Maintaining Your Helmet the Best Way You Can
Maintaining Your Helmet – It is so important to know how to maintain your motorcycle helmet properly. A warm climate is a blessing for others because riders can ride without hassle, but the sun may bring unpleasant things like heat, perspiration, and bacteria which helmets absorb during long-term wear. It then stirs up a disgusting mess and creates an odor that after a while, will make the helmet very unpleasant to wear.
And though it’s not sunny, the mere fact that you drove outside is a reason to properly clean/maintain your helmet. Inside, you have insect guts, smoke, dust and smog buildup, fog, gritty fingerprints and more to clean.
With that, you have to do your role to avoid turning it into a smelly bad odored and a depressing motorcycle helmet. Your motorcycle helmet has a lot of work to do. Not only would it have to protect you in an accident, but it also needs to cover your face from highway hazards and insects, separate your head from the heat, and keep you safe for hours, and season after season.
However, take note that improper maintenance damages the helmets too. For instance, the helmet gets damaged by washing them with soap or scrubbing them with a rough rag.
So without further ado, here’s a detailed motorcycle helmet cleaning guide which covers the do’s, don’ts and practical tips on how to take care of your helmet.
Do’s to Maintain Your Helmet with Care
Wear a Bandana or Balaclava
It is recommended to use liners like a bandana or a balaclava. These cloths may lower the rate at which the helmet absorbs body oil and sweat, as they take up a good proportion of the emitted sweat.
Bandana or balaclava is affordable and will give you more time before you need to clean your helmet’s interior.
Pamper your Helmet
Use a soft soap like the gentle laundry detergent or baby shampoo while cleaning the pad. Don’t just use water because the detergents have an effective cleaning action which eliminates even the toughest dirt.
Moreover, purchase high-quality washable towels. You’re going to wash those in warm water and put them on top of the helmet to split dirt and everything else that’s hooked on. Resolve stubborn stains with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and if you can, hand wash it gently.
Be sure that the towel is smooth, scratch-free, and made from microfiber before washing your helmet to prevent damaging the cover.
Polish and Dry
Use motor polish on a gloss helmet cover. Wiping your glass cleaner to your helmet or using compressed air to clear blocked air vents can sound like life shortcuts, but be careful. This helps prevent it from coming off skin, smudges, and watermarks.
Cover out winds and corners using cotton swabs. Air-dry the helmet and fabric, and improve it if necessary with a room fan. You may also dry it in front of the sun, but not too long.
Put Oil on the Hinge (optional)
Lubricate the moving parts of the helmet with a silicone-based fluid, such as the visor pivot. It will make it more movable especially for modular motorcycle helmets.
Make a Routine
Whether you sweat heavily or run day in, day out, giving the pads and liners on your helmet a proper cleaning once a week is a smart idea.
If you do not sweat too much, it is not necessary to clean your motorcycle weekly. Maybe twice a week will do the maintenance.
Don’ts to Make Your Helmet Well Maintained
Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals
Don’t use any cleaner or glass cleaner dependent on ammonia at the visor. Ammonia wears down the polycarbonate lenses and therefore, over time, renders them worthless.
For other chemicals, stay away with cleaning products like petroleum distillate and fabric softeners and chemicals that have aerosols.
Don’t Use Dryer Sheets
Don’t use dryer sheets in your helmet to freshen it up. Dryer sheets contain harmful chemicals which in many people cause allergic reactions.
Don’t Scrub Your Helmet’s Cover or Visor
Don’t scrub a motorcycle helmet cover or visor, in particular, to avoid stubborn bug scraps. Instead, it may cause unpleasant scratches that your helmet will look old and not maintained.
Duty to Take Care of Your Helmet
As a rider, it is your duty to maintain not just your motorcycle, but also your motorcycle helmets. And after a long time, bacteria may stick to your helmet if you will not clean it on a regular basis. Cleaning helmets on weekends or during free time is one of the recommended schedules you must do.
As you store your helmet, it is recommended to put your helmet on a flat surface. Good examples are a box, drawer, or in a table. Don’t hang your helmet because it may cause it to drop or accumulate dust. This also happens if it’s stored for a long time.
It is also important to avoid dropping your helmet. Positioning is always good which prevents it from falling; for instance, from your motorcycle’s hand bars. Dropping your helmet may cause damages and scratches. This can result in less visibility when the visor is affected.
And lastly, your helmet spends most of the time in regular contact with your head and neck. The sweat and body oils make it look and smell rusty ahead of time. Washing up inside and out of a motorcycle helmet is a bit of a method, but a pleasant one, when you place your helmet back on and it feels like a gentle breeze.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning the helmet on a regular basis does not only increase its lifespan but also leads to more fun motorcycle rides. Besides, it’s not as hard as you might have imagined, especially now that you have clear directions with the DOs, DONT’s and other tips mentioned above.
With that, be sure to keep this guide in mind, and make an effort to frequently clean your helmet as illustrated in this article. Enjoy cleaning your motorcycle helmet!