Revitalizing Alcantara Steering Wheel
 

Had a pro out detailing for two days and the interior looks brand new.

Except the wheel.

Supposedly it should clean up nice with a bristle brush and proper cleaner (day 1) but didn’t. So mild dish soap and tooth brush day 2, no better.

Any tips? Guy wants to use lint shaver. I think it can still be saved somehow.

The car has 180,000 kms now and I’d never know it. It looks brand new again. Paint correction and seal is next!

But this steering wheel - ugh. Help! Oh and looking for drivers interior door handle too. The rest are still perfect, I guess I’m rough.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...9e00ccb59.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...df231d935.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...c5dc0bc12.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...1d955a0ff.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...7fcbc44e0.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...4c0b3df82.jpeg

Recommend Sonax products (Extreme Upholstery and Alcantara) better use microfiber cloth + warm water instead of a brush.

great Kenny video in the sticky

https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/...storation.html

Yup - I am another Sonax fan for the alcantara. Really works wonders!

I recently did this job with the Sonax Alcantara cleaner, based on the video in the link above. It did an amazing job cleaning the wheel, and it feels great, but mine looks like the OP's pictures. I used microfiber cloth and gently (I think...) massaged it in. It took about an hour, I had to reply four times to finally get all the dirt out and have the rinse water run clear. I'd love to know how to now recover the original look.

@kenneyd

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...ec9d688a99.jpg
Just like I said my video, you have to be gentle, do not rub it, don't use a brush, don't use anything with bristles, don't scrub it. Or you will get the lint balls that I have no idea how you would get rid of.
Soak it with the sonax, and block it gently with a microfiber, repeat 4X.
Mine went from a disgusting matted down greasy look to literally indistinguishable between a brand new car
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Hi all, As a past owner of a B5 S4 that had alcantara seats, and then a few mercedes with alcantara, Ive had a ton of experiences, good and bad with this material. The steering wheel from OP is a bit past the stage of just using a cleaner and microfiber which I agree is optimal if proper blotting can be done. I personally like to use very hot water with a bit of dish soap or laundry detergent. The video mentioned does a good job for that technique. This alcantara shows pilling due to a rubbing action while cleaning or perhaps a longer than optimal cleaning period. It’s very important to not rub the material or use any short back and forth strokes with a brush. I use the liquid mentioned above and a leather brush to slowly stroke the alcantara, trying to straighten the fibers. When doing basic cleaning of the alcantara, I use the brush dry to get all of the dust and dirt out of the fibers. When brushing, if any marks are made due to greases left on the wheel, I will revert back to a cleaning solution. I brought up the old s4 seats because they got alot of wear, alcantara cleaners did not exist and everything was an experiment. So much so the people used razors, shears and depillers on the fabric. I used all of these before. I had to use the depillar on the seats because they would get pilling due to sliding in and out of the car (yes, the correct way). Seemingly once this happens, it just continues. So for op in this situation, if all the dirt is cleaned out and the wheel is brushed dry (lightly and with a method of going in a single direction), if the pilling is visible, you can try to pick them off, or shave them off or maybe there is a depillar in the drawer somewhere (but they are not as great imo for a harder surface). And since you are on an upgrade bonanza, recovering your wheel is only about 500 for leather, perf or non perf, or with alcantara inserts..When I got my 13 w 212 I was fortunate enough to score a stock all leather wheel for $100 with perf where the alcantara is in the 13. As my alcantara starts to wear, I will put that on, or maybe change out for seasons as I do dirtier work with my hands. after lusting after and having lots of alcantara I firmly believe there is no place for this product for any type of long lasting touched or sat in interior surface. Those companies that market it as very durable and easily washable are just great marketers.

Thanks
it was just dirty before-the piling is from the cleaning attempt. I wish I watched the @kennyd video first.

Looks like they rubbed to hard in the awkward stage and now it’s time to shave the balls. Lol

I mistakenly used a soft brush and now mines needs to be shaved. Let me know how yours turns out

I am a bit of a clean freak and the Alcantara steering wheel drove me crazy. I even bought driving gloves 😳
Purchased a full leather steering wheel from a reputable shop - the best investment I made in a long time.
Preserving the Alcantara wheel for when I will decide to sell the car...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...792647bf15.jpg

This is the brush I like.

i used the exact brush with sonax and steering wheel looked brand new - just lay towels down on behind steering wheel/dash

I used my brush from my Jason markk shoe cleaner kit and it got messed up, “premium” brush good for suede and leather. Maybe too much duration and force used

Great video kenneyd. Just ordered Sonax. After watching your video, I wondered if you were on this forum.

Mine is matted down but not as dirty as yours was. Looking to restore the alcantara to like on the A pillar!

I'll report back any new learnings.

I did this job after reviewing the video, and my comment is to follow the instructions to the letter and be even gentler than you planned to get the best result.

Left shaved
Right unshaved

Oh well, next time we’ll be super gentle. It’s still good just not perfect.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...95a1c2781.jpeg

what did you use the shave it? I was actually just going to get a whole new wheel since there’s already a wear mark. I also bought a whole new suede wrap from eBay but I’m too lazy to do it

Looks MUCH better, but still a bit worn off... Not bashing - great job, but the steering wheel is what you see first as you open the door 😉
Your great-looking ride deserves a good tiller! Any auto upholstery shop should be able to refinish like new.

Agree. I also need the switches on the right side, one is chipped off (I tried to use a CLUB to stop my teenager from steeling my car at 2am LOL I didn't tell them I just strapped on the club then saw it chipped. DOH!)

It probably could have been brought back to perfect if we watched Kenny's video first before trying "the wrong way". Bottom line: Don't Rub! Don't Scrub! Just be patient and apply cleaner and dab off over, and over, and over again.

No Idea I'll ask. He is back next week for paint correction. He did leather too - looks brand new! Well, except the drivers bolster. Have to draw the line somewhere. The engine bay detail was killer too, so clean. Super happy.

I can 100% relate when it comes to the teenager taking the car for the joy ride in the middle of the night...
Thank you for the idea of using the club! A couple of times I had trouble finding my keys after I hid them 😂

LOL re: teenager

Car is actually at the dealer today getting new steering wheel switches, rear AC/Heat vent and switches, new hood insulation. It is coming along and will look "brand new" again, except for minor drivers bolster wear.

I need to figure out how to keep it when my new car comes. It's too nice now to give up.

For my new to me car, I was excited to read about the alcantara parts on the steering wheel. And sad when I finally bought it to see it looked basically like raggedy leather. It wouldn’t be surprising about my clearing off all 8 years steering wheel holding built up



https://i.imgur.com/vkBvRrX.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/KhHW3MD.jpg

Decided to go Sonax on that stuff.

https://i.imgur.com/3ngBIw9.jpg



Boom!

https://i.imgur.com/rGNYoGp.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/mwgXV6p.jpg



Guess what side of the wheel this is from?

https://i.imgur.com/H2N3Xuk.jpg



Versus
https://i.imgur.com/bjQS9Pr.jpg

Is the original airbag compatible with that style of steering wheel?