Cleaning interior vinyl

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Yesterday, now that we're late in our Looong Hot Summer, I noticed that the vinyl on the hub of my steering wheel is faintly sticky. The leather wrapping the wheel is clean and not gummy, as I use a cleaner on that; but I suppose I've been lax at hitting the wheel's hub with Meguiar's Natural Shine. Anyway, what can I use to clean it? The Natural Shine doesn't seem to make any difference. Would the leather cleaner work? Or is there another product that you've used?
 
Leather cleaner would be fine. Heck, for the vinyl/plastic stuff, you can get get good results from a diluted all purpose cleaner (I like Zep Citrus) and then use Natural Shine after that.
 
All-purpose cleaner or Lysol/Clorox wipes work well on automotive plastics, despite what detail snobs would say. Try to wipe them off with a damp towel afterwards. I'd be a little worried with some APCs on coated plastics, Simple Green and others are more alkaline.

I have access to Griot's Interior Cleaner and Chemical Guys' Nonsense and those are better for regular cleaning.
 
I've always used the Scrubbing Bubbles aerosol bathroom cleaner. Started using it on a 1978 Buick Skylark with white vinyl seats, and have been using it since.

Cleans but is gentle, leaves no residue, but leaves a fresh scent behind.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
All-purpose cleaner or Lysol/Clorox wipes work well on automotive plastics, despite what detail snobs would say. Try to wipe them off with a damp towel afterwards. I'd be a little worried with some APCs on coated plastics, Simple Green and others are more alkaline.

I have access to Griot's Interior Cleaner and Chemical Guys' Nonsense and those are better for regular cleaning.


Yeah, now that you say that I think that's why they say for an APC citrus stuff is safer.

I tried the Griots stuff once and thought it was kind of mild even after agitating with a tooth brush.
 
If the plastic is reverting to it's original state (truly getting gooey) , you won't find an easy solution. Lexus had a big problem with interiors that got sticky and gooey over time. Cost the company a fortune to replace the non stable interior components.

There is no magic product that will stabilize this type of problem.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
If the plastic is reverting to it's original state (truly getting gooey) , you won't find an easy solution. Lexus had a big problem with interiors that got sticky and gooey over time. Cost the company a fortune to replace the non stable interior components.

There is no magic product that will stabilize this type of problem.

No, it's not that bad. It merely feels dirty, i.e., when I run a finger across it, it doesn't feel completely dry or clean. I'll try the leather cleaner and an old clean toothbrush, and I have a bottle of Griot's Interior Cleaner as well.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
Lexus had a big problem with interiors that got sticky and gooey over time. Cost the company a fortune to replace the non stable interior components.


My parents had to get the dash replaced on their Sienna because of that - there were cracks running lengthwise, no goo. I made it a habit to go over the panel with 303 or Eagle One's nano protectant every few months.
 
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