How to Easily Clean Suede or Alcantara
What is the best way to clean suede or alcantara?
Do you have dirty racing car seats, sweat/oil build up on your steering wheel, or dirty door panels? We'll help you make them look new again.
In today’s blog post, we’ll cover the basic steps for cleaning & maintaining your Suede or Alcantara.
They’re both soft, luxurious materials that have garnered popularity in the automotive world over the years. If you’ve owned a car with suede (likely Alcantara), you’ll know that the material can be a little high maintenance when it comes to cleanliness. And while the soft, supple feel of suede may lead you to believe it is delicate, it is, in reality, actually quite robust.
First off, suede or Alcantara. What are they and what makes them different?
Suede is a variation of leather that is very porous & breathable. You’re probably very familiar with suede, but if you’re not, it provides a soft, fuzzy, & napped textured surface. Some even liken it to peach fuzz. It’s flexible as well as pliable, but it is also very readily absorbent.
Alcantara is a brand name of a suede-like, synthetic alternative (other versions of synthetic suede exist, namely microsuede or Ultrasuede). It shares many of the same characteristics of natural suede, but rather than coming from a cowhide, Alcantara is made from a blend of polyester and polyamide (the same materials that make up microfiber towels).
For years countless race cars have utilised suede or Alcantara steering wheels for their enhanced grip, but because they soak up oil so easily, it is almost sacrilege to place hands on a suede steering wheel without a pair of gloves on. But these days the material isn’t just holding its keep on the race track. We’re seeing it being included direct from the manufacturer in numerous makes & models of cars as well as trucks. And while it gets dirty easily, the upside here is that it’s also easy to clean.
Enter the 2017 Ford GT. While it’s not exactly the most common car, Jay’s is spec’d with a steering wheel that is wrapped in, you guessed it, Alcantara. And as you can see from the pictures below, it’s a prime candidate to help us illustrate the steps required for restoring the natural look & feel of the suede-like material.
As you can see in the picture above, the fibers have been pretty matted down in the thumb wells, and there’s a couple of light stains. With just a couple of basic detailing tools, we’re going to have this back to new in no time.
First, here are the items you’ll want to get the job done right:
- A quality cleaning solution made specifically for fabrics
- A detailing brush with slightly stiff bristles
- A few clean microfiber towels
We’re going to rely on our Fabric Clean solution to help do the heavy lifting here. A couple of light sprays directly on the area to be cleaned will do the trick. After allowing a few seconds for Fabric Clean to begin to break down the oils and embedded dirt, we sprayed the bristles on the boar's hairbrush and began lightly scrubbing the steering wheel surface in small, circular motions.
After agitating for 20-30 seconds with the brush, we took a clean microfiber towel and blotted up the froth that is lifting and pulling the dirt out of the fibers. The swirling motion is also helping to separate the individual fibers so they stand back up and provide the soft feel we're accustomed to.
Repeat this process in all of the affected areas. We’re working on a steering wheel today, but it’s not uncommon to find suede or Alcantara on armrests, seats, and even headliners. Regardless of where it is, the same process can be used to clean dirty sections.
Once the oils, stains, dirt & other grime are all removed, you’ll want to give the freshly cleaned area some time to dry out. We used a dry microfiber towel to absorb any excess liquid and also fluff the fibers. To help the drying process speed up a bit, we used a few blasts of compressed air.
In just a few minutes time, the wheel was back to looking and feeling brand new!
As you can see, the process of cleaning Alcantara really isn’t all that hard. It’s a little more work when compared to other materials like leather, plastic or rubber. But a little extra work goes a long way to keeping it clean and enjoyable for many drives to come!
If you have any questions about this article, the products, or any others from our range, send us an email at: info@jaylenosgarage.com.au