Cleaning motorcycle helmet

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Cleaning motorcycle helmet
Photos: mps-Studio

clothing

Helmets

Cleaning motorcycle helmet

Clean motorcycle helmet
Gently but thoroughly clean and care for

The mother-in-law test (“It’s not dusty at all!”) a motorcycle helmet does not have to pass. But a clean, scratch-free visor contributes immensely to driving safety. At the latest, when there is oncoming traffic in the evening, you flee the scattered light that dead insects and visor scratches create.

Manuel Fuchs

08/11/2017

Clean the helmet shell


Cleaning motorcycle helmet


mps photo studio

Helmet shell: The right cleaners are crucial.

The peel is rubbed with lukewarm soapy water and a soft cloth. Do not use chemical cleaners, these permanently destroy the structure of the thermoplastic shells. Then treat the helmet with a plastic care product; For shells made of lacquered fiberglass, carbon or a similar mix of materials, standard lacquer care has proven its worth.

Clean helmet visor


Cleaning motorcycle helmet


mps photo studio

Flies and insects are soaked easier to remove from the helmet visor.

Insect debris and other dirt can easily be removed from the helmet visor once they are soaked. To do this, place a wet cloth on the visor for a few minutes. Then rinse with clean water. Alternatively: special cleaner. Under no circumstances rub it, it will scratch it!

Clean helmet lining


Cleaning motorcycle helmet


mps photo studio

Helmet lining: easy to wash with mild detergent.

Removable helmet lining makes cleaning particularly easy. It is removed and then washed by hand with mild detergent.

When the upholstery is reinstalled at the latest, the person who has memorized the order and arrangement of the parts or even took a picture of them during removal has an advantage. That should be in the helmet’s operating instructions – but first: Where is it when you need it? And second: yes, should …

Glued-in helmet linings can be treated in two ways. either with a sponge and mild soap solution or with a helmet pad cleaner from the spray can. In any case, wash or squeeze the residue out of the upholstery thoroughly.

Maintain the visor mechanism


Cleaning motorcycle helmet


mps photo studio

Lubricants such as Vaseline or silicone oil are good for the visor mechanism.

The visor mechanism slips better if it is lubricated with petroleum jelly or silicone oil before attaching the visor. Under no circumstances use mineral oil as it attacks plastic and makes it brittle.

Helmet care: questions to the professional


Cleaning motorcycle helmet


Dr. Wack GmbH

Hartmut Hauber, Head of Application Technology at Dr. OK. Wack Chemie GmbH.

Which different surfaces are affected by all-round helmet care??
Usually varnish on the helmet shell; the visor is made of plastic, including polycarbonate, which is often provided with special coatings. When it comes to lining, we are dealing with textiles and foam; the helmet core is made of styrofoam.

What are typical soiling?
Outside insects, road dust and other dirt such as diesel soot. Inside sweat, skin abrasion and residues from hair and skin cosmetics.

Which remedies are suitable for what, and what should one stay away from??
Unsuitable are e.g. B. detergents, household cleaners and glass cleaners with anionic surfactants. They can attack the coatings on the visors or cause stress corrosion cracking on the plastic. Only special products are designed in such a way that you can quickly loosen even stubborn insect residues, do not attack the coatings and do not cause stress corrosion cracking. Special care is required when caring for Pinlock visors, as their coating is extremely sensitive to scratches and can only be cleaned with specially tested cloths.

Household cleaners are hardly suitable for the feed because they are usually optimized for their fat dissolving power. In addition, they have to be laboriously removed from the upholstery with a lot of water; Residues are uncomfortably sticky. Special helmet pad cleaners are optimized for the type of dirt and can be easily removed again. In addition, they often contain – like our S100 helmet pad cleaner – a component that not only covers unpleasant odors for a short time, but removes them permanently.

In your experience, what mistakes do motorcyclists often make when caring for their helmets??
In particular, the feed is often not cleaned or cleaned too seldom. And if so, then it will be according to the measure “a lot helps a lot” too much cleaner used and only partially removed afterwards. A helmet pad cleaner must not only be wiped off the surface, but must also be removed along with the dirt: Wipe with a wet cloth or sponge until no more foam forms.

In the case of coated visors with slight previous damage, cleaners can infiltrate and peel off the coating. The impression is created that the cleaner has attacked the coating. In fact, it does its job, namely to infiltrate the layers on the surface. The cleaner does not differentiate between dirt and anti-fog coating.

Something similar happens with older helmets when the bond between the textile lining and foam has aged: the movement when cleaning the upholstery can loosen the bond. Here, too, the wrong impression can arise that the helmet pad cleaner is to blame.

Word of the fact that helmet shells are not polished or waxed with matt lacquer should have got around to a large extent.

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