The welding helmet is probably the most necessary tool for a welder, as well as a means to keep his head, face and respiratory system safe during the welding process. Learning how to clean a welding helmet the right way, will guarantee that you maintain it in an appropriate condition to keep offering protection and continue functioning at its best.
Of course, there lots of different ways you can clean your welding helmet, although in this article we recommend the most effective ones that will make the difference. You have to keep in mind, that auto darkening welding helmets need more attention than passive ones, due to their technology.
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It has to be stated, that no matter how well you manage to clean your helmet, it does not mean that it will improve it if it’s a low quality product. This is why we always suggest that you go for highly functioning welding helmet models, that will require the minimum amount of care in order to be fully operative.
What you need to clean your welding helmet:
- EasyGo CompuCleaner 2.0
- Care Touch Lens Cleaner
- Care Touch Lens Cleaning Wipes
- Clear Gear Disinfecting Spray
- 15Pc Food Grade Multipurpose Cleaning Brush Set
- Utopia Towels Soft Cotton Towel
- Amazon Elements Baby Wipes
- Bike Brite MC19000 Cleaner/Deodorizer
That is a list with some necessary tools that you are going to need in order to clean your welding helmet. Most of them are things that can be found in a household or a garage. If need to acquire some of them, keep in mind that they are low priced, and they last for long periods of time for cleaning your helmet and the rest of your gear in a regular basis.
How to clean your welding helmet properly
Welding helmets, both passive and auto darkening ones, can be cleaned fairly easy. Since this task is a little trickier when it comes to auto darkening helmets, we are going to take the steps of cleaning one in this article. All steps can be applied to passive welding helmets too.
Step 1 – Wipe the surface of the helmet
Use a simple piece of kitchen paper to wipe the surface of your welding helmet, in order to remove potential dust, dirtiness or remains of debris. You can wipe its surface by using dry or slightly wet paper, and gently apply it across the surface. If you decide to use wet paper, make sure that you use a towel such as the Utopia Towels Soft Cotton Towel, to absorb the excessive moisture.
Step 2 – Use the brush
Using brush cleaner such as the 15Pc Food Grade Multipurpose Cleaning Brush Set, is the perfect solution for removing dirtiness from the most difficult parts of your helmet. For instance, the inside part of the helmet, vents (for instance a mouth or side vent) and small parts of the shell.
For older welding helmets, make sure that you rub well the most hidden parts, so that you can clean them as much as possible. The brush cleaners are especially designed for this job, so you can rest assured that they will not damage the sensitive parts of your welding helmet, if used reasonably.
Step 3 – Clean the remains
After the wiping and the brushing, you will need to use a pressure air duster so that you can remove any dirtiness or rust that the brush has brought to the surface. The EasyGo CompuCleaner 2.0 which you can find here, can be used with all electric devices, utilizing the power of air pressure to clean dust remains from the helmet.
Due to the use of air, it can reach all the hidden places that the wipes or the brush could not. This way, you can remove all layers of dirtiness, even the ones that are not visible to the naked eye.
Step 4 – Clean the lens
The lens of your auto darkening welding helmets need special attention compared to the shell and the rest of the parts. Being the most sensitive part of the helmet, you have to be special careful with it and clean it gently for best results.
Using a high quality lens cleaner, like the Care Touch Lens Cleaner which you can find on Amazon, you will be able to remove any dumbness for the surface of the lens. To apply it, you can use the Care Touch Lens Cleaning Wipes which can perfectly accommodate the cleaner, and improve the results of the process.
In the end of the process, if you notice any extra moisture left on the lens from the cleaner, you should use dry kitchen paper, or preferably a clean bathroom towel (as thin as possible), to absorb it.
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Step 5 – Use a helmet cleaner
After the cleaning process, you can apply a helmet cleaner on the surface of the welding helmet to help it clean even further, and acquire a sense of freshness and a nice fragrance. The best way to achieve this, is by using a dedicated helmet cleaner such as the Bike Brite MC19000 Cleaner/Deodorizer. Make sure that you apply it on the helmet using the Amazon Elements Baby Wipes, which are very soft and absorbing.
Step 6 – Disinfect the welding helmet
Disinfection is essential part of my welding helmet maintenance and cleaning process. I use the Clear Gear Disinfecting Spray (click here for more info), at the end of the cleaning process. This way, I get guaranteed removal of germs or viruses that all protective equipment suffer from at some point, making it safe to use again without harming my health.
Step 7 – Finish the process using the towel
After the brushing, wiping, cleaning and disinfection is complete, the last and simplest thing you have to do is wipe the welding helmet to remove any remains of dust or moisture from the helmet cleaners and the disinfection sprays.
It is advised that you use a thick bathroom towel, such as the Utopia Towels Soft Cotton Towel, in order to cover bigger parts of the helmet. Apply it gently on the helmet, and make large movements along the areas of the welding helmet, trying not to press too hard.
Conclusion
Getting familiar with the parts of your helmet, especially if it is an auto darkening welding helmet with tech parts included, is going to be helpful during the cleaning process.
For achieving the best results possible, try the recommended cleaning products mentioned in the article, and use them carefully on your welding helmet, following the steps of this guide.
Keep your welding helmet clean and functional!