscreen ingredients and make the stain darker, and it can yellow white fabric.
- Drying it in the sun. Sun can fade the color around the stain unevenly.
- Soaking the hat. It spreads the grease and can warp the brim.
Prevent sunscreen stains
- Let sunscreen soak in for 10 to 15 minutes before putting on your hat.
- Wipe your hands before adjusting the brim.
- Wipe the sweatband with a damp cloth after beach days and long hikes.
- Use a fabric protector spray on a clean, dry hat so oil sits on top longer instead of soaking straight in.
The easy way
The Complete Kit is a good fit for summer hats. The foam cleaner lifts greasy marks from the brim and band, the deodorizer takes care of the sweat-and-sunscreen smell, and the protector spray helps the next smudge wipe off easier.
FAQ
Do sunscreen stains come out?
Most do, especially if you treat them early. Absorb fresh oil first, then use dish soap and a soft brush. Old stains may need a few rounds.
Why does sunscreen leave yellow stains?
Some sunscreen ingredients, like avobenzone, can react with minerals in water and leave yellow or orange marks. Wiping with distilled water can help.
Does dish soap remove sunscreen stains?
Yes. Dish soap is made to cut grease, which is what sunscreen stains mostly are. Wipe all the soap out afterward.
How do you get white sunscreen marks off a black hat?
Brush them while dry, then wipe with a damp cloth. Mineral sunscreen sits on the surface, so it usually comes off without much work.