Restoring Your Steering Wheel: From Grimy to Factory Fresh

Never clean a wheel that's been sitting in the 40-degree sun. The cleaner will dry instantly and leave streaks. Get it under a carport or in the garage.

Use a soft brush attachment to get the dust out of the stitching and around the horn pad. If you leave it, it'll just turn into mud once you add liquid.

If you're a bit heavy-handed, put some tape over the volume buttons and stalks. You don't want cleaner seeping into the clockspring or switches.

Always test your cleaner on the back of the wheel first. You never know if a previous owner has used a cheap dye to 'fix' the leather.

Position a light so you can see the texture of the leather clearly. It's easy to miss spots on the underside.

Don't spray directly onto the wheel. Spray the cleaner into your soft brush to control where it goes and avoid making a mess of the gauge cluster.

Divide the wheel into four quarters. Start at the top and work your way down so you don't miss anything.

Use circular motions with the brush. You're not trying to scrub the skin off; you're just letting the bristles lift the dirt out of the grain.

The cleaner should start to turn a greyish-brown colour. That's the years of skin oils and Macca's grease coming out. Good sign.

Don't let the cleaner dry on the surface. Use a clean microfibre to wipe away the spent foam and lifted dirt.

If the cloth comes away filthy, repeat the process. On some old farm utes, I've had to do this three or four times.

Use the soft toothbrush for the seams. Dirt loves to hide in the threads, and that's usually where the rot starts.

Most people forget the back of the rim where your fingertips sit. This is usually the grimiest part.

Use a slightly damp (not dripping) cloth to wipe the buttons. If they're sticky, a tiny bit of interior detailer on a cotton bud works wonders.

Take a fresh microfibre dampened with distilled water and wipe the whole wheel. This removes any leftover chemical residue.

Use a dry microfibre to buff the wheel. It should now have a nice, uniform matte look.

Use your torch to check for any shiny patches. If it's shiny, it's still dirty. Hit those spots again.

If the leather feels dry, apply a small amount of conditioner. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

This is the most important part of conditioning. Buff it like crazy until there's no slippery residue left. Safety first.

Wipe down the plastic shroud and the stalks while you're there. No point having a clean wheel on a dusty column.

Make sure all your buttons still click properly and haven't become sticky from the cleaner.

Leave the windows cracked for 20 minutes if you can, just to let any moisture evaporate completely.

Chuck your microfibres in the wash (don't use fabric softener!) so they're ready for next time.