Below are some suggestions from a friend who runs a retail hat shop. Judy is
interested in what other people suggest, so either post replys to the list
or to me. Either way, I'll pass on the replies.

Karen Heege

***************************

>From: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: suggestions for hats with a bad smell...
>Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 14:21:16 EDT
>
>>
>Surely the smell is indeed mold -- perhaps at a sub-visible level.  I'd be
>certainly amazed if there weren't spores present in the felts, linings and
>leather sweatbands because mold spores are everywhere, anyway.  Must be
>that
>moisture was present elsewhere and not particularly on the hat surfaces, so
>it was
>actually visibly growing elsewhere but not visible on the hats.   Mold
>needs
>darkness, warmth, moisture and still air conditions to grow, so after
>thorough
>vacuuming is done, I wonder if "blasts" of refrigerated, dehumidified air
>would
>help clear the odor and clean up the hats -- of course, not sure how they
>would create this (other than somehow funneling down air from the
>facility's air
>conditioning ducts).  Barring that, maybe hair dryer set on low (being
>careful
>not to overheat the hat surfaces) would at least get air through the
>surfaces
>and complete the cleansing process.  Then storage in moving air and not
>total
>darkness for a while to monitor them might be advisable.
>
>My two cents worth....
>
>Judy McClure, AIA
>Classic Hats for Men
>654 - 19th Street
>Des Moines, IA  50314
>(515) 244-7884
>www.classichatsformen.com
>
>

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