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Freakshow
12th January 2007, 09:36
This is a bit far out there but I was wondering about cleaning the inside of the helmet. (Something I haven't done yet!!:gob:)

Firstly is there anything tips or things to be aware of?

So lets be honest has anybody cleaned the inside of their helmet?? :sick:

If so how often and should I even bother???:shit:

Cheers!!!:done:

Drum
12th January 2007, 09:45
Weekly with standard home glass cleaner. Inside and out. (visor that is). Lining once a year mebbe.

Trudes
12th January 2007, 09:50
I would if mine wasn't so cheap and had removeable insides, but as it doesn't, I don't.

LilSel
12th January 2007, 09:51
:yes: I clean mine prob once a year... but then it all depends on circumstances...

Was out riding one day.... on the motorway... felt something hot and warm... blood nose... GREAT!!! got off motorway at next offramp and pulled into first gas station... whipped helmet off pretty damn quick n grabbed tissues... blood all down my face/front etc (got some funny looks from people!)... once it stopped bleedin I cruised home n pulled insides outta helmet n cleaned it all thru n thru....

Dont like hairgel so much in there either... but its easy enough to pull the padding out n wash it...

Sneezing etc in ya helmet is icky too lol... so if been sick at all... clean it then as well to get rid of any germies!

WickedOne
12th January 2007, 09:52
I clean the outside and the visor after every ride but probably only wash the inner lining about twice or three times a year.

Macktheknife
12th January 2007, 10:07
I opted for monthly but in truth it is probably more like 3 monthly. Visor cleaned every week or sometimes every couple of days, depending on the weather.

vifferman
12th January 2007, 10:15
I've had my helmet for about three years, and cleaned it last night for the first time. It has a removable lining, so wasn't too bad, but the forehead bit is made of some sort of chamois or synthetic version thereof and is hard to dry.
Normally, I never clean my helmets inside, but this one was smelling pretty bad, mebbe because it's the tightest-fitting one I've ever had.

Apparently, if you don't have removable linings, the thing to do is take it in the shower and shampoo and rinse it, squeeze as much water out as possible with towels, then set it up with a fan blowing into it.

MyGSXF
12th January 2007, 10:16
in 15 years of riding.. & through 3 helmets.. I have NEVER cleaned the insides... :gob:

I don't use hairgel or wear makeup either.. so I spose that might help.. but helmet don't smell either!

MyGSXF
12th January 2007, 10:17
Apparently, if you don't have removable linings, the thing to do is take it in the shower and shampoo and rinse it, squeeze as much water out as possible with towels, then set it up with a fan blowing into it.

That is handy to know.. :yes: SHOULD I ever require to clean mine out! :shutup:

vifferman
12th January 2007, 10:28
in 15 years of riding.. & through 3 helmets.. I have NEVER cleaned the insides... :gob:

I don't use hairgel or wear makeup either.. so I spose that might help.. but helmet don't smell either!
I think mine is stinky because (a) I now have essentially no hair, and (b) it seems to stink a lot of traffic fumes. Why it should be worse for the latter than previous helmets, I dunno, unless it's because this is my first helmet with a mirrored/tinted visor, so instead of wearing sunglasses and riding with the visor wide open, I now ride with it open only a crack, so less airflow through it...

MyGSXF
12th January 2007, 10:31
I think mine is stinky because (a) I now have essentially no hair, and (b) it seems to stink a lot of traffic fumes. Why it should be worse for the latter than previous helmets, I dunno, unless it's because this is my first helmet with a mirrored/tinted visor, so instead of wearing sunglasses and riding with the visor wide open, I now ride with it open only a crack, so less airflow through it...

yeah.. sounds logical.. :yes:

ps: nice toy BTW!! :Punk:

Freakshow
12th January 2007, 11:24
Apparently, if you don't have removable linings, the thing to do is take it in the shower and shampoo and rinse it, squeeze as much water out as possible with towels, then set it up with a fan blowing into it.
interesting???

Might go with the wait 15 years idea.

And think about this if you have sold a helmet did you clean it first??
:sick:

Kflasher
12th January 2007, 11:42
Visor(s) done every ride, inside and out, I sweet like a pig so I wear a balaclava this is much easer to clean that removing the lining each time.

vifferman
12th January 2007, 11:55
interesting???

