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6 Best Interior Car Cleaners of 2023
The best products to keep your fabric, leather and vinyl seats looking shiny and new.
A car's interior is just as important as its exterior, which means keeping your car's interior clean should always be a top priority. Unfortunately, when you add in the everyday clutter and messes that come with kids, traveling, errands or other day-to-day events, it's hard to always keep that new car smell, keep the seats stain-free or the windows and mirrors spotless. And when you do get around to tidying up, it can be hard to know which cleaning products will actually restore your car's interior and which could potentially ruin it.
With the help of expert insight and testing from the Good Housekeeping Institute in addition to customer product reviews, we compiled the best interior car cleaners including window and glass cleaners that will help leave windows smudge-free, leather cleaners and conditioners to make seats glow, upholstery cleaners to help eliminate carpet and seat stains without ruining the fabric, plus car-cleaning wipes to tackle dashboards and hard-to-reach crevices.
Our top picks:
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With these products and some of our favorite tips that help make the monthly messes smaller, cleaning your car can become less of a headache-inducing chore and more of a quick freshening up every now and again. Now, for the picks that will keep your car smelling fresh and odorless.
Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner
Pros
- Can be used on interior and exterior
- Unscented
Cons
- Sometimes requires multiple treatments
What's better than a strong interior cleaner? One that also can clean the exterior. The Ultimate Car Cleaner, an unscented pick that claims to be gentle enough to use on seats, dashboards, mats and more inside your car, is also tough enough to clean up dirt and grime that can collect on the outside windows and tires. It can even be used as an engine degreaser to clean exhaust tips or exterior trim pieces, making it a great do-it-all option.
It may require a few treatments to particularly stubborn stains out, and some reviewers noted it may leave some windows streaky if not wiped dry correctly, but most reviewers were impressed with its performance. One remarked that after use, "seats looked less cracked and my black interior looked shiny and not filmy."
Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner and Protectant
Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner and Protectant
Pros
- Works on all types of fabric
- Provides a protectant layer to prevent fading or cracking from sunlight
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Smells a bit strong
It doesn't matter what you have inside your car — whether it's leather, vinyl, plastic, carpet or glass — this spray easily cleans messes and stains on nearly all surfaces without ruining the interior or leaving a greasy or oily trail behind. Plus, the unique formula also acts as a protectant, so after cleaning, your seats are fortified against fading, rips and cracks. Although it can smell a little potent, there's a reason it's a best seller on Amazon with over 25,000 five-star reviews from customers who love that it's a "one-stop solution for all my interior cleaning needs."
CAR GUYS Super Cleaner Interior Stain Remover Spray
CAR GUYS Super Cleaner Interior Stain Remover Spray
Pros
- Versatile usage
- Amazon best-seller
Cons
- Has a light odor
When cleaning vinyl upholstery car seats, it's best to use an all-purpose cleaner with a microfiber cloth to make sure you're removing any stains while still keeping the seats intact and damage free and this one seals the deal. This Amazon best-seller will clean everything from upholstery, fabric, canvas and leather. It's also a great option to remove dust that builds up on the plastic front panel, dashboard and console. Reviewers note that though it has a slight odor, it can remove years of dirt build up and like that it restores the look of even the oldest seats when used correctly.
Furniture Clinic Leather Care Kit
Furniture Clinic Leather Care Kit
Pros
- Cleans leather without drying it out
- Provides a protective layer to prevent future staining
Cons
- Two-step process
There's a reason this Good Housekeeping Seal holder scored top marks with testers for the best upholstery cleaner for leather. Not only does this leather care kit remove dirt from leather seats, especially the hard-to-reach grime that gets lodged into stitching and deep crevices, but it also adds a protective layer to keep your seats from staining in the future. It works so well, you can even use it on leather apparel like bags, shoes and jackets.
