Best Car Interior Cleaners
Motor1 Reviews Team Take:
- The best car interior cleaners on the market are from top brands including Chemical Guys, 303, Armor All, and Meguiar’s when it comes to application, scent, UV protection, and stain removal.
- Depending on the type of product, costs may vary. But most of the products we recommend here are in the $10 to $30 range and should offer many cleans.
- You’ll want to consider the surfaces that each car interior cleaner can be applied to so you can get the best product for both refreshing and maintaining your car’s upholstery.
Interior cleaning is an essential part of car care that can be easily overlooked. Great car interior cleaners not only keep the interior of your car presentable, they also improve its health and prevent further damage over time.
Keep in mind that not every soap is appropriate for interior detailing. We asked Rob Harper, Director of Product Development and Tech Support at Ziebart International, about the biggest changes he’s seen during his more than 20 years in the detailing industry. He said this about interior cleaners:
The level of electronics has changed a tremendous amount [and there are] things we have to be careful of. Certainly, we don’t want to get the vital electronics in the car wet. But also some chemicals adversely affect things like touch screens and other electronics in the car.”
Fortunately, there are several interior detailing products specifically designed for sensitive electronics and other common car surfaces. Our team of experts recommends some of our favorite options in this review.
Car Interior Cleaner Reviews
For this review, our team thoroughly tested and evaluated each car interior cleaner based on each item’s application, scent, ability to remove dust and stains, and UV protection. The scores in each category are compiled into a single overall rating that ranges from 1.0 to 5.0 stars.
What Is The Best Car Interior Cleaner?
We named the Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner And Protectant, 303 Interior Cleaner, Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner Kit, Armor All Car Cleaning And Leather Wipes, and Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant as the best-rated car interior cleaners on the market in 2024.
Brand/Model | Overall Rating | Award | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner |
4.9 |
Best Overall |
$12 to $55 |
303 Interior Cleaner |
4.9 |
Best Value |
$10 |
Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner Kit |
4.9 |
Best Leather Cleaner |
$30 |
Armor All Car Cleaning Wipes |
4.8 |
Best Cleaning Wipes |
$15 |
Meguiar’s Ultimate |
4.4 |
Best Shine |
$20 |
*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in the table above are approximate values that our team regularly updates.
Car Interior Cleaner Ratings: Our Testing Process
After looking at factors such as effectiveness, versatility, customer ratings, and prices, our product testing team ordered the car interior cleaners that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a 2003 Ford Focus Zx3, taking note of how easily the car interior cleaner could be applied, what kind of scent it produced, how well it handled dust and stains, and its level of UV protection. Each car interior cleaner was given a rating out of 5.0 stars based on these criteria.
Learn more about how we tested car interior cleaners here.
1. Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner and Protectant: Best Overall
2. 303 Interior Cleaner: Best Value
3. Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner Kit: Best Leather Cleaner
4. Armor All Car Cleaning and Leather Wipes: Best Cleaning Wipes
5. Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant: Best Shine
Car Interior Cleaners Buying Guide
We’ve interviewed several professional detailers to get an idea of the most useful products and techniques for at-home detailers. Interior cleaning is one of the easier and valuable detailing tasks anyone can perform on their own vehicle.
Many gentle soaps should work well for interior detailing, but before making a purchase, consider the following factors:
Application
Car interior cleaners that work well should not leave blotches, stains, residues, or streaks after application. Many interior cleaners require a clean cloth for application, so having one on hand is very important.
It is also important to note that different cleaners may only work well for certain surfaces. A glass cleaner may be suitable for your seats, but an upholstery cleaner can just as easily leave streaks on your windows. Always check what surfaces an interior cleaner is designed for before purchasing.
Scent
Cleaners with an overpowering smell can lead to headaches, so always choose one with a scent you enjoy.
Dust And Stain Removal
Dry cloths alone merely spread dust rather than picking it up, and stains are visually unappealing. This is why a proper interior cleaner should be able to pick up dust while also being tough on stains. The right cleaner will also help prevent future dust and stain buildup.
UV Protection
Over time, UV rays can cause vinyl, leather, plastic, and rubber surfaces to crack and fade. This damage can be permanent if left untreated, so interior cleaners must supply UV protection to prevent it.
