Sticky Leather steering after cleaning

[[Twitch]]

I have a 2001 Mustang GT and the only thing that is leather on it are the steering and shifter.



I have Z9 and Z10 for my other car which has full leather interior. I decided to clean the steering wheel with Z9.



The Mustang steering has always been clean, not greasy or sticky, but the leather is shiny and so is the shifter.



After cleaning it with Z9 once, the leather is right away back to a matte finish, which is how new leather looks like but I notice right away that it is sticky.



So I kept cleaning it with Z9 trying to get the tackyness out, the cloth is always coming out with black stuff on it.



Is it because of that 7 years of hand sweat layers on the steering that is causing this stickyness?

 

[qwertydude]

The acids in sweat, when soaked in, tend to break down the leather. Usually at this point I'd clean with saddle soap, wipe on cleaners just don't get out everything and only really get the surface clean. Saddle soap scrubbed in with a soft brush and rinsed off with wet rags will get the leather really clean, and followed with something like megs leather cleaner/conditioner will have it like new.