Why You Can Trust CNET Best Car Interior Cleaner for 2022
From car upholstery, seats, carpets and more, here are the top picks to get your interior squeaky clean.
Ready to stock up on car interior cleaner supplies as spring begins to creep closer? Great, you're in the right place. After working with so many different products, I've rounded up the best car interior cleaner products so you don't have to worry about buying and then feeling buyer's remorse. Read on for Roadshow's top picks, tips and everything else you need to know.
I wanted to give you one more option for an interior surface cleaner and protectant outside of the Adam's product. Especially if you don't care for the smell of blueberry, which the Adam's purpose cleaner product infuses. Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant is safe on everything on the dashboard, door panels, you name it. You can even wipe down interior touchscreens with this product and it doesn't leave a greasy residue behind.
Comparison of the best car interior cleaners for 2022
| Brand | Name | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best general car interior cleaner | Griot's Garage | Interior Cleaner | $12 |
| Best general car interior cleaner runner-up | Adam's | Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant | $13 |
| Best car interior leather cleaner | Carfidant | Ultimate Leather Cleaner | $17 |
| Best car interior carpet cleaner | Relentless Drive | Car Upholstery Cleaner Kit | $20 |
| Best car interior glass cleaner | Stoner | Invisible Glass | $13 |
| Best car interior cleaner wipes | Armor All | Cleaning Wipes | $4 |
| Best car interior cleaner and protectant | Chemical Guys | Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant | $11 |
Car interior cleaner tips
- Test a cleaning product first: I noted this with the carpet and upholstery cleaners, but you should always try a new product on an area you can't see to make sure a product plays nice with a material or surface.
- Clean often to keep a car smelling fresh: The more often you clean up an interior with these kinds of products, the fresher your interior will smell. Most of these products do have an appealing fragrance!
- A little car cleaning product goes a long way: You don't need to oversaturate an applicator or microfiber towel to get results. Just spray a little bit at first and go from there.
- Clean windows first: If you clean your windows first, you'll then be able to wipe over any residue that falls from glass cleaner overspray.
Car interior cleaner FAQs
What car interior cleaner is best?
It really depends on what you're looking to clean, but you can't go wrong with a multipurpose cleaner like Griot's Garage Interior Cleaner. It works on nearly every surface.
What do car detailers use to clean interiors?
Just like you, they pick the products they like best! You'd be surprised at the brands used by professional detailers.
How do I get rid of stinky smells in my car and keep it smelling fresh?
Locate the main source of the odor. Maybe it's something stuck under the seat or an item you forgot about. Once you dispose of that, be sure to vacuum well and use any of the products on this list to clean the whole interior. You can even leave your windows down to air the smell out.
What is the best thing to clean a car dashboard with?
Always select a car interior cleaning product meant for car plastics and leathers. Whether you prefer something that can simply clean the dashboard or you'd rather leave behind a UV protection layer is up to you.
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