How to Clean a Suede (Alcantara) Steering Wheel

Co-authored by Angel Ricardo and Eric McClure

Last Updated: August 27, 2020 References

Steering wheels that appear to be made out of suede are almost always made out of alcantara, a synthetic version of suede that holds up better over time. Fortunately, suede and alcantara steering wheels are quite easy to clean. Perform regular maintenance cleanings every week with a suede brush to keep dirt, dust, and skin cells from building up in the fabric. You can also restore your wheel to its former glory by performing a deep cleaning 1-2 times a year. To restore your steering wheel, use a fabric upholstery cleaner and a soft-bristled brush to clean the fibers before drying them with a microfiber cloth and vacuum.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Performing a Maintenance Cleaning

1
Clean your steering wheel with a suede brush at least once a week. Purchase a suede brush from a home supply or auto parts store. A suede brush has rubber bristles on it that won’t put too much pressure on the suede or alcantara. Perform a standard cleaning at least once a week to ensure that skin cells, dirt, and dust don’t build up in the fabric of your steering wheel over time.^{[1]
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- This is a simple process that can be completed in 5-10 minutes. Keep the brush in your glove box to make this process easier whenever you remember to clean the steering wheel.
- Some suede brushes come with a rubber eraser designed for suede. This eraser is typically better for flatter surfaces where the entire side of the eraser can stay in contact with the suede as you use it.
- If your wheel is really dirty, put a clean towel in your lap when you sit in the seat to clean it.
2
Run the rubber bristles back and forth across the top of the wheel. Start at the top of your wheel on the front. Grab the suede brush firmly and press the bristles into the fabric. Move the brush back and forth rapidly to knock up the dust and dirt trapped in the fabric. Cover a 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) section 5-10 times before moving on to another part of the wheel.^{[2]
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- Do this when your vehicle isn’t running so that the wheel doesn’t move as you brush.
- Keep your door open while doing this to avoid trapping the dust and dirt you knock up inside of your vehicle.
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3
Brush the backside of the wheel when you brush the front. Once you’ve brushed the top of your wheel in the front, put the brush behind the wheel and brush it from behind to clean the backside. Once you cover a portion on the front, gently brush the backside of that same section. Move the rubber bristles back and forth 5-10 times before moving to a new section.^{[3]
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Tip: It can be kind of awkward to brush the backside of the steering wheel. You don’t need to brush the back as hard as the front though since you tend to only touch it with your fingertips.
4
Work your way around the wheel to cover every side. Continue brushing using back and forth strokes with the suede brush. Work in 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) sections, working your way down as you go. Cover the front and back sides of each section that you brush. Don’t skip any sections where the suede extends into the middle of your wheel, if this applies to your vehicle.^{[4]
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5
Use a steel brush to gently pull the nap back up for a cleaner look. Get a brush with steel bristles from a home supply or construction store. Use the bristles to scrub your fabric the same way you brushed it. Start at the top and work your way to the bottom. Use smooth strokes and don’t press hard. This will restore the nap to your fabric and make your suede or alcantara look like new!^{[5]
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- Get a brush with soft bristles; don’t get one of those brushes designed for industrial machine cleaning.
- So long as your brush has soft bristles and you aren’t scrubbing the wheel hard, it’s fine to do this every week.
- This is more cosmetic than anything. You can skip this step if you don’t want to raise the fabric up.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Deep-Cleaning Your Wheel

