Stain Removal on AB..Help Please

[The Penitent Man]

Hello All,
Let me write a preamble...please dont respond to this post with "Stains add Character, leave it alone" as I dont take this standpoint.

I've had my CS AB for about 4-5 months and wore it on a warm 50 degree day in NYC....much to my chagrin...when I took it off i noticed there was a wide sweat stain in the center dent...no rain...no 90 degree heat...just an average day and my fave hat has this ugly darkspot over much of the crown.

I want my fedora to remain a dress hat, "Made to Measure, Built to Last"....

This comes as a huge dissapointment, and I've seen many cleaning products offered to remedy this situation but im uneasy to try it without the advice and experienced opinions of those well versed in hat making and repair

Help?

Many Thanks

[Strider]

Here's a tale from my own experience in wrangling with a nasty sweat stain. I wore my beaver AB to Comic Con one year, and it was so hot that my sweat went right through the sweatband, ribbon, and felt of the hat. Not on the center dent, though, but on the very front of the hat. So I contacted Fedora about it, and he told me to use naptha, which he also described as "old timey lighter fluid." So I got some, rubbed it into the sweat-stained areas, and after a day or so, washed the naptha out of the felt with warm water and a wash cloth. A little bit of the felt came off on the wash cloth (not more than a few hairs and a teency, tiny, miniscule amount of color). I believe I even shared this tale with Michaelson.

Anyway, that ended up doing the trick, for the most part. There's still a tiny, tiny trace of where that stain used to be, and I imagine that until I send that hat back for cleaning, it will always be there. In any event, it's not 100% the way it was when I got it, but it also isn't nearly as noticable now as it used to be. Hope that does some good.

[The Penitent Man]

wow...naphta...i think id rather never wear the hat again and leave the stain (although that completely negates the point of buying an AB apparently)...but I appreciate the tip

Oak...thanks for offering assistance..i will post a pic when im home....even without a pic though...whats ur two cents?

[Strider]

wow...naphta...i think id rather never wear the hat again and leave the stain (although that completely negates the point of buying an AB apparently)...but I appreciate the tip

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all ABs get a naptha bath before we even get them? Marc/Steve? If I'm right, then it's not like you'd be doing anything to the hat that hasn't already been done.

[DanielJones]

Try a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water. This is a very old hatters trick that I have used with success. The solution is mild enough not to harm the felt yet lift any stains. Hope this helps.
Also, you can find most cleaning information in the following book. "Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovating by Henry Ermatinger, Hatter. c.1919" It a very useful publication even if you're not a hatter. Lots of hints & tip in there. Oh and the use of naptha won't harm the felt. Soaking may dry out the leather a bit but if you're just spot cleaning you should be ok. I've soaked several of my vintage hats in that stuff with no ill effects. A little Pecards on the leather sweatband & you're right as the mail again.

Cheers!

Dan

[The Penitent Man]

Thank you Dan!!
Now im Intrigued to find that book...I hope it's still in print!!....Until then I'll try the peroxide and see where the lid takes me
Thanks Again
The Penitent Man

[binkmeisterRick]

They actually reprinted the book not so long ago. It's a neat book. And since they throughly describe cleaning hats in a gasoline bath, the naptha shouldn't be anything to worry about.

[DanielJones]

You can actually find that book as a spiral bound reprint on ebay, just look it up by the title. I think they go for around $15. Hope that helps out.

Cheers!

Dan

[The Penitent Man]

Dan is the Man!!!!

Thanks so much...you always pop up with useful and insightful responses...why aren't u making hats?

[DanielJones]

Thanks, always happy to be of service.
I might give it a shot some day, but not as a business. I've tried the gig of doing what you enjoy as a business & I must say I'm not cut out to be a businessman. All it did was take what I enjoy & make it a nightmare. I may give great customer service as a Land Surveyor for my company, but it would never work out for me on my own. I'll just keep it as a hobby and help out now and again with useful information I pick up along the way.

Cheers!

Dan

[DanielJones]

And since they throughly describe cleaning hats in a gasoline bath, the naptha shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Yeah, the gasoline they used back then didn't have all the detergents & additives most gasolines have today. But on the other side of the coin, it was leaded. So, Bink's right, naptha isn't anything to fret over.

Cheers!

Dan

[Strider]

Like I said.

[Michaelson]

Yeah.....that's what Strider said in the very first reply!

Regards! Michaelson

[The Penitent Man]

I wont fret...I appreciate all the feedback the members of the board have provided....I want that book Dan suggested as Im having difficulty finding a copy...Maybe I'll take a gasoline bath myself while Im waiting

[Michaelson]

Just don't light a match if you decide to do that, my friend.

Regards! Michaelson

[VP]

[The Penitent Man]

Yeah i'll try to keep from catching fire michaelson!!!...hopefully my hat enthusiasm wont cause spontaneous combustion!!

VP...classic comeback!!

[Michaelson]

Well played, VP!

(In case you didn't know, PM, that's a character that Dalexs made of/for me several years ago that I post every now and again for 'special occasions'. )

Regards! Michaelson

[Castor Dioscuri]

And since they throughly describe cleaning hats in a gasoline bath, the naptha shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Yeah, the gasoline they used back then didn't have all the detergents & additives most gasolines have today. But on the other side of the coin, it was leaded. So, Bink's right, naptha isn't anything to fret over.

Cheers!

Dan

I'm with the Penitent Man on this one... It's not so much the detergents, additives, or even lead (to some extent) that scares me... It's more of the fact that I'd be too scared of wearing a hat soaked with lighter fluid on my head!!! I'm not THAT big a Ghost Rider fan!

[The Penitent Man]

I wasnt that big of a fan of ghost rider myself CD!!

Dan...you say a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water works works well.. could you give me a more detailed answer...i.e. ratio of water to peroxide...method of application and removal of stain..etc.

Thank you Again in advance!!!

[DanielJones]

Basically 5% hydorgen peroxide to the total amount of water used. It should still give it enough fizz to lift any dirt, protines & oils but not harm the felt. Heck, in the mentioned book they talk of acids being used on the felts to lift nasty stains (probably from the oily hair products). Some of these are basic citrus acids but others I think are more damaging, yet fairly common back then, but the average Joe wouldn't be able to get their hands on them in this day and age. I'll poke through the book next week and see what else I come up with. If you happen to find any other info before I do be sure to share.

Cheers!

Dan

[The Penitent Man]

Will do Dan,
I bought one of the bay..should be here by next week
Thanks always and Share I will

[Nicolas Jones]

Hi,

I used triclorethylene and a piece of fabric to remove a sweat/oily stain.
It worked very well...

Regards,

Nico

[TenuredProfessor]

I wanted to bump this thread because I've got a stain on my 'Henry'. Should I just dab the stained area with the 5% peroxide to 95% water solution? How long do I leave it? I've misted the hat a few times with scotch guard and am concerned the stain may be locked in there. Requesting more details about removing stains from my Henry!!! It's a big enough stain to bother me...otherwise, I'd just chalk it up to a 'lived in' mark I should have never let that drunk woman try it on!!! She dropped it on the bar floor

Soak the thing? Dab it? I'm concerned about discoloration.

[BaptisteTheFool]

Just wanted to update that my stain did indeed come out. It's sat in my closet all week and I pulled it out now and viola... Weird.