# Smelly riding hat - yuk!



## Ginn (24 January 2010)

A combination of age, sweat and damp has resulted in my riding hat smelling really quite disgusting. You know that smell that very old cars have, or coats that have nevr been washed? Yep - that is pretty much it!

Now sadly this hat sits on my head so when I remove it my head smells of the same horribleness and unfortunately, having a nose so close to where my hat sits, I can't smell anything other than said horrible smell until I have thoroughly washed my hair in something smelling suitably nice and strong.

Soooo

ANY IDEAS??

Or will I have to finally admit defeat and replace my hat completely?


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## daydreamer (24 January 2010)

No help but i have the same problem so will be waiting for answers!

If you search on google there does seem to be specialist riding hat cleaner spray but I have no idea how effective this would be.


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## Sarah Sum1 (24 January 2010)

I have some hat deodoriser, it is similar to febreeze i think.  Give it a spritz with febreeze and see what that does first.


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## unicornleather (24 January 2010)

Smells are down to bacteria, kill them and the smell goes. There is a product out (spray) as the last poster has said, it is specifically designed for smelly hats.I don't sell it but local tack shops should, Oz


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## Izzwizz (24 January 2010)

Treat yourself to a new Ventair hat maybe?  Your head will stay nice and cool with one of those.


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## monkeybum13 (24 January 2010)

I use some of the hat freshner but I'm sure febreeze would do the trick.
http://equishoponline.co.uk/index.php?doc=24&amp;vid=138


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## henryhorn (24 January 2010)

Give it a jolly good spray with febreze and hang it outside to dry, repeat several times and it should fix it.
You can also scrub the inside with washing up liquid and water and dry with a hairdrier or over the Aga...


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## Nosey (24 January 2010)

As an interim clean I have taken a few layers of muck off with baby wipes. For a slightly more thorough clean I have dampened...added a tiny bit of baby shampoo given a little scrub with something like a toothbrush or nail brush then rinsed off with a sponge using as little water as poss so as not to drench it. There are supposed to be these disposable headband things you can use. Haven't tried them myself but they look good. Seen them for use with cycle helmets...once they get too yucky you can just chuck them away!


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## SpruceRI (24 January 2010)

I use the hat cleaner and hat deodoriser stuff you can buy from tack shops.  The cleaner comes out like hair mousse!

Other than that, a bit of antibacterial shampoo - ones that don't froth too much.  Give it a rub.  Pat dry with kitchen roll.

Hey presto!

Hats get skanky!


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## Broodle (24 January 2010)

My hat gets horribly smelly - I must be a really sweaty betty!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  I just stick it in the sink, fill with warm water and laundry fluid, leave for an hour or so, rinse, then chuck on top of woodburner to dry.  Cheap and cheerful, and seems to work!


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## Ginn (24 January 2010)

Excellent, a few ideas to try! Won't be riding now until Wed so will bring it home tomorrow, give it a scrub with some antibaterial shampoo, spray it with lashings of frebeze, air it and add more frebreze over the next few days as it dries.

Failing that will try and source some hat spray.


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## cobbymare (22 February 2010)

id google it...they do some sweat strips now that are a couple of pounds that you put the the front of the hat and it soaks up all the sweat when riding...im not sure what there called but im sure you will find it ...good luck!


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## djlynwood (25 February 2010)

I know this sounds wierd but I have used a thin sanatary towel in the past and it works really well. 

Stopped using it when my instructor asked to use my hat so she could get onto my horse. I forgot the sanatary pad was in my hat and just handed it over.

She took at second glance and totally didnt expect to see a towel there. But its does the job


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