Suffering from a stinky helmet (stop sniggering at the back)? Feeling ostracised, with your riding buddies keeping a safe distance at all times? It’s probably well past time for a bit of skid-lid sanitisation.

It’s the pads that do it. They soak up sweat from your head and then just sit there and fester. And like anything that’s full of stale sweat, they start to pong a bit. Fortunately they’re usually removable, being just stuck on with Velcro (sometimes you’ll encounter ones that are glued in, so don’t just rip ’em all out without checking). Ease them out, get one of those string bags that come with detergent tablets for the washing machine, put the pads in it and lob it in the wash with all your other kit. That way the pads won’t disappear around the edges of the drum or into the mysterious inner workings of the washer.

While the pads are churning away, a quick clean of the helmet shell and straps with a sponge and some soapy water will ensure everything’s socially acceptable again…