It’s raining, snowing, cold, or any other measure of unfavorable weather where you’re at… and we’re in the middle of off-season. So while we’re dreaming of the day we can get back out on two wheels, now’s an excellent time to take care of your gear.
We already covered how to store your Brake Free through the winter—and while the unit’s tucked away safely, you’ve got a good opportunity to give your motorcycle helmet a once-over. That way, when the sun comes out, you’re ready to roll.
Motorcycle Helmet Cleaning Materials
Let’s get started. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Microfiber cloths
- A toothbrush and cotton swabs
- A can of compressed air
- Warm water (or if the helmet’s extra funky, baby shampoo is a gentle cleaner that won’t mar your finish)
Step 1: Remove Any Accessories That Are on Your Helmet
That means your comms system, speakers, and especially your Brake Free. But you did that part already, right? If you’re cleaning a dual-sport lid, take the visor off too. You can give that a gentle once-over to remove any dirt that’s built up.
Step 2: Remove the Interior Lining and Pads
Most modern helmets have removable liners and pads that pop in and out of place—just make sure to snap a photo or take note of where everything goes.
If your liner isn’t removable, however, you’ll just add a few extra steps when you clean the entire helmet. We’ll get to that in just a bit.
Step 4: Prepare the Outside of Your Helmet
Soak that microfiber cloth in warm water and lay it over your helmet for at least half an hour. This’ll help loosen up any crusties, dead bugs, dirt, and grime that are stuck on there. While we let that sit there for a little while, we can move on to the next step.
Step 4: Clean the Interior Lining
This is a pretty important step—this is where all the salt buildup from your sweat builds up the most. In a tub with warm water (and baby shampoo, if you’re so inclined) dunk and gently scrub the pads and the lining. You’ll want to let these air dry rather than throwing them in your dryer—that can cause them to deform.
This is another reason baby shampoo is an excellent choice for this process, since it’s a gentle cleaner that’s specifically designed for hair oil and sweat, but won’t ruin your helmet’s finish like more astringent cleaners.
Step 5: Clean the Exterior of Your Helmet
Now, take that damp microfiber that’s been sitting there, take off your visor and set it aside.
Gently wipe down the exterior of your helmet with another microfiber that’s been soaked in warm water. Get into hard-to-reach spots with that toothbrush and cotton swabs, and use that can of compressed air to blow any leftover gunk out of tight spaces.
Step 6: Clean Your Visor
You can refer to your helmet’s manual for specific cleaning instructions—but most visors come with a protective coating, so it’s important to stick to warm water, a microfiber cloth, and a gentle scrub to avoid scratching the surface.
If you have a pinlock shield, remove it so you can clean both sides of it (as well as the interior of your visor) and refer to manufacturer instructions for proper cleaning procedures. If in doubt, stick with the aforementioned warm water and microfiber cloth, and be gentle. Be extra careful not to damage that gasket.
Step 7: Put Your Helmet Back Together
Get into every tight space and hard-to-reach spot with a microfiber cloth and cotton swabs to make sure there’s no moisture left. Once everything’s clean and dry, pop your liner and pads back in, reattach your visor, hook your electronics again—and you’re ready to roll when the sun comes out.
No Brake Free? Good Timing!
If you haven’t gotten your Brake Free yet, now’s the perfect time. Even though your Brake Free unit comes with an alcohol wipe to clean the mounting area, a clean motorcycle helmet provides better adhesion in the long run.
Check out our installation guide for step-by-step instructions on mounting your Brake Free unit.
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