The sun on your face and the wind in your hair are part of the driving pleasure. But do you know what’s part of it? The heart-wrenching stench of a dirty helmet.
If you’ve ever checked out our tips related to motorcycle details, you’re probably on the right track to making sure your motorcycle runs smoothly and looks great. However, for a really comfortable ride, you need more than just a gorgeous motorcycle. You also deserve to take care of your motorcycle accessories, especially your helmet. In addition to the small inconvenience of odor, a dirty helmet can also harbor bacteria, which can lead to infections on the face or scalp.
Designed to keep you safe in the event of an unforeseen impact to your head, helmets are a must-have (and mandatory) for a safe riding experience. While the verdict on how long motorcycle helmets last is known, the truth is that their ability to remain effective depends on a variety of factors, including frequency of use, maintenance, and storage. A routine cleaning program will not only help keep it odor-free, but it will also help you identify challenges with your helmet, long before they become a challenge in the future. So if you’re wondering how to best care for your helmet, here are some of our most sensible tips for keeping it clean and smelling fresh.
Unfortunately, sweating is a widespread pleasure when riding a motorcycle, especially if you live in a hot and humid country. While you can’t help but sweat, you can invest in other tactics to keep it from sticking to your headphones (and making them smell bad). worse), like a balaclava. Not only can a balaclava prevent your helmet from smelling, but it also provides thermal coverage or extra warmth during the winter. On Amazon, the YESLIFE balaclavas, available in 19 versions, cost just $9. 99.
In addition to keeping the stench at bay, offering a helmet can also be more hygienic if you lend it to someone else. While you probably don’t need to carry an extra balaclava with you all the time, having disposable hair covers is an affordable and space-saving alternative. You can buy a pack of one hundred disposable plastic shower caps for $6. 99 at Tobvory, but if you don’t have a lot of passengers on your bike, you can buy this set of 30 AIDIQIU disposable shower caps for only $3. 99.
However, if you prefer something a little more breathable, you can opt for a fabric padded cap, which is used by medical professionals. A pack of disposable puff caps (100 pieces) from the Smilco store is only $9. 99. Puff beanies come in a wide variety of colors, so you can even match them with your helmet.
In an ideal world, you can ventilate your helmet long enough to eliminate odors after each ride. However, there are times when you want to be constantly on the go, especially if you use your motorcycle for your daily work. With air fresheners, you can sufficiently mask the unwanted odors of your helmet’s peak periods. There are other types of air fresheners you can use for motorcycle helmets, such as those designed specifically for helmets, such as the Bike Brite Headphone Liner Refreshner ($15. 66).
If you need something small that can stay in your saddle, Vergali Activated Bamboo Charcoal Odor Absorbent ($18. 98) comes in a pack of 10 and weighs 3. 5 ounces each. Alternatively, you can get those arm air fresheners.
It’s important to note that using air fresheners doesn’t exempt you from cleaning your helmet regularly. While they can help mask odors, air fresheners may not be able to completely remove trapped dirt, grime, and other debris, such as the proper laundry can. .
There are two parts to cleaning your helmet: the inner and the outside. For outdoors, you can use a mild soap combined with cold water and a microfiber cloth or sponge. You can also use a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach corners. , where contaminants such as dust can lodge. However, if you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks, you can use a specialized motorcycle helmet cleaning solution, such as Motul’s 8. 45 oz helmet cleaner ($13. 31) that offers insect-repellent capabilities. Some reviewers on Amazon also praised the Motorex helmet care spray ($20. 69) for its ability to remove mold on liners and hard-to-remove odors from the chin strap. If your helmet has air vents, use a can of compressed air to remove dust or debris buildup. Then, make sure to dry the outside of your helmet thoroughly with a towel.
Then, soak your helmet’s inner pads in a solution of cold water and mild soap for one minute and rinse thoroughly. While it may be tempting to use bleach, harsh cleaning solutions can degrade the materials in your helmet. If possible, let your helmet air dry in a well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, as this can lead to the risk of the shell being prematurely bleached or the plastic degrading. Finally, if your helmet has special features that you don’t know how to clean, it’s more productive to consult the manufacturer’s correct instructions.
Even though your helmet is designed to keep your head screwed in tightly, that doesn’t mean you have to be carless when you’re not. While a smart helmet deserves to be able to protect you in the event of an accident, it can also absorb odors from your surroundings, such as those from street vendors or car exhaust. To avoid this, you need to make sure that your helmet is well stored even when you are not on the bike, even the spare ones.
Additionally, you may want to take other precautions when leaving your helmet outside, especially for long periods of time, to avoid bugs, dust, and debris that can make a mess of the helmet. If you feel the constant urge to leave your helmet outside, it might be a good idea to invest in a helmet bag to keep it looking like new. The WEPLAN Waterproof Motorcycle Backpack, which starts at $29. 99, has an average score of 4. 5 out of a thousand reviews and is designed to hold all types of helmets. Alternatively, you can also get this durable Raider BCS-8B Deluxe Nylon Black Nylon MX Bag motorcycle helmet ($20. 50) that’s large enough to hold motocross helmets, but offers extra load thanks to its fleece lining.
Finally, many other people tend to just attach their helmet to their motorcycle, but you can also mount wall mounts like the OneTigris Motorcycle Helmet Wall Mount ($33. 98) for extra ventilation in your home garage.