It’s a big concern. “Will I have to use a dirty helmet?” “Do I have to clean the helmet myself?” We've seen news articles about helmet-share concepts in which interviewees dismissed the idea as “gross,” assuming they’ll have to wear someone else’s sweaty helmet.

(We think that would be pretty gross, too.)

We've of course put a lot of thought into it and wanted to share that with you. Below we’ll discuss what needs to be cleaned, options to clean it, and how specifically HelmetHub handles that cleaning.

Dirty Helmets

After customers uses the helmets, there’s a bunch of stuff that either is or could be left behind:

· Oily stuff (dirt, hair, oil), and salt from sweat

· Bacteria

· Lice and “nits,” their eggs (this is actually extraordinarily uncommon but is a risk that needs to be addressed)

· Other junk, if someone decides they’re silly enough to put it in there (like, I dunno… pudding)

Cleaning it All Up

Each kind of dirty thing requires a different approach:

Oily stuff: Detergents (like soap) with water and mild force to lift them off the helmet & pads. Water alone gets the salt off.

Bacteria: Some sort of non-toxic disinfectant. Many sprays exist. Some applications that have lots of foam (where bacteria can hide from spray) use ozone quenching.

Lice and Nits: Lice are pretty easy to scrub off, but nits can get into foam padding. One can either use a spray like “RID” to make sure they’re good and dead, or quarantine the pads for a week, where the baby lice die.

Other Junk: Scrubbing will take care of this, unless it’s something permanent. If the latter, the right move is to retire the helmet.

How HelmetHub’s Helmets Get Cleaned

After helmets have been used, users return them to any kiosk at a bike station. The helmet isn’t returned to the same space as the new helmets, but instead drops into a bag specifically for used helmets. When operators (those guys running around in vans with “Hubway” or “Divvy” on the side) come to each station to rebalance/service the bikes, they pop open HelmetHub to remove the used helmets and refill the dispenser with clean ones.

Back at HQ, operators inspect the helmets for any damage and clean them so they’re ready to go for their next trip.

Our role is to provide operators advice and training on how to clean the helmets, and what tools to use, in order to make sure everything is squeaky clean.

The good news is that helmet-share, as much as it seems novel, is no new thing. Folks have rented ski helmets for decades, and luckily the problem of cleaning helmets in bulk is a long-solved one.

So no sweat: Go ahead and rent a helmet, stay safe, and keep that head happy!