Cotton and wool fabrics pill or form tiny balls of lint that remain attached to the fabric. The term “fuzzies” refers to lint either in the form of pills or from another source. Even though a hat is worn on your head away from other fabrics, once it is lost in a coat pile at a party or washed with a load of towels, lint is inevitable. Felt hats in particular act like lint brushes by attracting fuzzies from other sources. Like any other item in your wardrobe, you can get fuzzies off your hats.

Run your finger along the fabric of the hat to determine the direction of the nap. If you run your finger up the hat and it feels rough while running it down feels smooth, you should brush the hat in a downward motion to avoid disturbing the nap of the fabric.

Remove any dirt from the hat with a soft-bristled brush, working in the direction of the nap. This will also loosen any pills on the hat, making them easier to remove.

Align the arrow on the lint brush with the direction of the nap and brush the hat in short, quick strokes. You will know if the lint brush is not aligned correctly because there will be no resistance when you brush.

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 from above.

Wrap three of your fingers in two or three loops of painter’s tape with the sticky side facing outward. Do not use packing tape or office tape. Both will leave a sticky residue on the hat.

Press the tape to the fabric of the hat and roll your fingers in the direction of the nap. Lift your fingers and repeat until you have removed the lint from the entire hat. Twist the tape on your fingers to reveal fresh tape, as needed.