Might go with the wait 15 years idea.

And think about this if you have sold a helmet did you clean it first??
:sick:
Never ever sold one.
First one was stolen, second one ended up in an opshop, can't remember what happened to the next one, the one after that was traded in (!), the next one suffered a headplant into the road, and I'm currently trying to think how to get the current one replaced. Faceplant onto the footpath only scratched the top of the visor and the brow vent switch thingo. Must do better...
Perhaps it could be stolen?

Interestingly, apart from the faceplant (which was very, very minor and silly), I've never hit my head when I've crashed a bike.

Indiana_Jones
12th January 2007, 11:56
You can clean the inside of your helmet!? :gob:

-Indy

sunhuntin
12th January 2007, 12:26
You can clean the inside of your helmet!? :gob:

-Indy

thats what i thought...no visor, so thats not an issue, and as for the lining, i do nothing more than pull any lost strands of hair out, simply cos they then get blown across my face and annoy the hell out of me.

Flatcap
12th January 2007, 12:29
Just leave it - the sweat and grease builds up into something akin to a Drizabone thus enhancing water-repellant properties

Toaster
12th January 2007, 12:47
Old helmet doesnt have removable bits. New one does, but I doubt it will ever get cleaned on the inside, I'll just shower with it on daily.

Indiana_Jones
12th January 2007, 12:56
lol. Yea I can't really be shagged, if it smells too much, just spray it with some nice smelling stuff, but not too much, one might pass out from the fumes lol

-Indy

Freakshow
12th January 2007, 13:17
lol. Yea I can't really be shagged, if it smells too much, just spray it with some nice smelling stuff, but not too much, one might pass out from the fumes lol

-Indy

Now theres an idea! Smell some nice smelling stuff inside.

Then I would need the peg on my nose!!!

Tickler
17th January 2007, 11:05
I wash the inside every 6 odd months. Mainly cause i end up getting sick in winter and want to wash the germs out cause i ride everyday. The visor i wash pretty much every week (damn bugs) or when i change it from tint to clear. My helmet doesnt really smell but does get hair product in it (gotta impress the ladies) Its not really that hard to do anyway, a whole 5 minutes of your time wow!

mikey62
17th January 2007, 12:19
Occasionally look at the inside and think mmmmm i wonder how you clean THAT. Then the moment passes. Visor cleaned regularly. Once the inside chin guard accidently got some windowlene on it so i wiped it off. Does that count ?

KoroJ
17th January 2007, 15:28
Nice one Freakshow. If you haven't got any hair the inside of your helmet probably doesn't get very dirty.

Personally, I bought a balaclava to alleviate the problem and wash that every couple of weeks, (or is that months?). Makes life easy anyway.

TerminalAddict
17th January 2007, 15:47
easier to shave my head .. keeps the helmet cleaner ;)

Blairos
17th January 2007, 15:49
To prevent potential "Helmet-Stink" of the motorcycle variety, i just wear a silk balaclava - Motomail has them for about $15, and you dont get hot during summer either...

Idubbs
17th January 2007, 20:38
Nup. Never been inclined to clean the inside of my helmet. Generally doesn't stink, and by the time it does its time to get a new one! I just tell the missus the old one fell off the bike and onto the concrete.

Hey, can't you buy fabric spray cleaners/ deodourisers?

mynameis
25th January 2007, 13:49
Nup. Never been inclined to clean the inside of my helmet. Generally doesn't stink, and by the time it does its time to get a new one! I just tell the missus the old one fell off the bike and onto the concrete.

Hey, can't you buy fabric spray cleaners/ deodourisers?

Lolz too much money on your hands mate! If you wana give me your "dropped" helmets please pm me! And yes you can get those things but theres nothing like a good clean!

mynameis
25th January 2007, 13:52
I've got the new KBC VR 2 series but haven't had much luck with them! On the 3rd visor now within a year, the notch keeps breaking off!!

Clean the visor few times every week but just last week I took out the lining and gave it a good wash and it took me more than a hour to put the damn thing back on!

It's still not fitted in properly and some bits are poking out and I can't wear it as it's uncomfortable, will take it back to the shop to get them to put it back on!! Baaah!!

