Mild Cleaning - Page 1

Pickelhaubes with brass or silver fittings are usually covered in dirt, grime, kitchen grease, dust and cat hair from sitting on a shelf or in a basement for years neglected. It is critical that before attempting to clean a helmet, individuals must carefully weigh the benefits of cleaning to the possible damage that it may cause. All cleaning carries some risk of damage. If an individual is not comfortable cleaning an item, then they should consult a professional, or leave it as it is There are three main types of Pickelhaube that can be categorized: Pickelhaubes with brass or silver fittings that pre-date 1915, Model 1915 helmets with grey metal fittings, and private purchase helmets with mercury gilding or silvered fittings.

When a pre-war Pickelhaube has a deep patina from age, the least invasive form of cleaning is to clean off the dirt and grime not remove the deep patina. A helmet does not have to be taken apart to remove grime from neglect. The exterior and interior of the helmet simply need to be vacuumed to remove dust. The surface and fittings need only be wiped off with a soft cloth moistened with a mild soap and dried. This will remove most of the dirt and accumulated grime from the helmet. Please click HERE to see a larger picture of this helmet. It will open in a new window.

For Model 1915 helmets with grey metal fittings, the least invasive form of cleaning is to clean off the dirt and grime as mentioned above. The grey metal fittings should not be touched. Please click HERE to see a larger picture of this helmet. It will open in a new window.

For private purchase helmets with mercury gilding or silvered fittings, the same rules apply. A simple vacuuming to remove dust and if necessary, wiped off with a soft cloth moistened with a mild soap and dried. A light buffing with a soft cloth to the shell will usually bring back the high gloss. Gilded or silvered fittings should absolutely never be polished as this will ruin them. The only way to lightly clean these fittings is to wash off the dirt and grime in warm, soapy water applied gently with a very soft tooth brush, then dry thoroughly with a hair dryer. Please click HERE to see a larger picture of this helmet. It will open in a new window.