1
Perform a deep cleaning 1-2 times a year to keep the wheel pristine. Regular maintenance cleanings should be more than enough to keep your wheel clean, but a periodic deep cleaning will make the wheel feel brand new. Use an upholstery, fabric, or multi-purpose cleaner and a soft-bristled brush to pull the dirt and dust up.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Angel Ricardo
Auto Technician
Expert Interview. 1 October 2019.} Then, use a vacuum and a clean brush to restore the nap.^{[7]
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- You can purchase everything you need for a deep cleaning at an automotive or home supply store.
2
Spray 2-3 squirts of fabric cleaner into a soft-bristled brush. Grab your soft-bristled brush and hold it up away from your vehicle. Hold the fabric cleaner 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm) away from the bristles and spray the bristles 2-3 times to load it up with a light amount of fabric cleaner.^{[8]
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- If you spray the steering wheel directly, the spray will ricochet all over the place and you’ll need to brush it off of the dashboard, windshield, and ceiling.
Tip: You can use any fabric upholstery cleaner that lists suede as a safe material on its label, even if your wheel is made out of alcantara. You can also use a suede fabric cleaner if you prefer.
3
Rub the bristles into a section of the wheel using a soft, circular motion. Pick a portion of the steering wheel to start with. Press the soft bristles into the steering wheel and move the brush around in a soft circular motion. Brush the area 5-10 times until the fabric cleaner begins to lather up on the surface. You don’t need to press particularly hard or move the brush very fast—the goal is merely to work the fabric cleaner into the wheel.^{[9]
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- Since you aren’t knocking any dust or dirt up, it doesn’t matter if you start at the top or the bottom.
4
Blot the area with a clean microfiber cloth to soak the cleaner up.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Angel Ricardo
Auto Technician
Expert Interview. 1 October 2019.} Once you’ve finished brushing a section of your steering wheel, grab a clean microfiber cloth. Gently blot the wet area to lift up the fabric cleaner. Do not press or rub the cloth into the fabric to avoid pushing the individual fibers down and trapping any dirt.^{[11]
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- You’re going to vacuum the wheel to dry it out completely, so don’t worry about getting all of the cleaner out.
5
Continue brushing and drying your wheel until it’s completely clean. Once you’ve cleaned and dried your first section, continue repeating this process.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Angel Ricardo
Auto Technician
Expert Interview. 1 October 2019.} Reload your soft-bristled brush with fabric cleaner, rub the bristles into a dirty portion of the wheel, and use a dry microfiber cloth to blot the area dry. Continue working in 4–6 in (10–15 cm) sections until you’ve cleaned the entire steering wheel.^{[13]
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6
Run a vacuum hose around your wheel to raise the nap. Grab a vacuum and pull the hose out. Turn the vacuum on to its highest power setting. Hold the head of the hose against the steering wheel’s fabric. Move the hose around the steering wheel for 1-2 minutes to dry the remaining fabric cleaner, remove any remaining dirt, and raise the nap of the fabric.^{[14]
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- The shape of the vacuum hose’s opening isn’t ideal for the shape of your steering wheel; you can use a fabric upholstery attachment to make this process easier if you have one.
7
Use a dry, soft-bristled brush to comb the fibers for a uniform look. If you want to make your steering wheel look like new, grab another soft-bristled brush that is clean and dry. Brush the steering wheel gently in a single direction by running the bristles around the entire wheel in a circular motion. This will comb the nap so that all of the fibers are facing the same direction. This will make your wheel look like new!^{[15]
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- This won’t work if you don’t use the fabric cleaner and vacuum. Gently combing the wheel with a dry brush alone won’t really do anything.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I remove a sticky residue from my steering wheel?

Angel Ricardo
Auto Technician
Angel Ricardo is the owner of Ricardo's Mobile Auto Detail headquartered in Venice, California. With over 10 years of experience in mobile detailing, Angel continues to attend auto detailing trainings to improve his customer service and auto detailing skills.

Angel Ricardo

Auto Technician

Expert Answer

You can use a multi-purpose cleaner, but a leather cleaner's always better. Many steering wheels have vinyl leather and leather cleaner is more sensitive than anything else. Squirt it on microfiber and then just go over it and over it, and the residue will start lifting up from the steering wheel.

Warnings

Aggressively rubbing a cloth directly into the suede or alcantara will push the fibers down. This can actually trap dirt, dust, and skin cells in the fabric and make it harder to clean in the future.

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