How to clean steering wheel? 

One of the areas with the most amount of traffic in a vehicle is the steering wheel. As a result, residual bodily oils, dirt, and dust tend to linger along its surface. This can lead to the growth of bacteria and a lot of nasty stuff that we don’t want in our cars. Especially during the flu and cold seasons, this can lead to unnecessary risk of illness. 

You try and aim to clean your steering wheel at least once a week in order to prevent the growth of any of these nasty viruses. 

Why is it important to clean the steering wheel? 

As mentioned earlier, the steering wheel is a high-touch surface that can harbor germs, bacteria, and viruses. These microorganisms can accumulate on the surface of the steering wheel from your hands, and if left unchecked, they can thrive and cause infection. Additionally, if you share your car with other people, such as friends or family members, they may also leave behind germs on the steering wheel.

Clean Leather Steering Wheel

If you have a leather steering wheel, as most cars do, the most important thing before getting started is being prepared. Luckily, the barrier to entry in DIY steering wheel cleaning is pretty low.

All you’re going to need is:

• • A Specialized Leather Cleaner: When buying this product it is best to go with a renowned brand like Chemical Guys or Maguires in order to make sure that you’re not lathering harmful chemicals onto the steering wheel. 

• • A Microfiber Cloth: A soft, gentle cloth will make sure that the leather won’t be scratched during the process, and it will make sure that we can buff off all of the product. Buffing is absolutely essential because it ensures that all of the chemicals are being absorbed properly by the surface, enhancing the effect and appearance. 

• • A soft-bristled brush: This tool will be used to scrub the leather cleaner deep into the material for a high-quality clean. 

• • Leather conditioner: If you’re looking for a beautiful final product, then a leather conditioner is absolutely essential. It gives the leather a soft and supple feeling and an amazing glow. 

Clean A Leather Steering Wheel

After you have gotten all of the products that you will need for the job, it is time to get started. Lucky for you, cleaning a steering wheel is a straightforward process that will require minimal effort. However, make sure to keep keen attention to detail, because cracks tend to hold a lot of dirt and bacteria that we’re trying to eliminate. 

1. 1. Prepare the cleaning solution

To clean the leather steering wheel, you’ll need the cleaning solution that you purchased in the previous step. If you don’t have a specialized cleaning solution, you can use a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar to do the job. Make sure to avoid harsh chemicals that can damage the leather steering wheel’s surface.

2. 2. Apply the cleaning solution

Spray the solution onto a clean microfiber tower. Ensure that the cloth is damp but not soaked in the solution. Wipe the steering wheel’s surface with the cloth, paying close attention to any areas that are particularly dirt. 

Especially, make sure that you get into all the cracks and ridges in the leather for the best possible results.

3. 3. Clean the crevices

Use a soft-bristled brush or a toothbrush to clean the crevices of the steering wheel. These areas are often overlooked, but they can accumulate dirt and grime over time, making it more challenging to clean them thoroughly. 

4. 4. Dry the leather steering wheel

After cleaning, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe the steering wheel’s surface to remove any excess moisture. Drying the steering wheel will prevent water stains and also help to restore the steering wheel’s shine.

5. 5. Apply the conditioner

If you have a leather steering wheel, applying a conditioner can help to keep the leather soft and supple. Apply a small amount of leather conditioner to a clean cloth and rub it onto the steering wheel’s surface. Wipe off any excess conditioner with a dry cloth. 

How to Clean A Sticky Steering Wheel

Cleaning a sticky steering wheel is incredibly similar to cleaning a normal dirty steering wheel. However, depending on the cause of the “stickiness” it can cause some problems.  You definitely don’t want to apply the same steps that we mentioned in the previous section. 

You might want to add these steps before you being the aforementioned, standardized procedure.

1. 1. Attempt to remove the sticky substance using a paper towel.

Try to remove as much of the substance as you can before trying to clean it with anything else. Attempting to clean while there is a thick layer of the stick will lead to less-than-desirable results.

2. 2. Clean the Sticky substance using alcohol or mild soap.

After you have removed a vast majority of the sticky substance you can follow up with a damp cloth with alcohol or mild soap. In most cases, this should get rid of all of the substance. If not, continue until it is all gone. 

3. 3. Continue with the aforementioned steps.

If there is no more stickiness, then you should feel free to go back to earlier in the blog and follow those steps.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you should have a clean leather steering wheel. After all of your hard work feel free to bask in the beauty of your work. 

If you’re interested in curious about cleaning other parts of your car you should check out the rest of our blog. We go into depth about how to detail a car.

 That being said, if you’re in the Miami area and you’re interested in exterior/ interior car detailing book a quote today. We’ll get back to you as fast as we possibly can. Thank you for reading