How to Care for b.e.happe Knit Pom Hat: Tips and Tricks

Keep Your Knit Winter Pom Pom Hat Looking Like New

How do I care for a knit beanie hat to keep it looking good? The short answer: hand-wash gently, air-dry flat, and clean up surface pilling regularly. Handcrafted beanies are meant to be multi-seasonal and long-lasting, but knit winter hats naturally get fuzzy due to friction — so a little regular care goes a long way. Cleaning a pom pom beanie specifically takes one extra step compared to a plain beanie, since the faux fur pom can't get wet. Here's exactly how to do it.

Step One: Determine the type of yarn

Before you wash anything, check the tag sewn inside your hat — every b.e.happe beanie is labeled as either 100% acrylic or an 80% acrylic / 20% wool blend, and that fiber content affects how it should be washed. For a pom hat specifically, the pom itself matters even more than the fiber content of the body: it's faux fur, and faux fur pom poms cannot get wet or they'll melt. Keep that in mind for every step below.

Step Two: How to wash knit hat?

Hand washing is by far safest method for cleaning your handcrafted knit winter pom pom hats. Fill a basin with lukewarm water and add a small amount of gentle and dye-free detergent. To preserve the faux fur pom pom, gently swish ONLY the body of the hat around in the soapy water and let it sit for several minutes. Rinse the hat thoroughly with clean water until no suds remain. Do not wring or squeeze the hat as it can distort the shape of the winter pom hat. 

Step Three: Dry the hat

Lay the winter pom hat flat on a clean towel and fold over the towel on the body of the hat. Gently press the towel down to remove water on the body of the hat. If the faux fur pom pom got wet, shake vigorously to reshape it or fluff. Lay the hat down on the towel to finish drying.  

Faux fur pom poms cannot be washed as most are acrylic or polyester and will MELT. If you have a handcrafted b.e.happe knit pom pom hat the pom pom is faux fur, this should NOT be dried. If you have a b.e.happe knit hat without a pom pom can tolerate being washed in hot water, however it may shrink or change shape  pending the temperature of the dryer. Always read the care instructions on the tag before attempting to clean it.  Do not use a dryer or a hair dryer to dry your knit pom pom hat as the heat can cause the yarn to melt or change shape. 

Step Four: Remove stains

For more stubborn stains on the knit pom pom hat such as along the brim where makeup may have been rubbed off, apply a small amount of stain remover or dye-free soap to the affected area and gently rub it in. Let it sit for a few minutes before washing as before. Avoid using bleach or harsh chemicals, as they can damage the yarn fibers.

Step Five: Clean up body of pom beanie

Once your knit pom pom hat is clean and dry, the last two steps to getting you knit hat looking like new is cleaning up the surface and re-shaping the knit beanie. If the winter knit pom hat needs to be reshaped, gently stretch the stitches vertically. Watch this video to see a demonstration on how to reshape the beanie.

Due to friction, it's natural for any knitwear to get fuzzy over time. Scissors can work in a pinch, but we've fully switched to using a fabric de-fuzzer tool instead — it clears pilling faster and more evenly, with no risk of accidentally snipping a stitch. Just glide it over the body of the hat, avoiding the pom. Watch this video to see a demonstration on how to de-fuzz your b.e.happe beanie. 

Now you know how to clean a beanie the right way, pom and all. Hand washing, air drying, and clearing surface pilling are the three habits that keep it looking great all winter season.