How to Clean and Care for Clerical Hats

How to Clean and Care for Kamilavkas

10Apr

In response to requests from our subscribers, today’s issue of the OCC delves into the best practices for cleaning and maintaining kamilavkas at home. These tips also apply equally well to priestly mitres and monastic klobuks.

Proactive Care for Clerical Headgear

Proper care extends the life and appearance of your clerical hats. Here’s how you can keep them in pristine condition:

Ventilation

After services, especially in warm weather or after lengthy ceremonies, your headgear likely accumulates moisture from sweat. Ensure you air it out adequately before storing—this could take a couple of hours or even overnight. Position it on its side or upside down to allow air to circulate inside.

Storage

Store your headgear in a dedicated case or cabinet. Open storage can lead to dust accumulation and exposure to smoke from censers, candle soot, and even wax droplets.

Handling

When putting on or removing your clerical hat, always handle it from the back to minimize visible finger marks.

CLEANING YOUR CLERICAL HATS

Cleaning routines can be categorized into regular, seasonal, and major, based on how soiled the hat is.

1️⃣ Routine Cleaning (weekly or monthly, depending on usage).

Tools Needed:

- a soft brush for velvet,

- cologne with high alcohol content (for its availability and pleasant scent), or pure alcohol.

- ❌ Avoid lint rollers as they can damage the fabric.

Lightly moisten the brush and gently clean the outer surface to remove dust and lint.

☑️ For the inner surface, often stained by oils from the skin, use gauze soaked in cologne or alcohol to wipe down and dissolve grease stains. Alcohol is preferable as it minimizes wetness and allows for quick drying, reducing the risk of deforming the hat’s cardboard structure.

☑️ Finish by brushing again and, if available, use a garment steamer to refresh the fabric.

2️⃣ Seasonal Cleaning (one to two times a year).

To address buildup from sweat and oils, which can cause odor and discomfort.

☑️ Apply hydrogen peroxide with gauze to affected areas. The fizzing and whitening indicate the breakdown of organic material. Allow it to sit, then clean off with alcohol-soaked gauze. Avoid water to prevent deformation.

3️⃣ Thorough Cleaning (if the hat has been neglected for several years).

☑️ Quickly clean the inner part with gauze dampened with water, a little laundry soap, and a few drops of dish detergent. This should be done swiftly to prevent the hat from becoming too wet.

Perform this a few hours before a service to allow the hat to air dry.

Additional Cleaning Tip: Removing Wax Stains

Wax stains can be particularly stubborn. For an effective removal method, we employ techniques similar to those used for cleaning vestments. You can find detailed instructions in our vestment cleaning guide (link here).

☑️ Place a paper towel over the wax stain on the kamilavka.

☑️ Gently blow steam from an iron through the towel onto the wax stain. Important: Do not press the iron directly against the towel or the kamilavka. The heat will melt the wax, which should then transfer to the paper towel.

☑️ After steaming, use gauze soaked in alcohol to dab at any remaining stain spots.

From our experience, this method can effectively remove nearly 100% of fresh wax stains. However, older stains might only lose their gloss, with some residue potentially remaining visible.

Explore Our Online Catalogue ⬇️

As we discuss clerical hats, take a moment to explore our online Сatalogue. From simple everyday skufias to exclusive, handmade mitres, we offer a variety of options to suit your clerical needs.