Assistance with sticky/tacky steering wheel

[Thebigbus]

Hey guys, recently bought a used e90 M3 in pretty good condition. 39k miles.

I thoroughly cleaned the interior with 1z einszett deep cleaner, and it worked great on everything but the steering wheel.

Basically, the steering wheel, ESP the top, has lost its matte look, and regardless of how I've cleaned it (have used Adams leather cleaner AND the Einszett with a boars hair brush), it remained sticky/tacky.

I'm thinking its just still soaked in grease/body oils. I put some more cleaner on a MF cloth last night and just rubbed hard on the top, and noticed black coloring in the cloth....not sure if this is all grime, or if the wheel has lost it's coating and is now too far gone??

I've got some Leather Masters degreaser coming in the mail, so hopefully that will work.

I'm thinking of trying a hot towel, followed by some warm soapy Dawn and water with a medium toothbrush. Anyone cleaned greasy, oily leather with the soap/water method?

Any other good leather degreaser secrets out there?

I researched the heck out of this on the autopia forums, and it seems the usual leather cleaners really don't work great for grease-soaked coated leathers.

I really just want to fully restore this awesome steering wheel back to matte, and back to a drier feel.

Thanks!!

[W Cole]

Originally Posted by Thebigbus

Hey guys, recently bought a used e90 M3 in pretty good condition. 39k miles.

I thoroughly cleaned the interior with 1z einszett deep cleaner, and it worked great on everything but the steering wheel.

Basically, the steering wheel, ESP the top, has lost its matte look, and regardless of how I've cleaned it (have used Adams leather cleaner AND the Einszett with a boars hair brush), it remained sticky/tacky.

I'm thinking its just still soaked in grease/body oils. I put some more cleaner on a MF cloth last night and just rubbed hard on the top, and noticed black coloring in the cloth....not sure if this is all grime, or if the wheel has lost it's coating and is now too far gone??

I've got some Leather Masters degreaser coming in the mail, so hopefully that will work.

I'm thinking of trying a hot towel, followed by some warm soapy Dawn and water with a medium toothbrush. Anyone cleaned greasy, oily leather with the soap/water method?

Any other good leather degreaser secrets out there?

I researched the heck out of this on the autopia forums, and it seems the usual leather cleaners really don't work great for grease-soaked coated leathers.

I really just want to fully restore this awesome steering wheel back to matte, and back to a drier feel.

Thanks!!

Use the leather masters. The black on your towel is the grime from the steering wheel. After using the leather masters the wheel will no longer be shiny and the towel will no longer get black when cleaning.

[Templar]

^ +1

Don't use dawn or anything like that. Just wait for the leather masters to come in and follow the instructions.

[Thebigbus]

Will do. Many thanks

[fastmike]

Try using a toothbrush and a bucket of water also. Checkout this guys results on reddit on his bmw steering wheel after 10 years.

https://pay.reddit.com/comments/16rhrd