Scratches on the helmet visor, are an annoying problem most motorcycle riders face. You’ll find some small and deep scratches on your helmet after using it for some time. It’ll distract you when you are driving at high speed, especially at night. Not to mention, it can be extremely dangerous while driving at night.
Therefore, people are looking for tricks about how to clean helmet visor scratches. However, it’s better to replace or get your hand on a new one if it has too many deep scratches. You never know what’s gonna happen on the road; safety first!
How to Clean Helmet Visor Scratches
When it comes to small scratches, some tricks might work. You’ll find a bunch of formulas to remove scratches all over the internet. But the question is, do they work?
Yes, some of them will work just fine, but only for minor scratches. However, some might backfire, creating even a larger one. You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs, you know.
To clean helmet visor scratches the some tricks will help you including toothpaste, sandpaper and scratch removal wax. Or, if you have large scratches on your helmet and it is old enough, you should get a brand new visor. You may also check our under $200 selection and grab a new helmet!
Okay, enough talking, let’s drive deep…
Use Helmet Visor Cleaner
The easiest way to remove minor scratches from a motorcycle helmet visor is to use a cleaner kit or a visor cleaner. Visor cleaners will remove minor scratches from the surface and prevent the building up of deeper scratches. So, cleaning your visor regularly is a good idea and it’ll let you prevent deeper scratches. You can keep a visor cleaning kit such as a Muc Off visor cleaning kit. It’ll let you deal with minor scratches on the go. You may also check our under $200 selection and grab a new helmet!
DIY - Toothpaste Therapy
The first one is internet-famous toothpaste therapy. You might have dought about this one, but it actually works. And it’s super easy.
For this trick, you should use a non-abrasive toothpaste or a less abrasive one. The abrasive one might put new scratches instead of removing them. A high-quality children’s toothpaste will do the job. If you don’t have one in your house or are not so sure what to pick, you can get a Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste, this one’ll work. You can use it as your regular toothpaste anyways so no waste of things.
If you are going to use it then you should know how it works. Toothpaste which is marketed as non-abrasive still contains a tiny bit of abrasive component. What this component does is, gently wipe off a thin layer of plastic from the visor surface.
Toothpaste on helmet visor: Does it work?
Toothpaste on helmet visors does work, at least to some extent. You’ll see some of the scratches are removed in the process. You should also keep in mind that this technique might not work on deep scratches. It might make those less visible. So, if you have a deep one, don’t beat a dead horse. If the visor is in bad condition, replacing or fixing the visor might help.
The process is quite simple. Apply the toothpaste directly on the visor with a finger or a soft cloth. Don’t even think about using a toothbrush, it will make it worse. Apply it using a circular motion. Avoid going straight across the visor with a vertical or horizontal motion. And finally, wash it up with cold water and dry it with a soft cotton cloth.
DIY - Sandpaper Technique
Let’s move on to our next method of cleaning a helmet visor. This one is called the sandpaper technique. It’s exactly as its name sounds. We’re gonna use a bunch of sandpapers now.
For this one, make sure you have three types of sandpapers. One 500 grit, one 1000 grit, and one 1500 grit sandpapers. It’ll also work fine with only 1500 grit or 1000 grit. If you don’t have those in your garage, you can easily find them on Amazon. I’ve found a great deal and that’s the Wet Dry Sandpaper, it comes as a set and the quality is also pretty good!
You just have to get rid of a thin layer of plastic from your visor. Now, let me warn you one thing, you shouldn’t apply this to your expensive ones. If you do so, you might end up ruining it completely.
Well, let’s start the process. Take 500 grit sandpaper and wet it with water. Now rub the sandpaper gently on the surface of the visor, especially where the scratches are. After completing the full surface, do the same with the 1000 grit and 1500 grit sandpaper. Remember to rub it with a circular motion and keep the sandpaper wet all the time.
Scratch Removal Wax
Now when you are done with the sandpapers, let the visor dry for about two or three hours. You will need a scratch removal wax now. You’ll find it in any automobile shop and on Amazon.com. The Novus Plastic Fine Scratch Remover works great here. You can also use Rain-X Plastic Treatment to prevent further scratches, fogging, and raindrop issues.
Apply the wax properly all over the visor. Take a soft cotton cloth and polish the visor. You’ll have to polish it for quite some time. The more you’ll polish the surface the more it’ll become clear.
After applying these tricks, it might not be the same as the new one. We are comparing apples to oranges here. So, if you end up getting a deep scratch on your helmet visor, it’s probably a good idea to replace that.
If it’s done for
If the scratches are too deep and too hard to get rid of, it’s time to get a new one. You’ll find new helmet visors either from the manufacturer or through an online store or a helmet store. The face shield or visor varies from model to model, so you need to search for the specific helmet model you have.
Take the Bell Qualifier helmet for an example, which is a great helmet by the way. I would go to Amazon and search for “Bell Qualifier helmet visor”. I’ll probably get a result something like Bell ClickRelease Light Smoke Shield for Star, RS-1, Vortex, Qualifier, Bingo! Make sure the product description or name matches or includes the model name as your helmet. You might end up with a visor that doesn’t fit your helmet and you definitely don’t want that.
Some Pro Tips to avoid scratches
Hold on guys, there’s a proverb, “Prevention is better than cure.” You know it, right? So, it’s better to protect your helmet from scratches. Instead of searching for scratch removal techniques all over the internet.
- First of all, never touch your visor directly. The anti-fog coating of your visor might be damaged by the dirt and oil from your fingertips
- Don’t wipe it with a paper towel. It’ll increase the scratches instead of cleaning the visor
- Don’t wipe the visor with gloves on
- Don’t rub roughly if something is sticking to it
- Know the ‘right’ way to clean the visor
- Store the helmet in a soft bag when you are not using it
To be honest, a helmet is pretty pricy safety equipment so it’s natural that you’ll want to take care of it. But did you know, if you do not do it properly, you can even damage it? However, it’s not that big of a deal if you do it correctly. Check out our Helmet cleaning guide post and Guide to Clean a Helmets Plastic Visor post to do it properly.
Conclusion
So, that’s it. You should protect the visor before it gets scratched. In the case it’s damaged deeply, let it go, buy a new one. And you know what to do if it’s a minor one.
Good day!
That was great thanks
Now if my visor is a vintage one off, can I get a custom one made?
You can talk to manufacturer directly or check out these visors to match your design here.
I appreciate how the article emphasizes the importance of using gentle materials and techniques to avoid further damage while achieving impressive results. The inclusion of alternative methods and DIY solutions makes it a standout piece, catering to a wide range of readers with various resources at their disposal. Overall, this article is an excellent resource that empowers riders to keep their helmet visors spotless and scratch-free, contributing to both safety and a clear, enjoyable riding experience.
I’m glad if the article was helpful. Checkout more tips about motorcycle helmets on the tips section. 🙂