Sim Racing Cockpit Care: Cleaning the AMG PETRONAS Edition
By Sim-Lab - Making motorsports accessible | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: Tips & Care
A step-by-step routine for cleaning and protecting a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Sim Racing Cockpit without dulling the frame or skipping the small hardware.
Quick answer
Clean the frame first with a dry microfibre cloth, then use a barely damp cloth on the aluminium profiles and a separate cloth for the seat and contact points. Work top to bottom, keep liquids away from bolts and electronics, and finish by checking the small hardware such as the foot rest and wheel extension. This order prevents dust from being pushed into brackets and keeps the matte finish intact.
What you need before you start
Gather two or three colour-coded microfibre cloths, a soft brush, a vacuum with a brush attachment, and a mild pH-neutral cleaner. Avoid abrasive pads, solvent-heavy degreasers, and paper towels, which can leave lint in bolt heads and dull anodised surfaces. If you use a spray, apply it to the cloth rather than the rig so liquid cannot run into profile slots or the seat rails.
Cleaning the aluminium profile frame
The frame is the largest surface and the easiest place to spread dust. Vacuum the profile slots first, then wipe each extrusion lengthwise with a dry cloth. If a mark remains, use the barely damp cloth and dry immediately. Pay attention to the underside of horizontal profiles where dust settles, and to the bracket faces where sweat and skin oils collect after long sessions.
Seat, contact points, and the cockpit surface
Sweat and skin oils are the main reason a sim cockpit starts to look tired. Wipe the seat, arm rests, and any surface your hands or legs touch with a separate damp cloth, then dry. Keep the same cloth away from the frame so you do not transfer oils back onto the aluminium. If your cockpit uses a fabric or padded seat, follow the seat maker's guidance rather than soaking it.
Protecting the finish between cleans
A light dusting every week is more effective than a deep clean every month. Cover the rig with a breathable sheet if the room is dusty, and keep drinks off the frame. Check that bolts remain snug after cleaning, because a cloth can catch on a loose bolt head and a loose mount is a handling problem, not just a cosmetic one. If you notice corrosion or rust starting, treat it before it spreads rather than polishing over it.
Step-by-step cockpit cleaning routine
- Power down and clear the area: Switch off the PC and any wheelbase or pedal electronics, then remove loose items such as gloves, drinks, and cables from the rig. Checkpoint: nothing electrical is live and no liquid is within reach of the frame.
- Vacuum the frame and profile slots: Use a vacuum with a brush attachment along the aluminium profile slots, bracket faces, and the underside of horizontal profiles. Common mistake: skipping the slots, which pushes dust into the bolt channels during wiping.
- Wipe the frame with a dry microfibre cloth: Wipe each extrusion lengthwise with a dry cloth, then use a barely damp cloth only on stubborn marks and dry immediately. Checkpoint: the frame is dry to the touch before you move on.
- Clean the seat and contact points: Use a separate damp cloth on the seat, arm rests, and any surface your hands or legs touch, then dry with a clean cloth. Common mistake: using the same cloth on the seat and the frame, which transfers skin oils back onto the aluminium.
- Detail the small hardware: Brush and wipe the foot rest, wheel extension, and mount hardware, keeping cleaner away from the bolt circle and slotted holes. Checkpoint: no liquid is left sitting in a slot or around a bolt head.
- Check fasteners and finish: Confirm bolts are snug, look for early corrosion or worn finish, and cover the rig with a breathable sheet if the room is dusty. Next step: schedule a light weekly dusting so the deep clean stays quick.
Parts that affect how you clean
- Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Sim Racing Cockpit: The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Sim Racing Cockpit uses a high-quality, super-rigid frame with all-new profiles and brackets, and includes front, side, and wheeldeck mounts. It is fully adjustable and officially licensed. The many bracket and mount faces are where dust and sweat collect, so clean around each mount rather than only the long profile runs.
- Sim Foot Rest: The Sim Foot Rest mounts on profiles or baseplates with slotted holes and adjusts from 55 to 85 degrees, with dimensions of 300 x 70 mm. Its slotted mounting holes and angle range trap dust at the pivot area, so brush and wipe the slot edges instead of spraying cleaner into them.
- Steering Wheel Extension V2, Billet Aluminium: The Steering Wheel Extension V2 is CNC machined from billet aluminium, anodised matte black, and available in 50, 70, 120, and 200 mm lengths with a 70 mm x 6 bolt circle for M5 bolts. The anodised matte finish is easy to dull with abrasive cloths, so wipe the extension with a soft dry cloth and avoid solvent cleaners near the bolt circle.
