Helmet Housekeeping

[spyderider1]

Just wondering what others are doing to keep their helmet's "fresh" during the summer months. On the hot days I tend to perspire and by the end of the day my helmet liner is soaked. Am I the only one or do others have the same issue? On occasion that I won't be riding for a stretch, I will hand wash the helmet and liner with soap and water but then it's a couple of days before the liner is dry again. Any thoughts?

 

[lstayner]

Consider a wicking skull cap or dew rag. That will extend your times on having a smelly helmet.

 

[BoilerAnimal]

My wife and I have HJC helmets and the liners are removable. They come out in three pieces after you unsnap them. We hand wash with Dawn (you could use just about any mild detergent), squeeze out the excess water and you can set them outside in the sun, put them over an air conditioner vent or put them on a table under a ceiling fan. We've done all three. After they're completely dry, put them back in place but make sure you don't pinch any wires if you have an intercom system installed.

The vents on ours work really well and even on the hottest days, ours haven't gotten too damp but each individual is different. When I took the motorcycle safety course, they suggested an occasional light spray with Lysol to "keep that fresh feeling" longer. We've never tried it but they swore by it.

 

[LeftCoast]

Skull cap for me plus I can wet it down to cool off if I need to.

 

[starrider60]

HJC helmet with the removable liner plus a cotton do-rag (that I wet for warm weather) Keep on riding :thumbup:

 

[Easy Rider]

they suggested an occasional light spray with Lysol to "keep that fresh feeling" longer. We've never tried it but they swore by it.

I think there are better products out there now.
I try to leave mine "open end up" to air out after each ride.
Then I give it a spray of something like Febreeze Fabric once a week or so.
Then finally I remove the liner and wash as described above.
There is no magic.

 

[SuperG]

Cool'r skullcap & motul helmet cleaner

 

[BLUEZL600EFI]

I use this weekly in the summer and after it sits for a while before the first use. About once a month I remove the pads and liners hand wash and dry like others have said.

https://www.amazon.com/Motorex-Helmet-Care-Aerosol-171-605-021/dp/B001GNEHVI

 

[Gwolf]

Get a couple welders hats. The thin ones will even fit under a helmet that fits well. You wear them backwards so the longer bill keeps the sparks from going down the back of your neck. Easy to wash, just throw them in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes. They come in thousands of different colors and patterns. If you know somebody who has a welding shop, you might even get them for free. The vendors that sell welding rods, metal, grinding disks, etc, often give them away as advertising.

The better ones have absorbent bands and are fire resistant. They are made to wear under a hard hat or a welding helmet, but they work well under a motorcycle helmet too.

 

[solman]

I use a product called helmet fresh spray. Probably not much different than Lysol or Fabreeze. I always store my helmet open side up to air out. I wash the liner once in a while but also use a doo rag for when it's really hot.

 

[Sarge]

I've actually removed the liners from our Scorpion EXO 900 helmets and simply tossed them in the washer and set it on "delicate". We even put those scent beads in the wash to make them smell purtty. And even though these liners have the air pumps in them, it did not affect them in any way. Dried them in the dryer on low heat with a couple towels with no effect at all. YMMV. We use dew rags always and the "Sweat Vac" brand works well for us. I keep my hair short and on hot days will soak and wring mine out and wear it wet to keep me kewl.

:doorag::yes:

 

[Raknid]

You can buy extra inner padding sets for most helmets. Perhaps consider buying a second set so while one is being cleaned and drying, you can snap in the other set. Of course, if you follow sales and depending on finances, you could pick up a second backup helmet to accomplish the same.

I recall reading some time ago you should not spray Lysol in the helmet as is can break down the Styrofoam layers. Cannot find an article now - so not sure if accurate. Perhaps someone knows better than me and has more definitive facts than I can find now.

 

[Hypurone]

I use Motorex Helmet Care... BEST STUFF EVER!! :yes: