General Cycling Discussion - Does anyone wash their helmet?

We wash our clothes, we wash our dishes. Why wouldn't we wash our helmets? My last helmet died a premature death from intense funkification. I'm determined to get my moneys worth out of this new helmet. About once/week I've been spraying it with Simple Green, letting it sit for a few minutes, then rinsing it with a hose. I know some cleaners could harm a helmet. If so, I could go to using something like shampoo diluted with water and applied with a sprayer.
I've also started wearing cheap doo-rags under the helmet. They seem to help.
I am a profuse sweater, so even on cool days I can easily drench my helmet with sweat and oil from my scalp.
Does anyone else wash their helmet on a regular basis? I would think they would supply washing instructions with helmets just like they do with clothes.

Since helmet pads are what gets nasty, why don't you look for a helmet that has pads that can be thrown in the laundry.

I don't tend to wash my helmet.

My straps got nasty too and they are a pain to get off. I told you I was a profuse perspierer.

I wash mine fairly regularly. Not weekly, but a few times a season.

I just float it in warm water in the kitchen sink with some liquid laundry detergent. I let it soak a while, then work on the straps by hand. Rinse, let dry.

My newer helmets, fairly high end Giros, all have removable pads. I remove them for washing and rinse the straps under warm water while flexing them to wash the sweat and salt out.

I wash mine all the time. Take the pads out and wash them with soap and water. Funny term "Funkification" I like that.

I wear a cycling cap under my helmet to cover my bald head. The cap soaks up all the moisture and is what gets washed after each ride.

Every day when I come in from riding, I just rinse my helmet under the faucet and leave it to dry. I wouldn't say it's pure and clean or anything, but not too groaty, either.

Cant wear my helmets without washing it. That's too stinky... I always want to have a helmet which can separate strap so that's easier to wash cuz only strap soak up my sweat. (but also think it's totally useless if helmet is gone away and only strap is left when I fall.)

Just take the helmet to the shower after your ride.

I wash mine fairly regularly. Not weekly, but a few times a season.

I just float it in warm water in the kitchen sink with some liquid laundry detergent. I let it soak a while, then work on the straps by hand. Rinse, let dry.

Me too but instead of laundry detergent I use shampoo.

I just rinse the pads with clean water after every ride.

I hose mine down occasionally. Not on a regular schedule or anything, but when I happen to think of it. Don't know if it stinks or not; I'm not in the habit of smelling it.

It gets washed whenever I get caught in the rain. Other than that, I wash it whenever I think of it, which is about every two or three years.

Does washing it make you any safer?

Does washing it make you any safer?
Yes. Bad smell can make you spaced out and that's dangerous :p

I have a really old helmet. Just over 5 years now. I never wash it.

However, at work, I lock up outside and I attach my helmet to the top tube. Since it rains periodically, I assume this is at least as good as a rinse cycle.

Coincidentally, I have never had a helmet stolen from my bike. :)

Heatsweats skull cap under the helmet keeps it pretty clean. During the hot sweaty season, the helmet does get rinsed regularly in warm water - especially the straps.

Removable pads are nice. I just rub them with a bit of dish soap and water occasionally then let them dry.

I use a mix of 50% baby shampoo & 50% water which I spray on rub then rinse off. The shampoo cleans and leaves nothing that can harm me in any way. I use the dollar store brand of baby shampoo to save money to keep my helmet clean and fresh. I wash it about once every two weeks in the summer or once a month otherwise.

I have a really old helmet. Just over 5 years now. I never wash it.

Coincidentally, I have never had a helmet stolen from my bike. :)

See. leaving your helmet dirty and smelly helps prevent it from theft (not a "coincident"). :D

I've never had removable pads that also didn't try to remove the stick-on velcro pieces that are supposed to stay stuck to the helmet, so I've quit trying to remove pads.

A few minutes with shampoo in the shower is enough for me. Hair funk is hair funk, even if it's in the helmet pads.

Never done it, though maybe I should....if I didn't have a shaved head I might consider it more seriously.

One day a week I take my helmet, road ID, and ankle reflector straps into the shower with me and clean them all with mild soap. I'll attach them each to a shower ring to dry. In the morning they are ready for another week of riding. During the summer months I'll wash them more often.

I throw mine in the dishwasher once a month or so.

I wash mine every time I ride.

With sweat.

I wash the liners in my motorcycle helmets because they're full face and trap that locker room smell inside. Bicycle helmets allow the funk to flow freely behind me, so I just out-ride it!

I never have, and I ride quite a bit IMHO. Maybe I have a bad nose, or maybe it gets cleaned sufficiently in our rains, but I don't notice it smelling very bad. It could be my tolerance for that type of thing is more than it should be. :)

I've never washed my helmet, I embrace the funk and once u start riding you dont really smell it anymore haha

If the pads are dark and shiny, maybe it's time to wash them... :p

If the pads are dark and shiny, maybe it's time to wash them... :p

Time to make an accident so the helmet will crack and you buy a new one. :D

Just take the helmet to the shower after your ride.

l came across that idea a few years ago, and it seemed too bizarre. Reminded me of the story of the circus clown who used to take the dishes in the tub when he bathed.

l used to remove the pads and rinse them off after each ride. This, however, caused the pads to lose their adhere-ability.

ln the shower after each ride. Pads stay in place.

I hand wash mine in the sink.

Just don't put it in the washing machine (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?474490-Very-expensive-stupid-mistake.&highlight=helmet+washing+machine).