How to clean and maintain your motorcycle helmet? visor, foams, pinlock...

Sweating profusely in your helmet, collecting mosquitoes on your visor, smearing your face with mud off-road: these are the real joys of motorcycling! However, these everyday pleasures have a downside: you have to clean your helmet from time to time. But how do you go about it? A quick swipe of britex and that's it? Hmm, that's a more complex story. But you're in luck, because here are our recipes:

Want to get it right? Then it' s essential to disassemble your helmet. Start with your own accessories: go-pro, intercom, kerosene lamp, etc... and then the most sensitive part: the visor. Remove it carefully and place it in a safe place out of reach of cats, children or other pets. Why so much care? You can't make up for a scratch on a visor! Next, if possible, remove the cheek foams and inner cap. As they are held in place by snaps, it's best to pull them off at their fastenings.

Feeling that your recent genocide of midges is disrupting the airflow around your helmet? Then get yourself a soft sponge or cloth. Soak it in clear, soapy water, or a dedicated product, and rub gently. This will restore your favorite headgear to its original color. Products to avoid? Fuels, thinners or other solvents, which can damage the helmet's paint or varnish. Soap and water, we say! What about matte helmets? Particularly sensitive to fingerprints, scratches and solvents, use a product adapted to this type of paint, or simply soap and water on a soft sponge. Not the green side of spontex!

Don't forget to polish reflective stickers. These safety features are much more effective when not covered by a layer of compacted flies.

----> GS27 Motorcycle Exterior Helmet Cleaner 250ml

There are two options here, depending on whether they can be removed or not.

If you can remove the foams, simply wash them in water with hypoallergenic soap or a product specifically designed for this purpose. Sponge or soak, the technique's up to you. What do I need to pay particular attention to? Drying. Don't tumble dry, or they'll shrink. Not in direct sunlight either, or they may harden. The best method is to use a dry cloth to soak up excess water, then leave the foam in a ventilated area. Let's take advantage of the fact that everything is accessible to clean the rest. A cloth lightly soaked in soapy water (hypoallergenic) is gently wiped over all surfaces, especially the inner shell.

Aren't your foams removable? This may be the case with older helmets or entry-level models. In this case, you need to use a suitable spray. Fungicidal, bactericidal and fragrant, it scrubs effectively while leaving you with the pleasant sensation of riding near the lavender fields of Provence.

Don't forget? Ventilation. Because while they let air through, they also trap a whole fauna of birds. A toothbrush or soaked cotton bud will be perfect for scrubbing the nooks and crannies.

Why not soak the entire helmet in soapy water? Firstly, because the water will stagnate in inaccessible nooks and crannies, with the opposite of the desired result: a musty-smelling helmet. And secondly, because it's likely to affect the adhesives. You wouldn't want to unstick your skullcap, would you? By the same token, we wouldn't recommend any crazy idea involving a dishwasher or washing machine.

Now comes the crucial moment: separating the visor from the anti-fog screen. To do this, flatten the whole assembly and the pinlock should emerge from its side pins. Once this chiropractic operation has been performed, it's time to clean up.

For the visor? Microfiber cloth or soft cloth soaked in soapy water, or spray with a specific cleaning product. Clean gently. But we don't want to make any scratches! If you don't have pinlock, you can use an anti-fog spray.

For the anti-fog screen, just run it under clear water and gently wipe off any impurities. Drying? No need for a rag! Just wait. You can then remove any traces of drying with an eyeglass-cleaning wipe. Bear in mind that scratched pinlock is impossible to remove. It'd be a shame to drive around with tic-tac-toe grids in front of your eyes.

Of course, don't forget to polish your integrated sunscreen using the same method as for the visor.

----> Liqui Moly visor cleaner 100 ml

----> Muc-Off ANTI-FOG TREATMENT Spray 32ml

All clean and dry, all that's left to do is reassemble. Nothing could be simpler: just follow the steps in reverse. The finishing touch: apply a water-repellent product to your visor. It's a real life-changer when you're riding in the rain.

----> VISIODRY rain spray 35 ml

The good news is that there are helmet cleaning kits available that include microfiber cloth, interior and exterior cleaners, as well as rain and fog repellent treatments. Now you've got no excuse for giving your helmet a thorough wash!

----> UNPASS helmet care kit

----> HELMET CARE Muc-Off helmet care kit

And why not take advantage of this opportunity to renovate your helmet? Yes, some manufacturers play the "repair rather than replace" card. So it's easy enough to fit a new visor, change the pinlock screen, install new gaskets or fit fresh foam! So, as well as having a helmet that smells like lavender, it'll be almost as good as new.

Despite all our advice, you still feel sorry for your helmet? Maybe it's time to change it for a new ECE 22.06-compliant headgear. And for that, you can count on our wide selection of quality models for every budget, every style and every use. On that note, we wish you a pleasant journey!

If you'd like to find out more, here's our Youtube video: