How to Clean Your Helmet

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR HELMET 

A helmet is the most important safety equipment while riding a motorcycle and, it doesn’t matter what type of bike you are riding, it protects our heads from all kinds of obstacles on the road.
So, keeping your helmets clean is necessary, as it is on our heads for the longest time and carries all kinds of dirt, grime and maybe even bugs from trips. 

Also, other than the motorcycle itself, helmets are one of the most expensive riding equipment, which means that everybody would prefer to use them for the long run, and regular maintenance helps with that. 

Keep reading to learn how to rejuvenate your helmets into looking all new and ready for protection. There are a few necessary steps to be followed for cleaning helmets which have come in good use for a while, but before following any instructions do read your riding gear manual as well. 

STEP 1:

Before you start, make sure to remove any internal electronic accessories that you may have in your helmet, like – microphone, batteries, or Bluetooth communicators. Though it is a basic step many times people forget to remove these and often end up corrupting them due to the water. Also removing these gadgets gives an extra edge to clean thoroughly in all nooks and crannies where dirt may be lodged. 

STEP 2 :

The interior parts of the helmet, like the cheek pads and internal liners, are to be removed for washing, most of the helmets nowadays come with detachable intern cushioning especially for cleaning purposes. Taking these off can be tricky and may require more than two to three tugs and pulls to take these off completely. It is advisable to read your riding gear manual beforehand and not to experiment unnecessarily. 

STEP 3:

After bearing the outer hardcover of the helmet, take a clean microfiber cloth or towel and soak it in some lukewarm water. Then cover the helmet with it and leave it in that position for a while. This step is essential as it will loosen up and dislodge all the dirt and grime which must be stuck in difficult access areas in the helmet. After this step, it will become relatively easier to clean the helmet. 

STEP 4:

If you remember, when we wear a helmet the portion which is most in contact with us is the inner portion or linings of the helmet, due to which it becomes one of the dirtiest portions as well and hence needs to be cleaned at a regular interval so that all the stuck dirt, bacteria, and germs don’t make our skin or gives us rashes. 

So, for this step, we need to fill lukewarm water in a tub or basin and pour in a bit of liquid cleanser which is not too harsh, and then take the inner linings and cheek pads we took out in step 2 and keep them submerged it in the water for 5 – 10 mins so that all the dirt comes apart loose, then after that gently start scrubbing the linings together to make sure it is cleaned properly. 

After which drain the dirty water and again in cold water rise the inner linings so that there is no soap left. Then to dry it squeeze out the extra water gently and let it dry in the open air with good ventilation until it is completely dry. 

STEP 5:

Now that we are done cleaning the inner linings, it’s time to clean the outer shell, for which we’ll uncover the shell from the cloth and take another clean microfiber towel and wipe off any remaining stains, sweat, or marks while making sure we don’t put scratches on the helmet. Make sure not to use any detergent or solutions on the helmet covering as it may damage it. 

STEP 6:

Now on to one of the important parts of cleaning a helmet, is cleaning the face visor, and while doing that also making sure that you don’t end up scratching it. As most of the face visors are UV ray protected nowadays, the best way to do it is just with a clean microfiber cloth and lukewarm water. 

Although read the care manual specific to your helmet before doing anything, the easiest and most secure method is to just work your way through it slowly and cleaning any dust particles, smudges and dirt until you find it shining, and then letting it air dry in a room. 

STEP 7:

Last, but possibly the most important step in cleaning your helmet is reassembling it and restoring it as it was when you started, so first we’ll put the inner linings in place then all the technological accessories that we removed and the face visor at the end.

And just wipe all off it with a clean towel for that final shine, and your helmet is all ready for your next ride. 

So, these are some of the very simple steps to follow while cleaning your helmet, and even though these steps seem relatively simple, keep in mind to not use certain items like petroleum-based cleansers while cleaning the helmet as they may harm the outer shell. 

And possibly if you are just too lazy to wash your helmets regularly then preferably try and wear a Balaclava, which is a full coverage cap like cloth that covers your head and has various advantages like – 

• It reduces strain on the hair strands and hence reduces hair loss. 
• And it acts like a layer between your head and the inside of the helmet due to which the dirt gets absorbed by the balaclava which can be easily machine cleaned once in a while without any hassle. 

The helmet is a riding gear that is compulsory for every individual rider to use so keeping it clean in all situations is essential and something that everybody should do regularly.