Helmet Care Guide

Helmets are your best friend when riding a bike, protecting your head and brain in the event of an impact or crash. Most manufacturers advise replacing your bicycle helmet every 3-5 years of general use or immediately after a helmet has been dropped or crashed. During this period there are a number of steps that you can take to look after your helmet to prolong it's life and to avoid the need to prematurely replace your bicycle helmet.

Much of this helmet care guideline is as per Fox racing's helmet care guide but it should apply to most helmet brands and manufacturers.

After Each Ride

Basic Care

A small amount of care can help prolong the life of your helmet and ensure your ride buddies aren't pinching their nose when you arrive for your next group ride.

After each ride:

  • Wipe of ay dust, sweat or mud with a microfibre or lint-free cloth.
  • Inspect the helmet for any dents, dings, scratches or cracks. If there are any signs of damage, it's time to replace your helmet.
  • Hang the helmet in a safe, cool and dry place to dry.

If it's been a particularly sweaty or dirty ride we recommend a more thorough clean.

Look after you lid

How to wash your helmet

Left unwashed sweaty, dirty helmet pads can be a perfect breeding ground for unpleasant smells, odours, bacteria and even mould to grow on your helmet.

After particularly sweaty and muddy rides we recommend washing your helmet to keep it in perfect working order and prolong the life of the helmet.

Before you start

What you need

  1. Cleaning Solution*
  2. Microfiber cloth or Lint-free towel
  3. Soft bristled brush or tooth brush

*For the cleaning solution , we recommend mixing water with a mild soap or washing detergent. The water should be lukewarm not hot.

Step 1:

Remove Internals And External Accessories

Remove the visor, and any accessories like lights, gopros or mounts. Remove the internal padding for cleaning. Usually these are held with velcro and or buttons, so they should just pull off. If the helmet lining/pads look like they’ve seen better days, it might be time to replace them. We stock a huge range of helmet spares including replacement pad kits, visors, clasps and more.

Shop Helmet Spares

Step 2:

Clean Internals

Hand Wash (Recommended)

  1. Carefully handwash each pad in warm water with soft detergent mix. Massage the pads in the cleaning solution to clean out sweat and odors.
  2. Gently rinse each item under running water to remove any remaining soapy water.
  3. Squeeze each item to remove excess water, being careful not to rip or tear the fabric and then air dry the helmet lining out of direct sunlight.

Machine Wash

  1. Place the pads in a washing bag.
  2. Wash using a “delicate” or “hand wash" setting with mild detergent.
  3. Do NOT dry helmet lining in a dryer. Air dry pads out of direct sunlight.

Step 3:

Clean Exterior

  1. Soak a clean microfiber cloth or lint free cloth in a the same warm water/detergent mix used to clean the internals. The cloth should be damp but not soaking wet.
  2. Gently wipe down the outside of your helmet to remove and dust, dirt and grime.
  3. Wash the helmet straps with water and soap. For lightly-colored straps, you might need to scrub to remove any sweat or dirt staining.
  4. A soft bristled brush or toothbrush can be used to clean dirt and debris from stubborn spots like vents and mesh area.
  5. Wipe off any excess water/detergent mix.
  6. Air Dry in cool dry place

Step 4:

Reassemble Your Lid

Once your helmet and the internals are dry, refit the internal pads or lining and refit the visor and any parts that were removed for cleaning. Once re-assembled that's it. You're helmet is good as new and ready for your next race or ride.

Quick Tips

Helmet care Advice

Excessive heat can damage your helmet's liner or sheel. It is recommended to store your helmet in a cool dry place and out direct sunlight as exposure to UV light can also reduce the life of your helmet.

Avoid storing your helmet in hot places like inside a car, in a hotpress or near a radiator, stove or other heat source

Your helmet may seem like the perfect place to store your dirty gloves, pads or body armour but these dirty sweaty items can add dirt and bacteria to your helmet and prevent it from drying out after use. Clean and store your gloves, pads and body armour after each use and keep them out of your helmet to avoid unpleasant smells and odours.

Bicycle helmets are designed to crush on impact to absorb energy in a fall. When storig your helmet ensure it is stored in a safe place where it won't drop, be crushed or fall. Your handlebars or a coat hook may seem like a handy place to store your helmet but be careful as a fall from height will likely require replacment of your helmet.

Some suncreams, bug-sprays, polishes and other sprays, chemicals and cosmetics may damage the helmets finish and cause the finish to fade, peel or deteriorate. Apply sunscreen, bug sprays and perfumes before putting on your helmet to avoid overspray and potential issues.

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