KBC

ceebie13
25th January 2007, 14:07
My (motorcycle) helmet wiffs a bit for a good few days while it dries out after I have ridden in sustained hard rain. And my gloves??? They too stink after a good soaking and the smell transfers to your hands too. Eeew!! I hate riding in rain for that reason. I just dont believe there is such a thing as 100% waterproof m/cycle gloves. (Unless you wear XXXXL rubber gardening gloves over the top!) Then, to cap it all, there's the "oh shit, the lining has come out with my hand" syndrome which happens just as much on a hot sweaty day as in the pouring rain. Aaaaghhhhh!!!
I bet any non biking cagers who read this stuff laugh like drains and don't understand why we do it.

vifferman
25th January 2007, 14:33
My Spidi Raven gloves seem to be waterproof, and the lining is off a kind that doesn't come out with your fingers. But even with liberal applications of SnoSeal, the outside leather does take up water eventually, it just doesn't make it through the waterproof bit underneath.
They'd be the best waterproof gloves I've had yet, but they're not what I originally wanted, as the cuff is too short - makes it hard to keep the jacket cuff over the top of them without gaps where the weather can get in.
The ones I wanted are (IIRC) called Spidi Sport Comp H2Out, but they were out of stock (apparently) when I was buying.

Panther
25th January 2007, 15:03
So how long does it take to get the lining dry in your helmet?
cos i took it all out once, cos it NEEDS to be cleaned, and then i realised all the time i was gonna be spending waiting for it to dry was gonna be time i wasn't gonna be able to go out riding, so i tried to put it in again and that took ages too...

mynameis
25th January 2007, 15:53
So how long does it take to get the lining dry in your helmet?
cos i took it all out once, cos it NEEDS to be cleaned, and then i realised all the time i was gonna be spending waiting for it to dry was gonna be time i wasn't gonna be able to go out riding, so i tried to put it in again and that took ages too...

Haha depends aye Sallo like I dried mine inside didn't want the Sun to damage it, if. So it took two days but mez got a spare helmet.

Otherwise a day would be fine I rekon.

Denniso
25th January 2007, 16:28
The best way I've found to clean a helmet is to briskly and firmly apply it to a suitable track surface , done regularly you never need to worry about the inside coz it dosen't get old enough to get dirty , ( 80mph on your head seams to be about the right speed to get through to the polly on the inside on a Shoei OOPS ).

Freakshow
26th January 2007, 08:19
The best way I've found to clean a helmet is to briskly and firmly apply it to a suitable track surface , done regularly you never need to worry about the inside coz it dosen't get old enough to get dirty , ( 80mph on your head seams to be about the right speed to get through to the polly on the inside on a Shoei OOPS ).

But you should be able to buff that up real nice hey!!

pritch
26th January 2007, 09:37
I ride everyday and like to have two helmets so as not to wear the same one day in day out. That'd be like wearing the same shoes everyday I guess...

Last weekend I washed the #1 helmet, removed what lining I could and hand washed it, then washed the inside with a sponge. Dried it in the sunporch (shame about the lack of sun..).

Also washed my touring jacket while I was at it. Just have to treat the jacket with silicone spray and put the lining back in the helmet. When I've waxed the leather jacket I won't know myself but that'll all be over for another year.

gbickford
26th January 2007, 23:49
I just got a helmet from Buy Sell Swap for $20. It's a lucky helmet. The person that was wearing it when they crashed was lucky they were wearing it. The padding was all rotting out on the inside so I took the hoover to it.

I wear it when I bitch someone and give them my new helmet. :)

Dazza
30th January 2007, 08:01
I clean my open face often as it's done a few km's and gets grotty as I sweat heaps, Motorex (sp) make a helmet foam which is excellent,lifts all the crud and leaves it smealling fresh and new ! for those really hot days I wear a little hat (similar to what the MX boys wear me thinks,looks like a skull cap or one of those hats that the muslums wear) rinse in cold water first then wring it out and cools the old head, no sweating what so ever f'n brillant.:yes: easier to wash than the inside of the lid.

robertydog
30th January 2007, 12:23
It would be fear to say that havent cleaned the iside of my helmet. Althought i have ony just purchase one with removable inners. So i guess thats the next project.