# Sticky steering wheel



## mrfixit (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi guys any recomendations for cleaning and stopping the steering wheel being sticky?I have done a search but all I could find was a hot towel (wrapping it round the wheel)I've tried that and it didn't really help,aswell as leather cleaner and conditioner,whatever I do seems to make it worse.
Thanks in advance
Steve


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## robtech (Jan 17, 2011)

?????


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## Tomukas (Oct 21, 2008)

USE APC Mixed with Water , spray on steering wheel and scrub with leather brush then remove what left with a MicroFibre towel.... wheel is sticky because you used conditioner.... it blocks leather pores and all dirt being , build up on it....


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## mrfixit (Jun 14, 2011)

Cheers APC?I have even used lemon juice in boiling water on a towel,citrus being my idea there.


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## OutLore (Jan 19, 2007)

Do you know what it's sticky "with"? IE is it just a build up of dirt, or grease or is it something that's been put on it (like conditioner as mentioned above)


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## lessh2o (Sep 3, 2009)

Foaming aerosol window cleaner has worked for me.
Spray on and rub the foam with a soft brush then wipe of with an MF


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## mrfixit (Jun 14, 2011)

GJM said:


> Maybe he has a new McLaren....and jizzed on the wheel


No its this








But I do like it a lot:thumb:
It seems to be where the finish has dulled


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## Tomukas (Oct 21, 2008)

mrfixit said:


> Cheers APC?I have even used lemon juice in boiling water on a towel,citrus being my idea there.


APC is All Purpose Cleaner and use a soft brush , you can use, used Tooth Brush soft so it will clean blocked pores , i had same problem as i started to detail cars 4 years ago , leather conditioner are bad....


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## mrfixit (Jun 14, 2011)

Any particular brand work best?


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## GJM (Jul 19, 2009)

Very nice :thumb:

They are often much the same, Autosmart G101 is always a handy addition to any cleaning kit


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## GJM (Jul 19, 2009)

Wonder if Eucalyptus oil might be worth a try, could be something in the household already.

I know it works pretty well dissolving sticky tar on light carpets...much to my delight..otherwise there would have been trouble


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## The_Bouncer (Nov 24, 2010)

I'm aware of people using diluted surfex HD being used on steering wheels to get rid of things like this.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

I'd recommend Flash APC with febreze, its available in all supermarkets - shop around and you'll find it for under a squid a litre.

Dilute 1 part flash in 4 parts water for heavy staining etc.

Hope that helps.


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## TOGWT (Oct 26, 2005)

*Leather covered steering wheel*

Steering wheels have an extra coating of protective finish on the already finished or coated leather. Perspiration and dirt are absorbed readily into the dry leather, and combined with the ultra violet (UV-B) radiation of the sun a chemical reaction occurs that degrades the finished leather. All of us have seen this wear on steering wheels

Using leather oil-based conditioners on finished leather may cause delamination from the leather substrate. As the oils will permeate the leather via the stitching or any micro-cracks in the surface, once oil gets between the urethane and the substrate it causes loss of adhesion (See also Oil and Oil based Products)

Most manufacturer's advice against using oil-based conditioners on steering wheels as it makes the surface slippery and could be dangerous if you lose control of the vehicles steering

1.	Clean the wheel's leather surface with a leather cleaner (Leather Masters™ Strong Effect Cleaner ) or a de-greaser (P21S Total Auto Wash) diluted 5:1 with warm distilled water in a spray bottle; dependant upon type and extent of soil or stain
2.	For oil or grease stains use Leather Masters™ Leather Degreaser (check for colour fastness) this aerosol product is ideal for cleaning this type of stain as it dissolves the oils and transforms them into a powder that is more absorbent than the leather. This powder is what is wiped off, cleaning and degreasing the leather. Allow the white powder to dry fully. If the powder is drying to a yellow colour, it means that there are still a lot of oils in the leather.
3.	Using a Medium / hard horse hair brush, or a soft sponge, spray and work the cleaner into a foam, lightly scrub surface and immediately wipe with a terry towel to remove excess moisture, especially around stitching (you may need to repeat this process).
4.	Then use a compressed air nozzle to dry
5.	Once wheel is thoroughly dry apply Leather Masters™ Leather Protection

_Do not use an abrasive on the surface as you'll remove the ultra violet protective topcoat (UV-B)_


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## Furniture Clinic (Sep 2, 2010)

I have just answered a similar post here http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=222330

By the sounds of it I would recommend degreasing the leather and recolouring it. You can read more about this here http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Colourant_Kit.php


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## judyb (Sep 7, 2007)

This sounds as though the body oils have broken down the finish on the leather leaving a sticky residue on the leather itself.
This will need degreasing with a professional degreaser and then recolouring/refinishing once all the grease has been removed. Can be a tricky business and not one I would recommend that you use DIY products for as adhesion can be a real problem on areas like this.

Hope this helps
Judyb


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## mrfixit (Jun 14, 2011)

Just a quick update,it may be of use to someone else.A detailer in Leyland I get things from gave me an interior sponge,I used some warm soapy water(fairy liquid)dampen the sponge and wiped it down with that,you should have seen the crap that came off.Its not sticky anymore but could probably do with a refinish just in a couple of the more used areas,can anyone recomend a product/service?


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## barchetta (Dec 27, 2007)

I hope your last fix has worked but there was a manufacturing fault on RR Sports and Disco 3s. Land Rover changed the design in 2009. On earlier models the steering wheel becomes very sticky and eventually breaks up completely.

Many people have had their steering wheels replaced under warranty or upgraded them to the later nappa wheels (you can even upgrade to the heated ones!)

Lots of info on these two forums about the issue:-

http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic44282.html?highlight=+sticky++steering

http://rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic16992.html?highlight=sticky+steering


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