Cleaning / caring for your gear?

[Noggie]

Since I came off my first season with a bike since I rode a moped over 20 years ago I was wondering how to clean my riding gear.

After some searching I found that the helmet is best cleaned with baby shampoo and left to dry for days.
So I just ripped out the inner linings of my Shoei and cleaned them.
That said I made sure I did not use any hair products when riding, and half way through the season I got a balaclava to limit the transfer to the helmet lining.

But, then there is my leather.......
I have no clue how to clean this.
There is no removable liner, and you can't chuck them in the machine either without ruining the leather..
Knowing how sticky and sweaty I was some times this summer would really like to have the cleaned before next season.
I checked with a dry cleaning firm and they could send them away to have them cleaned, but I guess that comes with a hefty price tag?

So what do you guys do to your leathers?

Just hang them outside and vent them properly?
Have them cleaned occasionally?
Some clever trick up your sleeve to clean them?

 

[bobh]

Clean the outside with a proprietary leather cleaner, then treat with a waxy waterproofer.

As to the inside, the best I can suggest is to take out the armour, turn them inside-out, let them air for a few days, then spray with a fabric freshener - I use Febreze, but I don't know if that's available in Norway.

 

[Yaminator]

If you have a large freezer just pop them inside for a few days and that will kill all the bacteria..
then when thawed out use a leather cleaner ,
then end it with wax..
Ps if you dont have a large freezer stick em outside when the weather goes below 0 Degress for a couple of days & keep away from water..

 

[Noggie]

I see I forgot to specify.

I did mean the inside of my leather, the outside I know, I just use the same swissvax stuff I use on my cars leather seats.

I will see if I can get some bacteria killing spray and just properly vent them.

As for a freezer, Norway is about to turn into a pretty large one, so I might just put them out on my terrace when it drops below freezing.