How To Restore a Shiny Leather Steering Wheel

"jkm7680" (jkm7680) 01/01/2016 at 15:09 • Filed to: None

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After years of use, your steering wheel will start to loose the factory matte finish. But that smooth finish isn’t gone forever, using a few household products you can easily get it looking like new again. Here’s how I did it...

Disclaimer: If you have doubts about your steering wheel or sun damaged/torn up leather DON’T DO THIS, MAGIC ERASERS ARE VERY ABRASIVE.

Step 1: Collect your supplies. I used a Mr. Clean magic eraser, a couple microfiber cloths and a tub of water.

Step 2: Check for dye transfer. Get a slightly damp microfiber cloth and run it around your steering wheel while applying moderate pressure. If you see any die from the wheel being transferred to the cloth, I suggest you don’t go for the abrasive magic eraser.

Step 3 : Dunk the magic eraser into the tub of water, pull it out and squeeze it until it’s slightly moist. Once you’ve done this, place it around the outside perimeter of the steering wheel and go with the circle applying moderate pressure. Don’t go too crazy and make sure it’s well lubricated. After this first pass, it should be looking better already. Dry of the wheel and repeat. Clean the magic eraser every time in the water, unless you like redistributing dirt.

Step 4 : Observe what you have done and how good it looks.

So there ya go, nice smooth steering wheel. I am not liable for shit.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:17

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Your A6’s interior has held up really well.

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 15:20

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Yay :)

I’m still cleaning it up a bit more, I forgot how much I didn’t miss light colored interiors.

Spaceball-Two > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:23

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Looks great!

jkm7680 > Spaceball-Two 01/01/2016 at 15:24

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Thanks man!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:24

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Yeah, dark leather is really the ticket. Even the black leather seats in the wife’s heavily, heavily, used Sable are in amazing condition. Also, ever notice how the Allroad’s had an option where the center of the seats coordinated with the exterior paint?

Green leather! lol

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 15:25

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With these, I have to clean them every five seconds and you can literally see every speck of dirt.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:26

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It’s the equivalent to a car with white or black paint: it’s dirty the second it leaves the car wash.

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 15:28

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Oh god, don’t remind me. First Audi in the family is white with a beige interior. Fucker was dirty every five seconds.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 01/01/2016 at 15:28

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Did you get that Landcruiser/A6/Allroad/CX-5/XC90 yet?

His Stigness > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:34

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As a professional detailer, I never advocate using household cleaning products when cleaning anything on a car, not when there are cost effective options that do a better job while leaving whatever your cleaning in better shape than when you started.

Having said I think this post is great because it highlights a part of the car that is almost always overlooked when cleaning a car: the steering wheel. I always clean the steering wheels of cars I’m doing and they’re always gross.

Personally I use Chemical Guys InnerClean because whether or not the steering wheel is actually leather, this will work and leave the surface protected. Nine time out of ten the steering wheel is not leather, but a synthetic material, so using leather specific cleaners won’t work as well as an “all purpose” product like InnerClean. If it is really leather than of course use a high quality leather cleaner and follow it up with a conditioner to infuse the leather with moisterizers that will prevent it from fading and cracking, but since the steering wheel is so important, make sure you buff the hell out of when you’re done so it’s not slippery at.

Sincerely,

Buffman

jkm7680 > His Stigness 01/01/2016 at 15:38

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I’m with you on that one, especially when someone else is trusting you to not mess anything up. That being said, I think that using a magic eraser on hard textured plastic trim has a very small chance of messing something up. They seem good for scuffs and such that are hard to get out otherwise.

Useful information there!

Frank Grimes > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 15:50

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awesome I need to do this.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 15:53

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Not yet! Sadly didn’t get a bonus this year. Don’t know if it’s still coming or what. Gotta get the tax return in the bank then I think we’ll get rid of the Toyota.

You narrow down your search on an Allroad?

Sam > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:05

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Disclaimer as a detailer - be very, extremely gentle. You can make your wheel look forever ugly like this.

