![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:03 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
I’m sure that many of you have seen and heard horror stories about faux suede interiors and the grossness that is old alcantara. That matted, grimy, greasy, nastiness is a fear that most people have when owning a car with mouse fur upholstery. But fear not people! There is hope.
As one who is gifted with always sweaty and damp hands, this is what my steering wheel looks like after about two months. Yummy. So, what’s a person to do about this, besides wearing gloves all the time? It’s actually super easy, barely an inconvenience. Just purchase these items:
Sonax Alcantara and Upholstery Cleaner, an upholstery brush, and a towel. Never forget to bring a towel. Then all you have to do is follow the instructions and boom, back to factory new gerbil fur:
Now after it’s dry it’ll feel a little hard and crunchy, but some gentle petting, it’ll be right back to how you remember that rabbit ear feeling. So, don’t be afraid of owning a car with rat hide coverings, just maintain it and it’ll last forever, (probably).
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:10 |
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Honest question: when alcantara wears, does it only get matted down and need to be revived, or does some of it flake off?
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:18 |
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Of all the places on a car, suede makes the least sense on a steering wheel. But yours looks good!
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:18 |
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mostly just matted down, but like everything in the known universe, there is decay over time.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:22 |
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I will tell my friend, the whole interior of his S2000CR is that material. He probably paid someone to detail it.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:25 |
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The afforded grip levels are the reasons why you make an alcantara steering wheel:
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:36 |
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It’s available on Amazon
![]() 09/26/2020 at 15:58 |
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I love a lcantara interior bits. When I had my Gen 5 Camaro SS, I upgraded to the ZL1 wheel. My current E92 M3 I got the M Performance alcantara wheel, then got a CobyWheel alcantara handbrake and handbrake boot.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 16:05 |
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Nice. I remember hearing that GM’s version alcantara is particularly durable too , I think it was on the Smoking Tire Podcast.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 16:05 |
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“ It’s actually super easy, barely an inconvenience. Just purchase these items:”
Is that an intentional Screen Rant movie pitch reference or not?
![]() 09/26/2020 at 16:06 |
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Well, an alternative is water-with-mild-soap. The mouse fur loves water— and dirt and grime come right out. Easy-Peasy. Once around the track for agitation, and you’re done.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 16:13 |
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Yeah yeah yeah
![]() 09/26/2020 at 16:18 |
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Ten million thanks for this post. My MINI has the factory Recaro option. They’re lovely seats and the leather parts have held up sorta OK but the alc antera parts are getting a little tired looking. I’ve searched for alcantera cleaning advice in the past and not found much for some reason
![]() 09/26/2020 at 17:40 |
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I use this stuff too! I also scrub it with a soft toothbrush before and after and hold a vacuum nozzle close so all the gunk and dead skin don’t just fall back onto the steering wheel.
![]() 09/26/2020 at 19:31 |
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you don’t need anything specialized. Soapy water, any scrubber and a towel. As a scrubber I use light duty Scotch Brite pads (recommend white ones) and spray the cleaner on 1/4 the Scotch Brite, scrub in sections of a quarter of the wheel then dry. Dawn works as a soap, general interior cleaners or a degreaser cut with water. The Dawn and degreaser (Simple Green etc.) are better choices.
![]() 09/27/2020 at 01:21 |
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Making pitch meeting references is tight.