Caps, Shirts & Ties, Oh My! Useful Tips for Tackling Dad’s Laundry

Fathers wear many hats. Whether they are business professionals, coach their child’s sports team or are on dinner duty, one thing is certain … stains happen. To celebrate the hardworking dads in our lives, we put together some tips on how to wash dad’s laundry and eliminate some of the toughest stains they face on a daily basis. This one’s for you, dads.

The Casual Dad

Lawn care, backyard games with the kids and other outdoor activities can take a toll on baseball caps. If yours is looking a little dingy, it’s time for a wash. Not sure how to wash a baseball cap in a washing machine? Follow these simple steps:

• Use a stain remover or detergent and a soft bristle brush to pre-treat sweat and other stains. Let the cap sit for 30 minutes.
• Put your cap in a mesh laundry bag or pillowcase and add to a load of similarly colored laundry.
• Use a non-bleach laundry detergent, ideally, one specifically for delicate fabrics. Wash with cold water on a gentle cycle.
• Let your cap air dry, as a dryer can cause the cap to shrink or become misshaped.

The Chef Dad

As much as you may love cooking for the family, you may not love the mess—especially those pesky grease spatters. Grease stains don’t have to be a permanent part of your wardrobe. Here’s how to get the spots out:

• Treat the stain as soon as possible. Sprinkle enough baking soda to completely cover the stain, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Use a toothbrush to gently scrub the baking soda into the stain. As the baking soda removes the stain, it will turn brown. Scrape the baking soda off the article of clothing and repeat two or three more times, until it no longer changes color.
• Cover the stain (if it is still present) with a small amount of dish detergent and scrub again with a toothbrush.
• Let the dish detergent sit for 5-10 minutes after scrubbing, then wash in hot water.

The Professional Dad

Whether it’s a coffee spill or a lunch mishap, business suits sometimes capture the brunt of food stains. Trips to the dry cleaner can be inconvenient for working dads, but no fear. It’s easy to wash a suit at home. Just follow these steps:

• Turn your suit inside out, roll it and place it inside a mesh garment bag.
• Wash your suit with nothing else in the machine on a delicate cycle using a small amount of detergent.
• Skip the dryer. Instead, lay your suit on a flat surface or put it on a hanger to maintain its shape.
• Once your suit is dry, steam it to eliminate wrinkles and hang it in your closet.

Some suits, such as those made of wool, will require a little extra care, so be sure to pay attention to labels. Instead of machine washing a wool suit, follow these steps to wash by hand:

• Using ice cold water, wash your suit with a detergent specifically for wool.
• Rinse thoroughly and lay flat to dry.

Ties can be tricky to clean depending on the material. Typically, silk and wool ties should be dry cleaned, but linen, polyester, knit and microfiber ties can be washed at home:

• Hand wash ties using cold water and a small amount of detergent.
• Do not wring out the tie after washing. Instead, lay it on a towel and press out excess water using a second towel and hang up to dry.
• If necessary, steam the tie to get rid of wrinkles.

Things get a little messy when you’re a parent, but these tips will keep dad’s laundry looking as good as new.