Armor All Car Cleaning Wipes
Armor All Car Cleaning Wipes
Pros
- Convenient usage
- Portable
Cons
- Not great for deep cleaning
When you're on the go, you want something that'll quickly clean up the car and is easy to use. Store a container of these powerful wipes, which are great at cleaning dashboards, vinyl, consoles, leather, carpet, fabric and more, in the glove box for easy access. There's no need to worry about them drying out thanks to the moisture lock-lid that keeps them fresh, though they may not be heavy-duty enough to use on deep cleans.
Stoner EZ Grip Invisible Glass Aerosol Spray
Stoner EZ Grip Invisible Glass Aerosol Spray
Pros
- Thoroughly cleans debris
- No drippy residue
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Reviewers say the scent is strong
Having hit top marks in Cleaning Lab testing for window cleaners, this aerosol spray cuts through grime without leaving a drippy residue behind. Although some testers found the scent a bit strong, they said that this cleaner can easily clean smudging, smoke haze, marker and other stains on your windows inside the car, and wipe away bird poop, bugs, mud or any other debris your car may come into contact with on its exterior. Simply use a microfiber cloth to wipe dry.
How we chose the best interior car cleaners
Our editors scoured user reviews and vetted consumer feedback to compile a list of top-rated and top-performing interior car cleaners across varying usage, from vinyl to leather to plastic and beyond. We also consulted Carolyn Forté, Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Car & Cleaning Lab, for her top car cleaning picks based on decades of industry knowledge and years testing cleaning products in the GH Labs. Based on this combined knowledge, we compiled this list of best car interior cleaners for every kind of driver.
What to consider when shopping for interior car cleaner
Before you put on your scrubbing gloves or pick up a microfiber cloth, there a few things to take into account when cleaning the interior of your car. Carolyn Forté shares the top things to consider when shopping.
✔️ Car seat material: Use a cleaner with the wrong ingredients and you could absolutely ruin the fabric, especially when it comes to leather. Although every car is different, seats are usually made with one of three materials — leather, vinyl upholstery and cloth. Carolyn says you never want to use anything not specifically designated for leather on leather seats or trim, so be sure you're shopping for a product that's designed for your car's interior.
✔️ Application: Consider how you want to use a cleaner. Wipes and spray that emit as a fine mist are easier and more convenient to use, plus they usually require less wiping and buffing which can be awkward to do in the confines of a car.
✔️ UV protectant: The sun's rays can fade your seats' finish, so look for cleaners with UV protectants to help guard again damage from the sun's rays.
✔️ Enzymes: If you're faced with food smells, pet stains or lingering odors, look for carpet and upholstery cleaners with enzymes to better tackle
How often should I clean my car's interior?
Yes, cleaning your car can seem like an overwhelming task — but it doesn't have to be. For one thing, cleaning your car on a more consistent basis means you leave less of a chance for bigger messes to build up (which often take even more manpower to clean). Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Cleaning Lab suggest a solid scrub at least once per month.
What's the best way to keep a car clean?
If you're hoping to skip a cleaning every few months or need to cut down on the amount of work you have to do each month, the following are a few tips that our experts suggest following to keep things tidy:
- Don't eat in the car. By keeping food and candy out of the car, there's less of a chance for surfaces to become sticky or for crumbs to get onto the carpet and into the seat cracks. If you do eat, have a small trash can to collect wrappers and other waste.
- Wipe off your pets' paws before letting them into the car. It's easy to forget how much dust, mud, dirt and other outside elements our furry friends can track into the car. And for those with animals who shed a lot, keep a roller like the Scotch-Brite pet hair roller in the car for quick clean up.
- Use protective car seat covers. Not only are many of them easier to clean that the actual seats, but their durable materials make them less likely to be ripped or damaged from roughness, sunlight or stains.
- Apply a leather conditioner or a fabric protector to make the inevitable messes and stains easier to remove in the future.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Annie O'Sullivan is an Assistant Editor for Good Housekeeping. She has worked for the brand for almost three years covering holiday, lifestyle and entertainment content, and helps compile product roundups with the help of Good Housekeeping Institute experts while also using in-depth research and insight from reviews and consumers.
For this story, she consulted Carolyn Forté, Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, Carolyn has produced cleaning and home care advice for GH for more than 40 years.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
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