How do you clean your helmet?

[oyster]

Ok stop giggling.

I mean the straps. They get caked in sweat every single ride and it feels like the off wipe down doesn't do enough?
Would the washing machine ruin the polystyrene?

[donfisher]

I just sort of handwash them - run a load of water over them and give them a bit of a wring out under a tap with warm water.

I'd be interested to see how putting it in the washing machine works out for you though.

[Watchman]

Washing machines are actually poor at washing, relying on long exposure and mild agitation to do their stuff.

Hand washing, using washing powder, manual rubbing, and rinsing in as hot water as you can manage, will be far more efficient.

Hot water will help kill the smelly bacteria but might also damage the polystyrene so be careful.

[IroningMan]

Straps I scrub with a nailbrush and some antibacterial handsoap.

The lining pads go into the washing machine tied-up in one of the OH's popsocks, as do things like HR monitor straps.

The helmet shell gets a wipe with a damp cloth.

[CoolC]

Can you not remove the straps?

I can on my el cheepo £15 muddy fox helmet. Remove, and chuck them in the wash with my other kit every now and again.

[Digga]

AKAIF with my mtb helmets:

1. Mud and rain rinse the sweat off
2. Sweat rinses the mud and rain off
3. repeat above till fade/breakage

[AyBee]

I stick mine in a bin filled with a washing powder solution, tape across the top to keep it submerged for a few hours and then scrub and rinse. Pads go in the washing machine. Comes out smelling lovely, just wish it didn't need doing so often

[P-Jay]

Don't put it in the washing machine, or it'll only be fit for the bin.

Just soak them.

The straps on my Troylee DH lid get so cacked up when they dry they're too hard to get through the D clip

[jshell]

WTF are you on about? Cleaning a helmet? Jeez!!!!

[rhinochopig]

The reason I buy cheap helmets. Wear until smell gets too bad and then leave in cupboard for 6 months and wear other helmet. If the smell persists bin it and buy new one.

[curlie467]

I removed the pads and slung them in the washing machine, put the helmet with straps into the dishwasher, it was and still is fine.

[AyBee]

jshell said:

WTF are you on about? Cleaning a helmet? Jeez!!!!

I'm not quite sure what the difference is between cleaning the straps/pads of a helmet and cleaning your jersey/shorts? Or do you not clean those either?

[jshell]

AyBee said:

jshell said:

WTF are you on about? Cleaning a helmet? Jeez!!!!

I'm not quite sure what the difference is between cleaning the straps/pads of a helmet and cleaning your jersey/shorts? Or do you not clean those either?

Apart from the humour failure, the straps of my helmet are not vigorously worked up my butt-crack in a rythmic, cyclic motion like my shorts are! The amount of rain I cycle through here is adequate for a strap rinse!

[SixtySpeedTwin]

i just give it a going over with wet wipes. Not stinky yet....

[AyBee]

jshell said:

AyBee said:

jshell said:

WTF are you on about? Cleaning a helmet? Jeez!!!!

I'm not quite sure what the difference is between cleaning the straps/pads of a helmet and cleaning your jersey/shorts? Or do you not clean those either?

Apart from the humour failure, the straps of my helmet are not vigorously worked up my butt-crack in a rythmic, cyclic motion like my shorts are! The amount of rain I cycle through here is adequate for a strap rinse!

Not sure where the humour failure was...? They're not worked up your arse, but they do sit right in the line of sweat dripping from your head and soak it up, hence get smelly, hence one generally tends to wash them, unless one is you

[oyster]

jshell said:

AyBee said:

jshell said:

WTF are you on about? Cleaning a helmet? Jeez!!!!

I'm not quite sure what the difference is between cleaning the straps/pads of a helmet and cleaning your jersey/shorts? Or do you not clean those either?

Apart from the humour failure, the straps of my helmet are not vigorously worked up my butt-crack in a rythmic, cyclic motion like my shorts are! The amount of rain I cycle through here is adequate for a strap rinse!

My helmet straps get so caked up in sweat that sometimes they resemble a salt farm. You obviously don't work hard enough

[Silver940]

Run the lid under the tap when I get home and hang to dry.

[IroningMan]

Bloody soap-dodgers.

[RichB]

Silver940 said:

Run the lid under the tap when I get home and hang to dry.

Indeed, it's not rocket science is it

[AyBee]

RichB said:

Silver940 said:

Run the lid under the tap when I get home and hang to dry.

Indeed, it's not rocket science is it

It would never be dry, I use it twice daily...