Steering wheel cleaning

[davidfloyd57]

Does anyone have any advice as to how best to clean a late type steering wheel (two spoke)?

Mine has become very sticky to touch, and a black mess is deposited on my hands. I have seen advise not to use water or detergent as it may fade the wheel, but to use Turtle Wax. Have people tried this and does it work? Any other ideas welcome.

Can anyone say what causes this stickiness?

[philthehill]

Sweat from your hands.
I have used windscreen cleaner in the past to good effect.

[ManyMinors]

I had a similar problem with the steering wheel on one of our Minors. I simply replaced it with a decent secondhand replacement wheel in the end because however much I cleaned it, and whatever I used, the plastic material just seemed to be degrading in some way and wouldn't clean up properly whatever I used on it. It seemed worse on a damp day for some reason and, as you say, your hands get grubby! Very annoying. My replacement steering wheel doesn't suffer from this problem and neither does our other Minor so I can't explain what causes it!

[rjt1951]

Had same issue on last car and cleaned and polished with car wax. Seemed to solve the problem and brought the colour back well.

[bmcecosse]

Fit a leather steering wheel glove ! A very popular period accessory..

[davidfloyd57]

Thanks all of you.

[aupickup]

wax

[davidfloyd57]

Thank you again to everyone for their responses.

In the end I decided on the Turtle Wax option. It cleaned the wheel up a treat. No more stickiness or dirt on my hands.