Steering Wheel Cleaner – What’s Best to Use?

October 7, 2021 Darren Comments 3 comments

One aspect of interior detailing which is often overlooked by most is a vehicles steering wheel. Many may not even realize it, but the steering wheel is arguably one of the dirtiest parts of a car due to it being constantly touched by the driver.

Over time, dirt, grease, sweat, oils from our hands and bacteria can build up on the steering wheel’s surface. A dirty steering wheel does not only affect the appearance of the interior of a car, it can also be a breeding ground for germs. This is not the most hygienic situation, especially in the cases where more than one person is regularly driving the vehicle.

While a dirty steering wheel may not always be obvious, one telltale sign (especially on a leather steering wheel), is a shiny appearance. In other cases, you can tell as soon as you lay your hands on it. The steering wheel can feel sticky or greasy. In my opinion, it is extremely important to keep on top of cleaning your steering wheel regularly ( in my case I do it at least once a week ).

Before we dive into the best methods for cleaning your steering wheel, it is important to note that there is not a “one size fits all” solution for this job. This is mostly due to there being a variety of different materials being used for this part of a car, which can differ between vehicles.

To find out what kind of material your steering wheel is made out of, you can check your owner’s manual or check the car’s brochure online if it’s still available. Remember, polyurethane material (faux leather) will look and almost feel like real leather, so it’s best to be sure before cleaning it. Each type has its dos and don’t when it comes to detailing, so it’s best to be careful.

Let’s look at the most common types of steering wheels and how to clean them.

Type 1 – Plastic Steering Wheel

Plastic steering wheels are often found in older vehicles ( or even some modern entry-level stuff ). While plastic steering wheels may not be the nicest to hold ( Or safest, as they tend to be less grippy ), they are arguably the easiest type of surface to clean when it comes to detailing. Plastics are also less likely to absorb sweat, bits of food etc than some of the other surface types.

As plastic is also not a sensitive or delicate material, you can take more liberties when it comes to choosing a cleaning solution.

When it comes to cleaning plastic wheels, I often find a more simple approach works best.

How to Clean A Plastic Steering Wheel

Cleaning a plastic wheel is quite easy. In terms of a cleaning solution, I usually recommend using an All-Purpose Cleaner diluted down with some water in a spray bottle. For example Carpro Multi-X. You can adjust the dilution ratio depending on how dirty the steering wheel is.

This is probably the most cost-effective way of cleaning a steering wheel ( besides using soapy water, but I don’t usually recommend that as it may not remove all dirt buildup on a particularly dirty wheel ).

You will also need some microfiber cloths for agitation and also to remove any leftover solution.

Step 1

Spray the APC directly onto the microfiber cloth. Do not spray the solution directly onto the steering wheel or else you could end up covering your whole dashboard in the cleaner, which makes the cleaning process longer.

Step 2

Place the microfiber cloth on the wheel and place your hand on top of it.

Turn the microfiber around the wheel to clean the front, top, and back. Work around the entire circumference of the wheel. With plastic, you don’t need to be too careful with the amount of pressure used, as it won’t be delicate enough to harm in most cases.

Make sure to clean the centre of the wheel as well but watch out for any buttons etc you may need to be careful of on the surface.

Step 3

Dry off any remaining residue with a second microfiber cloth, giving the steering wheel a final wipe down.

I tend to not recommend any additional products on plastic ( for protection etc ), as they could potentially make the steering wheel increasingly slippy. For plastic wheels, the simple approach is best.

Type 2 – Synthetic Resins

Often confused as plastic steering wheels, synthetic resin is also among one of the easier steering wheel materials to clean. As the properties of the wheel are pretty close to being the same as plastic material, my recommendation would be to follow the exact same steps as above for these types of wheels

Type 3 – Leather

Leather steering wheels are often found in most modern luxury or high-specced cars. They are a joy to hold and grip and can greatly increase driving enjoyment and engagement.

The trade-off to this is that they require a bit more care when cleaning. The last thing you want to do is to damage the integrity of the leather, which can be caused by using too much pressure when cleaning, or using a cleaning solution that is too harsh. ( This will dry out and damage the leather )

Highly concentrated diluted APC and some strong interior cleaners promote cracking in the leather because they will remove the natural oils.

How to Clean A Leather Steering Wheel

Extra care should be taken with a real leather steering wheel, and the correct products should be selected for the job. I nearly always recommend a dedicated leather cleaner for this, as you want something that will clean and condition the leather. Something like Meguiars Gold Class Leather Cleaner should be fine for steering wheel cleaning, no need for getting a super expensive leather cleaner unless you have it already. ( Eg Colorlock – which may be more worth it for cleaning car seats etc )

For a cleaning tool, I would recommend a very soft detailing brush for agitation of the cleaner. ( You can also use a microfiber cloth if you don’t have a brush )

These soft brushes will be gentle on the surface material, while also having the ability to clean in and around the stitching of the leather.