I have a blue iridium shield which i loooove for my suomy spec 1r (amazing helmet btw)
i read that they "scratch easily" which i did not find to be true. there are no "scratches" in my shield at all, after a few thousand miles, at least none that let light shine through blinding the rider like i have read about
i used to clean my helmet religiously everyday, but i have neglected it for a while because the bike was in the garage getting work done and i wasnt riding or thinking about the helmet
well now its all splotchy. i try to clean it with my alcohol/water spray and a ray-ban sunglass cloth, that used to restore it to brand new condition before, but the splotchyness remains. its hard to see out of, sort of cloudy. did i ruin this very expensive shield by neglecting it for a couple weeks? i also tried cleaning the inside which didnt work. its not matter on the surface, which is free of bugs and the like. and nothing i can feel with my fingertip
-not happy
I've noticed the same thing on one of my mirrored shields .
I hope somebody has a good answer 'cause I hate the fact it's all cloudy like now.
Dolph :)
I have found Windex and the like to be too harsh (Lens Crafters even warns that it will eat their polycarbonate lenses). Try a car spray polish (e.g. Zaino clear seal/gloss enhancer). Rather than drying quickly and "streak free," it will leave a faint abalone residue that coincidentally makes future cleanings easier.
I always use some type of soft soap or shampoo, when I clean Iridium lenses. Then I dry them with a clean soft cloth.
I use soap and water.
Quote from: Frosty_spl on September 07, 2009, 01:53:32 PM
I use soap and water.
Me,too. dish soap to be specific. and a sponge. and lots of water. i dry it with a paper towel. and it's spotless.
My shields get pretty nasty, but I make it a point to not use anything other than soap/water to clean them. The spray cleaners with alcohol or ammonia can leave a shield (or lens) cloudy. My ex-wife cleaned her glasses with dry-erase board cleaner and ruined them. They had to be replaced because they were so hazy.
So Plexus won't do the job on these mirrored shields?
Quote from: swampduc on September 08, 2009, 06:57:39 AM
So Plexus won't do the job on these mirrored shields?
That stuff actually sounds ideal...
http://www.amazon.com/91-20207-Plexus-Cleaner-Helmets-Plastics/dp/B000O0DTE0 (http://www.amazon.com/91-20207-Plexus-Cleaner-Helmets-Plastics/dp/B000O0DTE0)
I believe that the Windex glass cleaner variety have ammonia , and that will actually scratch the surface of the iridium lense. the iridium is sprayed on the outside, wish they could spray it on the inside to keep scratches from appearing.
I only use water on my shields(iridium). and here is how:
Soak a napkin, or some type of cloth that is free from any metal. Some paper towels, especially recycled post consumer, may have tiny metal bits in them.
Lay the soaked napkin or cloth on the shield for about 10 minutes, then wipe off all the stuff. Take a dry cloth and patt dry removing all the water. After a good soaking bugs and road stuff come right off. Shield looks brand new, and no scratches.
I have ruined an iridium using windex , and rain-x is a no-no also.
Suomy shields have an extra protective anti-fog coating on the inside, i have friends that rode in the rain once and the coating started to get blotchy and peel. I would contact Suomy on how to clean their shields. the above info is what i have found using Arai and Shoe helmet visors.
RB
Quote from: Mash on September 07, 2009, 07:07:13 PM
My ex-wife cleaned her glasses with dry-erase board cleaner and ruined them. They had to be replaced because they were so hazy.
ug this is what i used, an isopropenol mix, looks like i ruined a $70 dollar shield (insert swear words)
well thats a lesson learned the hard way
I use PLEXUS and love it [thumbsup] keeps my shields crystal clear and rain beads up and slips right off (kind of like RainX) So do bug guts for that matter.
Quote from: Duc Fever on September 08, 2009, 12:23:23 PM
I use PLEXUS and love it [thumbsup] keeps my shields crystal clear and rain beads up and slips right off (kind of like RainX) So do bug guts for that matter.
I use it too, but during a ride through the swamp, I get so many bugs on the mirrored shield that I have to stop and clean it. Using plexus only, I have gotten a few scratches on the shield, but that's probably from being too aggressive removing bugs.
Plexus is great stuff, anyone try Pledge...yes Pledge home spray wood cleaner shier stuff. Works like honda polish but half the price.
my buddy who's an arai race tech says water only, anything else is harsh enough to eat away at the coating (even windex and such) dry it off with a microfiber cloth and you're good.