Wet Rags & Saddlebags

[philmartin]

Got caught in the rain last week. Wiped the seat down and threw the wet rag in the bag that holds the wife's helmet. It's been hot and humid in the northeast. We were going to go for a ride last night and it was disgusting what was growing in that saddlebag and in her helmet. Needless to say I rode solo and I might have to buy her a new helmet if the smell doesn't go away.

[tmodel]

Go ahead and bite the bullet and buy her a new helmet. It is better than getting a bugs added to your biscuits!

[Eck]

I carry extra rags for rain and I also carry an empty plastic coffee creamer container that I use to store any wet rags in when traveling for that reason...

I also start my trip off by placing a wet mico cloth in the plastic container, so I can clean my windshield when I stop for gas..

[a1bummer]

I wonder if it's as bad as the beef stew I forgot in mine for a month or so. Apparently it swelled up enough to pop the lid off the container. I washed it out and used some deodorizer, but I still can't get rid of the stink. Especially on the warm and sunny days.

[RoadKill]

I use a gallon, freezer zip-lock bag. rolls up small and doesn't take up much space. I be that was nasty Especially if it was a cotton rag. Some of the micro synthetics don't mildew as bad.

[MAINEAC]

If it's mold the only thing I know that kills that is Bleach..

[philmartin]

If it's mold the only thing I know that kills that is Bleach..

 

I cleaned the liner with TIDE and the helmet is hanging outside in the fresh air to dry. I'll probably spray it with FABREZE tonight when I get home. I'm afraid if I use Bleach it might leave a white ring around her head.

[skidrow]

[. I'm afraid if I use Bleach it might leave a white ring around her head.

 

WOULD THEY MAKE HER A BLONDE?

[Venturous Randy]

[. I'm afraid if I use Bleach it might leave a white ring around her head.

 

WOULD THEY MAKE HER A BLONDE?

 

No, just striped.

RandyA

[Iowawegian]

I'm afraid if I use Bleach it might leave a white ring around her head.

Then she'd be an angel!

[philmartin]

Then she'd be an angel!

 

She is to put up with me. Thanks.

[friesman]

the best thing I have ever found for removeing smells from things was coffee.

When I was selling appliances years ago we occasionally would get fridges in that were returned and even though they looked clean they still had a terrible odour. We would take a cookie sheet and spread fresh coffee grounds on it about 1/4 in deep all over and put it in the fridge for a couple of days and it always got all the smell out. I have since used it in cars, trailers and it works to freshen the smell, but I dont think I would drink the coffee after using it for this.

Although I would advise against using this before crossing the border, one time had everything hauled out of the car at customs and was told its because drugs get smuggled in packed in coffee to try and hide it from the sniffer dogs.

 

Brian:cool10:

[autopilot]

I think I'd buy new helmet interior pieces from the manufacturer. There's always a residue left when you wash stuff like that and they can cause chemical/skin irritation. Kinda like washing a well grunged ball cap....they just are never the same and mine always irritate my forehead under the sweatband. For what it's worth!!!!

[Midrsv]

I once was carrying a 5 lb can of sorgum mollasses (for my dad, I hate the stuff) in the trunk of my '04 and the can had a press on lid. I was parked outside of work and a fellow employee came in and told me there was some type of grease dripping out of my trunk. Apparently the heat had caused the lid to pop off and the goo was in the bottom of the trunk. What a pain to clean that stuff up.

 

DT

[dr.nemo]

Well I got soaked in the rain 2 weeks ago......stowed my half helmet with the microphone and cover in the trunk of the bike..... a few days later, yes I had a smell and some powdery mold or mildew...

My wife told me to use some "Arm and Hammer" baking soda, add a little water to it to make a paste then using my fingers I scrubbed it in all around the helmet, and dunked the mic. cover in a water solution with the baking soda... Let it all dry to a powder overnight, then vacuum and scrub with your fingers to remove the powder and voila' the smell is gone... Did a weekend trip right after cleaning it out and had no odour problems from the helmet or mic. cover at all....

 

GOOD OL' ARM AND HAMMER....NON TOXIC TOO...

[Eck]

 

I washed it out and used some deodorizer, but I still can't get rid of the stink. Especially on the warm and sunny days.

 

the best thing I have ever found for removeing smells from things was coffee.

 

My wife told me to use some "Arm and Hammer" baking soda,

GOOD OL' ARM AND HAMMER....NON TOXIC TOO...

 

 

All great ideas and have used them myself including the GOOD-Ol ARM & HAMMER trick..

Once more trick you can use (that eliminates smells in refrigerators too) is to use charcoal.

With charcoal, you will want to control the potential mess.

Place charcoal in a container with holes in it or you can place about 15 to 20 cubes of charcol on a piece of newspaper inside the helmet (pie tin in fridge), but in this case, wrap the helmet with saran wrap and then let it sit over night..the charcol absorbs the smell. This will work in your side bags and trunk also..

You can use either charcoal and or scent free cat litter.

Leave scent free cat litter in an open box or pour some in a plastic tub.

Charcoal (or cat litter) will remove the source of the odor if it is moisture related.