Here are the simple steps in how to clean airsoft helmets:
- Remove all of the attachments.
- Take out the retention system if you can by following the manufacturer’s instructions. If you can’t you can leave it in place. The same goes for the rails and shroud.
- Wash all of the fabric materials with mild laundry detergent. Rinse thoroughly.
- Wipe down the helmet with a damp microfiber towel. It’s best to use hot water in wetting the towel so as to better remove stuck dirt and debris.
- Air dry the helmet. Do not expose to direct sunlight.
- Inspect all the parts for dryness and cleanliness then put it all back together.
Introduction
Without a doubt, safety should be the biggest priority for airsoft players. This is why it’s crucial to wear safety gear to ensure ample protection. Helmets are among the essentials as it can protect the wearer from potential head injuries that can take place during the game and from airsoft gunshots.
Like other accessories and gear for the sport, maintaining your helmet is also a must. In fact, learning how to clean airsoft helmets is something you should prioritize as those things can get quite nasty. Without proper upkeep, it can get gross which can make them unusable.
So to help you keep your helmet in great condition, here’s a quick tutorial on how to wash and clean them.
Materials Needed
To clean your airsoft helmet, you’ll need the following items:
- Your helmet’s owner’s manual
- A compatible allen wrench or screwdriver if your helmet has screws
- Some mild laundry detergent
- Some baby shampoo
- Air compressor
- Microfiber rags or sponge
- An old, soft-bristle toothbrush
- Some warm water
Instructions on How to Clean Airsoft Helmets
At first glance, the process of cleaning airsoft helmets may seem complicated. In reality, however, it’s not. Let these simple steps walk you through a quick and easy procedure:
Step 1: Remove all of the attachments
Most airsoft helmets, especially tactical helmets, have lots of attachments since they can carry lots of stuff. These tend to make helmets appear like they’re very hard to clean when in reality, they’re not.
So the first step for cleaning airsoft helmets would be by taking out all of the accessories attached to it. Some of these might also need washing so keep them nearby.
Step 2: Remove all of the paddings
Once all of the accessories are gone, it’s time to take out all of the pads inside the helmet. These will need washing the most as they can absorb sweat, odor, and other stuff.
Step 3: Take out the retention system
The retention system of your helmet are the straps that help keep them in place. They can be removed in most helmets without the need for sewing them back in.
For this step, you’ll need the helmet’s owner’s manual. Refer to their instructions on how to take out the retention system to avoid damaging the part.
If you can’t find anything on the topic, you can keep it in place and wash it while attached to your helmet.
Step 4 (Optional): Remove the rails and shroud if they’re filthy
You can also opt to skip this step if the process is too complicated or if the said parts are not necessarily very hard to clean.
Step 5: Wash everything:
This is a multi-step procedure, so take note of the following:
Washing the outer surfaces
Using a microfiber towel that is dampened with hot or warm water, wipe down the outside of your helmet. If there is stuck debris and other stuff in it, you can leave the damp towel over the area to loosen up the bits.
In most cases, water will suffice in cleaning the outside of the helmet but you can also use some mild soap on it, too. There are some folks who do not recommend this as it might strip the outer layer of the helmet of its possible treatments. It’s up to you how you’d want to go about it.
Washing the inner surfaces
For inner surfaces, it’s better to use some soap to help remove bad odors, oils, sweat, and other debris that might be stuck in there. You can wipe it down with a rag soaked in soapy water. You can also spray some vinegar inside to remove bad odors.
If you used soap, wipe down with damp cloth that doesn’t have any soap.
Alternative: Submerge the helmet in
On many occasions, you can also just wash the helmet by submerging it in soapy water and gently scrubbing all of its surfaces down using a microfiber rag or sponge.
If the straps were not removed, you can wash them at this point as well with the help of a soft bristle toothbrush.
Rinse thoroughly.
Washing the Pads and Straps
You can hand wash the pads and straps in soapy water or if they’re machine washable, you can wash them in your washing machine alongside other clothes. It’s best not to use heat on them, however, to avoid damage.
Rinse everything nicely. Make sure that you wash out all of the soap away if you use any.
Step 6: Air dry
Dry all of the parts by wringing out the moisture on the fabric items and air drying everything. You can also use a towel to get the moisture out of small pads. Keep them away from direct sunlight.
Step 7: Do an inspection
Check the items if they’re already dry. Check if they’re all thoroughly cleaned and if all of the parts are still in good condition. If not, this could be the best time to replace them.
Step 8: Assemble
Put everything back together.
Tips to Prolong the Lifespan of Airsoft Helmets
Cleaning your helmet is just one of the ways to maintain it. There are lots of other things that you should do to make sure that they’ll be usable for a long period of time.
What are these things that you can do? Check out these tips:
- Let it air dry every after use. Don’t store it right away when it’s still damp with sweat and other kinds of moisture to avoid trapping bad odors and developing molds on the fabric parts.
- Store your helmet properly. Don’t leave it out in the sun. Don’t keep it squeezed into tight spaces. Lots of things can damage your helmet, so avoid all of those things while it’s in storage.
- Inspect ballistic helmets from time to time so you can immediately spot cracks and other kinds of damage. Address such issues right away by repainting to ensure that the protective properties of the helmet will be kept intact.
Conclusion
Daunting as it may seem, the process of how to clean airsoft helmets is actually quite easy. You just need to have some patience in dismantling the whole thing and know how to deal with the different materials accordingly. With these nailed down, you can already easily wash and clean your airsoft helmet.
Hopefully, the tutorial above proves to be simple and enjoyable enough for you to follow with ease. If you have additional knowledge to impart, don’t hesitate to do so by leaving them in the comments. Maybe consider sharing the article, too, so others who want to know more about proper airsoft gear maintenance can find it.