Compare Car Interior Cleaners
Brand/Model | Size(s) | Surface(s) | Scent(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner And Protectant | 16.0 fluid ounces, 0.5-gallon, or 1.0-gal. | All interior surfaces | Baby powder, black cherry, new car |
303 Interior Cleaner | 16.0 fl. oz. | Vinyl, plastic, leather, rubber, metal, gauge panels, dashboards, windows, and door panels | None |
Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner Kit | Two 16.0 fl. oz. bottles | Leather | Leather |
Armor All Car Cleaning And Leather Wipes | 30 Wipes | Dashboards, vinyl, fabric, carpet, consoles, and leather | None |
Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant | 15.2 fl. oz. | Vinyl, rubber, and plastic | Clean |
Best Car Interior Cleaners: Bottom Line
Cleaning a car’s interior is a multi-step, laborious process. It can also become expensive very quickly if you don’t have all the right tools and cleaning products. That’s why we’ve compiled all the best interior cleaning products we’ve reviewed and tested so you can be sure you’re not breaking the bank just to get that new car smell.
- Best Overall: Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner And Protectant
- Best Value: 303 Interior Cleaner
- Best Leather Cleaner: Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner Kit
- Best Cleaning Wipes: Armor All Car Cleaning And Leather Wipes
- Best Shine: Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant
Car Interior Cleaners: FAQ
Below are some common frequently asked questions about car interior cleaners:
How can I make my car interior look better?
The first step to improving your car’s appearance is to invest in interior cleaners. You could also wash your car for a better appeal or even invest in products such as air fresheners or steering wheel covers.
How do I apply interior cleaners?
Many car interior cleaners require a detailing brush or applicator pad to be manually rubbed in. One of the best all-around items to use is a microfiber towel.
How can I protect my car interior without cleaning?
A simple and effective way to keep your car interior protected is to park it in covered places. This prevents UV rays from causing damage to your car’s interior.
Full Car Interior Cleaners Testing Methodology
For this review, we used a nearly 20-year-old vehicle with years of interior wear to test each car interior cleaner. Each cleaner was used on various surfaces within the car with a microfiber towel, except for the Armor All wipes.
Application: When considering the application of a cleaner, you want a product that can be used safely on all parts of your car interior without damaging or wearing down the upholstery. The products in this review that were made specifically for more sensitive materials scored well in this category. Cleaners that could be used safely on multiple different surfaces scored highest in this category.
Scent: With any cleaner, there’s a risk of overpowering or offensive scent. After cleaning, we determined the scent that the cleaner left behind in our vehicle. Cleaners that had a strong chemical smell scored lower in this category. The interior cleaners that left a subtle, pleasant smell after cleaning scored the highest.
Dust and Stain Removal: The purpose of an interior cleaner is to remove dust, grime, and stains that build up over time and wear down your car’s upholstery. During our cleaning process of each product, we compared each cleaner to see how easy stains were to remove and how much, if any, residue or dust was left on surfaces after cleaning.
UV Protection: UV rays can damage your car’s upholstery over time, especially if you consistently park your vehicle outside. We looked at each product’s contents and description to determine the degree of UV protection each cleaner offered. We also took note of how visible the protective coat was after cleaning different surfaces. Interior cleaners supplied with some form of UV protection to prevent cracking and fading scored highest in this category.
How We Score Products
Star ratings help us to provide you with an honest evaluation of each product we test, helping us to compare the items against each other to narrow down our best overall pick. For the car interior cleaners in this review, we calculated an overall average rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 stars.
- 5.0 Stars: A 5.0-star rating is a well above average rating. If the car interior cleaner exceeds our expectations in one or all testing criteria that we considered most important throughout our testing process.
- 4.0 Stars: A 4.0-star rating is an above-average score. For example, if the car interior cleaner left a subtle UV protectant layer, but did not compare to the barriers left behind among other products, you’d see a 4.0-star rating for UV protection.
- 3.0 Stars: A 3.0-star rating is an average rating for the car interior cleaners in this review. If the car interior cleaner removed stains but left intense streaking behind, especially when compared to other cleaners, you’ll see an average rating.
- 2.0 Stars: A 2.0-star rating is a below-average rating. If a cleaner in this review takes a lot of effort to remove small stains, you’d see a below-average rating.
- 1.0 Star: While rarely seen in our reviews of the best products, if a car interior cleaner is defective or cannot remove even the most surface-level stains from our vehicle, you’d see a well below-average 1.0-star rating.
Why Trust Motor1.com
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
*Data accurate at time of publication. Products subject to availability.