Anyone tried Washing/Cleaning the Pads from inside a helmet?

[JimH]

I hope this is alright to post this question here, I did not see a good fit for it. I have a Shoei GT Air 2 and would like to wash or clean the pads inside the helmet. Looking at the Shoei website, it says to use water no warmer than 86 F and to let air dry. Question - has anyone cleaned the pads inside their helmets without causing an issue? I do not want something to shrink or not go back into the helmet when done.
Thanks in advance,
Jim

 

[RogerC60]

I have never owned a Shoei helmet, but the helmets I wear now and have worn in the past have removable pads. I take them out occasionally and wash them in a sink of warm water with shampoo. Then let them air dry. I've never harmed them by doing this.

 

[jzeiler]

Likewise I have pulled what ever I could pull out and wash gently and let air dry. I have done this on every helmet I have owned. The bits I could not remove were at least wiped down with a damp rag.

 

[djh3]

Dawn dish soap has become kind of my new go to for cleaning things. Honestly my Bell helmet I have probably had longer than I should, but I bought new pads a year or so back and replaced them.

 

[troop]

Woolite and wash machine set to cold water delicate always works for me, then air dry on a clothesline.

 

[Peter Aawen]

I've owned & extensively used numerous Shoei helmets, including a few Shoei GT Air 2's, and I frequently remove & wash the liner & pads with no ill effects, but lotsa benefits!!

Things can get fairly hot here in Oz, and even with a snoopy hat or helmet liner, when you're wearing a helmet while working things pretty hard in/on a hot machine, those liners & pads get pretty stinky pdq; and if you DON'T wash them fairly regularly, then no-one will want to come within miles of you!!

I've even been known to buy a second liner & set of pads with a new helmet, so that I can then swap a new set in as I remove the dirty set to wash & dry them - that way, the helmet is always ready to go and if I don't happen to have another helmet on hand, I don't hafta wear a helmet with still damp liner & pads fitted. Let me just warn you in advance that from my experience, even if you have absofreakin'lutely NO choice, wearing a helmet with a still damp liner & pads is simply not nice at all, even if it is juuust a little less disgusting than wearing a helmet with sweaty and manky liner & pads!

So go ahead, remove the liner & pads and wash them iaw the directions - you won't hurt anything... Well, not unless you've left them all in there for so long without washing them that they are now completely manky and falling apart when you do eventually get a round tuit!!

WASH THEM!! You know you want to!

 

[CRSpyder3]

I have the same Shoei GT Air 2. The pads snap in and out easily. I also recommend, as others have said, to use Woolite on gentle wash and always air dry.

 

[Little Blue]

All Good Tips for washing/cleaning your helmet pads.
So just do it.
Have a Clean up job.

 

[Gwolf]

Take the shield off, flip it over and sit it in the 105 degree sunshine. It will smell like it just got washed and came out of the dryer, in an hour.

 

[vito1943]

Wearing a cooling cap (there are various types from mesh to just thin silk or nylon) that you can wear under your helmet helps to keep the pads of the helmet cleaner and less in need of removal and washing. I've had issues sometimes when removing the pads, where I have trouble getting them snapped back into the helmet properly, so I try to not have to do it. The cooling effect of the cap makes riding more comfortable in the really hot weather.

 

[JayBros]

Vito, there are at least two of us who know how to save time and energy. Semper Fi!

 

[Woodenfish]

I hope this is alright to post this question here, I did not see a good fit for it. I have a Shoei GT Air 2 and would like to wash or clean the pads inside the helmet. Looking at the Shoei website, it says to use water no warmer than 86 F and to let air dry. Question - has anyone cleaned the pads inside their helmets without causing an issue? I do not want something to shrink or not go back into the helmet when done.
Thanks in advance,
Jim

You might want to lightly mist some Folex fabric stain remover onto a clean rag and just gently wipe the pads. Folex can be purchased very reasonably at Home Depot and it works fantastic, cleaning every fabric I have ever tried it on. Using any more liquid on the pads than is absolutely necessary is just asking for problems.

 

[JimH]

Thanks everyone for the helpful tips. The pads are clean and the helmet smells fresh and clean, no more smelly and stinky. I appreciate all the tips.
Jim