Sweat stains on Glengarries

[Phogfan86]

OK, there's not a dry cleaner in Tapioca, KS, that will touch a glengarry. They say that "they'll come unglued and the ribbon around the headband will peel away from the wool."

So, do my son and I have to learn to live with glengarries with white salt stains around the headband, or is there something we can do?

[Fit2BKilted]

OK, there's not a dry cleaner in Tapioca, KS, that will touch a glengarry. They say that "they'll come unglued and the ribbon around the headband will peel away from the wool."

So, do my son and I have to learn to live with glengarries with white salt stains around the headband, or is there something we can do?

Essentially, you can approach the problem in either of two ways: symptomatically or at the source, viz., cover up or remove the salt... That much is obvious.

If your Glengarries are black, you can do what my regiment did to our bonnets, and apply boot-black artfully (with the old toothbrushes we used to clean the welts of our shoes with) between proper cleanings.

You might also try soaking them in clean water and air-drying them carefully; but, I wouldn't recommend that unless you were so fed-up with the salt-stains that you were willing to buy a new hat if the experiment failed.

Just my tuppence.

[Steve53]

I've hand laundered mine several times using tepid water and a mite of castile soap, rinsing with clear, tepid water until all the suds are gone, then let it air dry, usually outdoors, not in direct sunlight.

No problems yet!

Steve

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Dampen the stain and briskly rub off the "tide marks" with a soft brush (an old tooth brush would probably work). Or you could just buy a new hat and, in the future, rinse off the sweat band when you take it off.

[mbhandy]

I use OxiClean and lanolin soap in cold water to clean mine and rinse it two or three times and dry on a old coffee can.

MrBill

[ForresterModern]

OK, there's not a dry cleaner in Tapioca, KS, that will touch a glengarry. They say that "they'll come unglued and the ribbon around the headband will peel away from the wool."

So, do my son and I have to learn to live with glengarries with white salt stains around the headband, or is there something we can do?

I gotta wonder just exactly how many dry cleaners in tapioca, Ks, have ever seen a Glengarry let alone had the opportunity to clean one, or develop enough experience with cleaning them that they know precisely what is going to happen if they try to clean yours. If you wear yours as part of a pipe band you might as others in the band what they do for the same problem, or for recommendations for an experienced and capable cleaner to patronize in the future.

[Atlanta Kiltie]

Robert MacDonald, a member of this board has a section on his website under Highland Dress, Bonnets, on cleaning a glengarrie. Here's the link: www.westcoastkilts.com/index.php We was in the military and is a kilt maker and I find his website very informative. Good Luck.

[JolyStNicholas]

Thank you Atlanta Kiltie for that link, very interesting indeed. Especially being able to create your own sporran!

[Tony Miles]

Have you considered going to hat & boot shop instead of a dry cleaner? That's where I get my Stetsons worked on.

[JS Sanders]

Ditto with emersion in water - with or without detergent. I've never owned a glen that I didn't wash as needed. Same for balmorals.

Another hint...
To "re-furbish" one's bonnet to a brand new appearance, simply singe the entire headcover with an open flame - within a safe area.

I use a BIC lighter it burns cleanly, which could be important on non-black bonnets. Just remember to have it lit no more than 5 seconds at a time. Otherwise it can get too hot to hold and it's obvious proximity to a quanitity of butane.

Anyway, brush the burnt wool away with a brush and your lid will look as if it just arrived from your favorite retailer.

A Special Forces feller told me they lightly shaved their berets with disposable razors to the same effect. I've never tried that though.

Ciao yall,
steve