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Audi: How to Clean Steering Wheel and Seats

Bacteria grows on a number of surfaces, including the leather steering wheel and leather seats inside your Audi. Read on to learn how to quickly and effectively sanitize your vehicle.

By Charlie Gaston - March 23, 2016

This article applies to the Audi Q5/Q7, A3, A4 B7, A4 B8, A6 C5, A6 C6.

You sit on them. They keep you and your passengers comfortable. And they are often the number one thing people notice when they enter the interior of your car. That's right! We're talking about your leather car seats. You might forget that they're there, but dirt, germs, and other contaminants don't. In fact, according to some recent studies, most leather car seats today carry more dirt and bacteria than a public toilet. Gasp! Before you panic, go ahead and take a deep breath because we've got the simple, cost-effective solution you can use to clean them. And while you're at it, you'll also want to clean your steering wheel. We won't mention how much dirt and bacteria can be found on a typical steering wheel today!

Audi How to Clean Steering Wheel and Seats infographic

Materials Needed

  • Leather care cleaner
  • Microfiber cleaning glove or cloth
  • Terry cloth (optional)
  • Leather conditioner

Step 1 – Bring the sparkle back to your steering wheel

Grab a top-quality leather care cleaner, such as the one manufactured by the popular Wolfgang brand, and a microfiber cleaning glove or cloth, and let's get to work.

  • First, start by spraying the microfiber glove or cloth with a liberal amount of product.
  • Move section by section along the steering wheel, slowing working away dirt and other deposits with your hands.
  • Apply additional product as needed; don't worry, products such as Wolfgang's Leather Care Cleaner won't leave your steering wheel feeling sticky.
  • Make sure to cover all sides of your steering wheel, not simply the side facing you.
  • Microfiber glove cleaning steering wheel
    Figure 1. A microfiber glove makes cleaning the steering wheel even easier.
  • Figure 2. This is how much dirt can accumulate on your steering wheel.

Pro Tips

  • For an especially dirty steering wheel, we recommend using a terry cloth.
  • Griot's Garage Interior Cleaner also receives rave reviews from Audi owners who have used it on their steering wheel and leather seats.

Step 2 - Clean the seats

It's safe to use a leather cleaner, such as the one offered by Wolfgang (and mentioned in detail in step one) on your leather seats. Go ahead and grab a clean microfiber glove, microfiber cloth or terry cloth to complete this step. And remember to use small circular motions when cleaning and to apply extra pressure when cleaning dirtier areas, such as the lower seat cushion. Products such as Wolfgang will remove everything from your seats except for the color.

Figure 3. You might need to run the terry cloth across your leather for two to three full passes.

Pro Tip

It's recommended that you test a small area before applying a new cleaner to your entire seat.

Step 3 – Finish with a dedicated leather conditioner

Always protect leather seats with a dedicated leather conditioner. We recommend Lexol Leather Conditioner. Apply as directed by the manufacturer, and be sure to wipe away any excess product or residue when you are done.

Wolfgang Leather Care Conditioner is one recommended product.
Figure 4. Wolfgang Leather Care Conditioner is one recommended product.

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