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Washing Helmet Liners advice?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:04 pm
by JivenJim
Hey Fellow PCA members.

I Need to wash the Helmet liners and was wondering if you have any advice. Was thinking about putting each in a garment wash bag (the ones that look like a fishing nets; because of velcro) and doing it per normal in a front load/tumble washer and normal dryer.

Anyone have thoughts/secrets?

PS this will probably be for PCA club rental helmets since they look like they need it and I help out with equipment..

Re: Washing Helmet Linears advice?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:38 am
by LUCKY DAVE
I wash my helmet liners by hand, but with so many to clean I'd try machine washing. Try it on one helmet first to make sure it doesn't thrash the materials before washing the lot.
Remove the comfort liner parts (which are probably different sizes for different size helmets, segregate to avoid a Chinese puzzle later). These parts are usually held to the energy absorbing liner by hidden velcro strips. The fuzzy material on the "head" side of the comfort liner sticks nicely to the velcro causing "velcrosis" -surfaces you don't want stuck to velcro are attracted by divine magnetism until that parka you're trying to put on feels like a straight jacket- so be patient.
Use Woolite and tepid water, rinse very well, air dry.
While you're washing the liners it usually makes sense to swish the comfort-liner-removed helmet in warm soapy water in a laundry sink to freshen it up and remove dirt, bugs, etc. While this step is mostly for motorcycle helmets, our rental helmets get set on the ground, dropped, handled by dirty hands, etc so it's probably a good idea.
Have fun!