AM3R shamefully returns > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:13

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An even easier way, get a microfiber towel and get it damp in boiling water. Rub steering wheel and then dry with other microfiber. Works great, I wanted to try it like this before I used the magic eraser. I made a post about it a while ago.

jkm7680 > AM3R shamefully returns 01/01/2016 at 16:17

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I think we actually talked about that, haha.

His Stigness > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:29

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There are definitely areas in the car where using a magic eraser won’t do any damage, and can help, but I have a hard time advocating using household products when Chemical Guys is actually really cheap, so I almost always have a chemical to fix something.

But I’d never tell my customers that, as far as they know I’m a genius god whose products are untouchable! But then, if they were interested in doing it themselves, they wouldn’t have called me, so I’m safe. And it’s why I’ll pass off my knowledge whenever I can.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:31

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I wish I could do this to my wheel but the top is so sun damaged and worn that if I cleaned it it'd probably end up looking worse :(

jkm7680 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 01/01/2016 at 16:34

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Yup, good call.

You could always just try what AM3R suggested!

jkm7680 > His Stigness 01/01/2016 at 16:36

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Now that you’re here, what are your views on using Simple Green on cars?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:39

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It’s beyond reasonable repair to the point of just needing to be replaced honestly (three spoke euro style wheel here I come!) Some matte shoe polish of all things actually made it look decent, if a little shiny.

DrJohannVegas > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 16:43

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My experience with leather wheels (OK, whatever almost-leather VAG uses on steering wheels) is a bit different. The smoothness comes from grease and other human detritus clogging up the pores of the leather. So, a mild surfacant is the answer. I’ve had great luck with a mild woolite solution and a terry cloth. It might be a more gentle first option than the magic eraser, and much less likely to do permanent damage to the coating.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 01/01/2016 at 17:17

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No, my search has taken a tailspin. I’m now considering W123 coupes and maybe a 635csi... SC400 is still a frontrunner but only by the slimest of margins...

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 17:23

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Ooooohhh the 635csi would be nice! I know very little about old Mercs. Are they reliable? What route would you go with the Lex?

His Stigness > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 17:37

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Depends on what you plan on using it on or for? I would discourage its use as it’s a concentrated degreaser, and it has dyes in which can be a big problem if you use it on any porous surface. I have a Chemical Guys version but never use it because there are better alternatives for almost every need.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 01/01/2016 at 19:00

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Mechanically, W123s are seemingly reliable but manuals seem to be quite scarce and some are mated to 3-speed autos which would be quite a change for me.

As for the Lexus, it would be a probably a high mileage but good example that I could get for under 5k.

I don’t want to open the wallet on this next car because if I were to say have a career change soon (which I am scheming for), I don’t know if I want to be driving an old Merc guzzler or a 1UZ hundreds of miles a week.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 20:19

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What are you switching up to?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 01/01/2016 at 20:27

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Long story short, I’m trying to get a specific promotion — a new position they created. Like, a big one. Odds feel long at times, but I’m doing everything I can. It also seems to be the best route “out” of my current position. Which has done me quite well, mind you. Just looking for more opportunity.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/01/2016 at 20:29

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Onward and upwards man! Good luck!

jkm7680 > His Stigness 01/01/2016 at 23:49

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I used it to clean my floormats earlier, with a brush. In the before and after, you can see the difference. I’ve also used it to remove tire bloom.

I also used it in very dialated form to clean out some stubborn dirt from my interior doorsills.

His Stigness > jkm7680 01/01/2016 at 23:53

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That doesn't sound too bad, but I've got specific cleaners for each task and they all do a great job. But I think of all my chemicals as an investment, so I don't mind buying a crap ton.

jkm7680 > His Stigness 01/02/2016 at 09:44

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Makes sense! You should start a sub column with detailing tips!

His Stigness > jkm7680 01/02/2016 at 15:09

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Yeah, I probably should.

Brickman > jkm7680 01/02/2016 at 18:45

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I wonder if that will work on our vinyl leather look steering wheels.

jkm7680 > Brickman 01/02/2016 at 18:46

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It likely would.