How To Clean Sticky Steering Wheel Buttons

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Sticky steering wheel controls

Thread starter MadMerx
Start date Mar 8, 2020

Joined: Jun 25, 2019

Messages: 216

Location: Kent

Car: None of your business!

Not quite sure how to describe it and totally forgot to take a photo earlier, but both of the four-way circular controls on either side of the steering wheel seem really sticky and tacky to the touch.

I tried cleaning them with baby wipes but they still have an almost glue like feel to them. It is almost as though the top layer has been peeling away leaving a sticky residue. (No I haven't been picking up any questionable lady passengers lately!)

Any suggestions on what I can use to clean them up?

Joined: Jan 21, 2005

Messages: 20,828

Location: Mittel England

Car: ML AMG-line Black Series

Not quite sure how to describe it and totally forgot to take a photo earlier, but both of the four-way circular controls on either side of the steering wheel seem really sticky and tacky to the touch.
I tried cleaning them with baby wipes but they still have an almost glue like feel to them. It is almost as though the top layer has been peeling away leaving a sticky residue. (No I haven't been picking up any questionable lady passengers lately!)

Any suggestions on what I can use to clean them up?

You're not alone, this happens. I can't remember whether there's a fix but someone here is sure to know.

Joined: Feb 2, 2018

Messages: 1,491

Location: Derbyshire

Car: CLS55 AMG

You need something stronger than baby wipes. WD40 on a tissue.

Joined: Oct 14, 2014

Messages: 981

Car: 2002 S203 C240

You will have to remove the rubberised coating unfortunately. No real alternative to either replace them or recoat after removing the old.

Joined: Aug 23, 2007

Messages: 266

Location: Essex

Car: S210, A208, S211, W140

I use Nail Varnish Remover after removing the buttons from the steering wheel first, it sort of breaks the rubberised solution down, put some solution on an old piece of cloth (T Shirt, old Microfibre, what have you) and rub it into the sticky gooey part for a short while making it possible (with a lot of patience and rubbing with your fingers and nails) to roll the sticky stuff off the buttons, please remember not to use lots of the remover or rub too hard as if you are not careful, you can rub the paint off of the corners and the markings on the buttons, I did this the first time I tried, but covered up the white bits with a permanent marker, I am now on my 5th or 6th set and have got it off to quite a T now.

Good Luck.

Joined: Mar 5, 2015

Messages: 4,213

Location: Essex

Car: s320

Well it is a common problem,I use GooGone,you need to use it little and often with clean cloth,the good news is the white little signs on the buttons still remail ok.

Joined: Jan 23, 2014

Messages: 2

Car: 2000 CLK430 W208 and 2001 C180 CL203

Recently discovered a quick and easy fix for this - using something that many of us now carry in the car (thanks pandemic)!... Apply hand sanitiser gel to a cloth and wipe and the sticky is quickly removed!

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