If you don’t clean your steering wheel regularly, it can turn into a haven for dirt, grime, bacteria, and other contaminants over time. Cleaning your car’s steering wheel is no biggie. The right equipment, proper techniques, and elbow grease can help your steering wheel shine again. Here’s our ultimate guide on how to clean a steering wheel. Keep reading to know more.
Choose the cleaning solution based on your steering wheel material. Car steering is made of different materials like faux leather, plastic, wooden, etc. Therefore, remember to check the steering wheel material before using the product on them. Using improper cleaning products can cause damage to the steering wheel and ruin its look.
Suppose your steering wheel is made of plastic or faux leather use an all-purpose cleaner. Use a wood polish if it’s made of wooden materials. And for original leather, use a leather cleaner or conditioner. Check the owner’s manual if you’re unsure of your car’s steering wheel material.
Now spray the cleaning solution onto the microfiber cloth. Spraying the cleaning solution directly onto the steering wheel is not a great idea since it can get trapped behind the wheels on the dashboard.
Next, place the towel on the wheel and begin the cleaning process. Turn the towel in 360 degrees to clean all the sides of the wheel. Make sure you cover the entire circumference of the wheel.
If you notice any noticeable dirt and grime on the steering wheel, scrub and remove it. Remember not to apply a lot of pressure while cleaning as it can damage the material’s color. Also, remember to clean the center of the wheel.
The steps mentioned above can help lift off light dirt on the steering wheel. To remove deeply embedded dirt and dust, you need to clean it more thoroughly. You will require a cleaner and a soft interior brush or a toothbrush for this step.
Spray the cleaning solution onto the brush and begin cleaning the wheel. Scrub in small circles till it starts to bubble. After getting rid of the dirt, remove the cleaner with a damp cloth. Repeat the same step till you cover the wheel.
Wet a clean cloth. If there’s excess water, wring it out. Using the wet cloth revisit the cleaned areas. The goal is to remove any remaining dirt and cleaner. If you run out of cleaning cloths, you can use paper towels too.
Using a microfiber towel, now dry the steering wheel. Don’t let the cleaner stay longer on the wheel. As soon as you wipe the steering wheel with water, use the microfiber towel to remove it.
This is an optional step. You can follow this if you have access to a steam machine. First, fill the steam machine with distilled water and turn it on. Use a single-hole nozzle to spray the steering wheel and wipe off the dirt with a microfiber towel. In this method, you can kill any bacteria present in the wheel and remove other dirt.
