Top 5 Essential Tips for Helmet Cleaning and Care

Buying a helmet shouldn’t be as much of an event as taking care of one is. But both are pretty much ignored in India. So, in case you have taken some time out to read this story, congrats. You have done the basic needful of getting home a new lid. And taking care of one is just as essential. Here are 5 tips that should help you keep it looking and smelling fresh. All you need is some water, mild detergent (preferably baby shampoo/body wash), microfibre cloths, and kitchen tissue rolls. 

Clean The Shell

Take a damp microfibre cloth (warm water, not hot or cold but warm) and give your helmet a good but gentle wipe. You want to remove all the dirt and grime that comes off easily, which softens up with warm water easily. Once done, if there are hard to remove spots – hardened dead bugs, bird poop, etc – place a wet tissue on it, wait for 15-20 minutes, and wipe off. Everything should come off in an easy wipe. Repeat if required.

Give the shell a soap water wipe if you feel the need. Once everything is done, wipe the shell afterwards with a dry microfibre. 

Cleaning The Air Vents

If the vents are large enough, you might be able to clean the insides with the corner of the cloth. Else, you can roll tissue thin enough to slide in if you don’t have an earbud. Be gentle; force can cause the vent closures to break.

Clean The Inners

For this, we strongly advise you to check your helmet’s manual, especially on steps to remove the inner cushions. Once removed, you can either just wipe them or give them a thorough cleaning. For the latter, put them in a bucket or a tub of warm water with any light soap for an hour or so. Once out, wash them under running water, and then squeeze out as much water you can by hand – never wring your cushions. Let them dry in shade for as long as necessary. Do not use a hot hairdryer for this since it can irreparable damage. 

If your helmet cushions have removable liners, you might be able to wash them in a washing machine on a soft or gentle cycle. 

Clean The Visor

Remove the visor and gently wipe it using warm water. You can place wet tissues all over the surface, like how you would for hard spots on the shell, and follow the same process. Once done, a wipe with a dry microfibre cloth. 

Clean & Lubricate The Visor Mechanism

When you remove the visor, it’s also a good idea to give the visor mechanism a good wipe since a lot of dirt, dust, and grime can get accumulated here. Use wet cloth for surface cleaning, and rolled tissues to clean the crevices of the mechanism. Some helmets have removable mechanisms – check the manual to know if yours does. If so, you can just wash them under running water. Give them a dry wipe once done. 

BikeDekho Says

If it's the first time you are cleaning your helmet, we strongly recommend checking the manual for cleaning do’s and don’ts. Clean your helmet as often as you think necessary. Riding conditions in India are dirty, dusty, and hot. If you sweat a lot, your helmet can start smelling funky quite quickly. Cleaning it often will keep the funk out. A dirty helmet can also deteriorate quickly, and reduce its ability to protect your head. A weekly ritual in the summers and maybe every month for the rest of the year should do the trick. So ensure you keep it clean and fresh.