I know that there may be other threads on this, and if so, feel free to share a link. I have used the Magic Eraser probably 3 times on my steering wheel to restore the new, matte, finish that the car originally had. I have seen great results, and love the look and feel of the steering wheel after. But after some research, it seems like a lot of people would not recommend using it. Question - what else will give it that new/matte look?

 

Any proper dilution of an APC will do. Magic Eraser is great, but just keep in mind that it strips away a bit of material each time, as it is an abrasive.

I personally use Optimum No rinse and/or Optimum Power Clean for the interior as I purchased a gallon of each a year or two ago. Works great for interior on all materials. I will eventually be switching to an APC and have really good things about Super Clean.

 

Thanks for the suggestion! Do you condition the leather with anything afterwards?

 

I still have a few products, the one I have left for conditioner is a cleaner/conditioner by Chemical Guys, works great imo. Considering the leather used in today's cars already have a protective layer, I may just keep a conditioner on hand and apply once every few months. I wash the car every week and wipe down the interior every week too so I'm just going to stick with the two products I got going for now that I listed above. ONR and Power Clean both have protectants in them already so I don't add anything. In the future when I move on to mostly an APC I will most likely try to use a conditioner or just do a quick wipe down with either ONR or Power Clean to add that extra layer of protection.

Oh yeah, another cleaner you can make yourself is using good ol' fashioned WooLite, the original one or store brand equivalent. I think the dilution ratio for leather was 10:1. I haven't tried it yet personally since I have so many other products, but I've heard from many professional detailers that it works wonders. After WooLite cleaning I would look into using a conditioner or a followup product as a protectant. That being said, if you clean the car as much as I do, the leather will remain in pretty good condition.

 

I use a damp microfiber cloth and just rub it down. Been doing that on all my cars for years.

 

I am a big fan of .

It always saves the day. I use it everywhere on plastics. Before application for the steering wheel and areas of contact, I first wash lightly with little soap, rinse and dry.

 

This. It may not be the best way to remove oil, which is likely what is on the steering wheel from your hands. But there's plenty of gunk that comes off and it doesn't hurt the finish. Definitely feels way better afterward.