Tony Whitley Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Mine had gone very shiny and the regular scrubbing with a brush and washing up liquid was not working any longer. I tried attacking it with a suede brush with no noticeable effect and was considering having it recovered (costs almost as much as a new wheel) or recovering it myself. As a last ditch effort I attacked it with a wire brush in my drill and that has restored the nap. Even though it's not quite as fine as it was it's still a great improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Indeed. Little brass toothbrush worked a treat on mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 couple of threads here and here , the gist being steam from kettle and brass brush, and or soak in hot water and washing liquid and then brush. I guess one of those mini steam generators for cleaning kitchen might be better than a kettle, especialy if like me you only have an electric kettle which keeps switching off . Steam worked well on mine although mine wasn't very shiny, do it once a year now . Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 20, 2014 Member Share Posted October 20, 2014 Could you modify a coffee maker to do this? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruff seven Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Brass brush and a kettle with the lid up / off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 "Could you modify a coffee maker to do this? Jonathan - See more at: http://www.lotus7.club/forum/techtalk/suede-wheel-restoring"Now tthet's what I call a marketing idea, espresso and suede cleaner in one handy unit, think you may have a goer there JK Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Lowe Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Wedge it in your cat flap and wait for the cat to try and get in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Brake cleaner and a nail brush works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budjuggler Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Wedge it in your cat flap and wait for the cat to try and get in Would a watch winder help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 23, 2014 Member Share Posted October 23, 2014 Brake cleaner sounds a bit fierce to me, and, IIRC, there are lots of different formulations. Did you try anything gentler first? Thanks, Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Brake cleaner is basically carbon tretrachroride or dry cleaning fluid, this dissolves the fatty deposits that build up on the swade making it shinny. I also use this on my clothes and carpet stains so not harsh IME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 25, 2014 Member Share Posted October 25, 2014 Different proprietary brake cleaners are different chemicals. For example Holt's is mostly alkanes and other petrol fractions, Autosmart's is petrol fractions and propanol, Brakleen is mostly tetrachloroethylene. Carbon tetrachloride is far too toxic to be used as brake cleaner. It hasn't been used in drycleaning in rich countries for decades. I don't know if it's still available in any nonspecialist retail products, but I doubt it. (The most common drycleaning solvent is tetrachloroethylene ("perc") and I don't think that will be around much longer.)Jonathan PS: What does it say on your fluid, Rob, and where are you getting it from? Or is it very old stock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The product is Carplan Brake and parts clear available from GSF motor factors £12 for 5L. I use loads of it. The tin does not disclose the full formula but does say that the cleaner contains 30% Aliphatic Hydrocarbons and 5% anionic surfactants. Smells like carbon tet to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 26, 2014 Member Share Posted October 26, 2014 CarPlan Brake Cleaner at GSF: "The product contains a special blend of degreasing solvents and is free of any chlorinated material". And if this is the right data sheet it's petrol fractions and isopropyl alcohol. But what's the missing 65%? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 IPA 10-30% NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM), 927-510-4 HYDROTREATED LIGHT 60-100% What missing 65% ? Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 26, 2014 Member Share Posted October 26, 2014 On Rob's tin's lable's list! ;-) Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juju Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Put it in a bread maker. Works a treat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 On Rob's tin's lable's list! ;-) Jonathan (is that the most possesive apostrophes you can get into one sentence of 5 words? )ah yes, didn't read that just looked at the MSDS Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 If you the steering wheel in the bread maker, won't it come out much bigger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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