We Tested 9 of the Top Car Interior Cleaners to Find the Best

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This article was updated in March 2024 with new products and information.

Have you ever found yourself muttering, "I need to clean this car," only to have life get away from you? While cleaning your entire car can feel daunting, it doesn't always have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. When it comes to car cleaning, focusing on wiping down your interior surfaces can be a quick win, falling comfortably into the "High Value, Low Effort" category.

Most interior cleaners are simple to use, requiring just a spray and a wipe, leaving you with clean surfaces and a sense of accomplishment in minutes (depending on your level of effort). Once you've tackled the interior, you can dive deeper. Start by vacuuming, move on to windows, and finish with an exterior wash and buff. Before you know it, your car looks sharp, feels sharp, and is sharp.

Things to Consider

Car interior cleaners come in all types. Which one is right for you? Are they all the same? Do you need to spend a lot of money? Can you get one that cleans all the surfaces in your cabin? Before you decide, here's what you need to know.

Type of Interior

Your car's interior comprises various materials, such as plastic (or wood for the more luxurious models), screens, and windows. Some cleaners are suitable for all surfaces, while others are designed for trim. Always check the label to ensure proper use.

Smell

While scent is a personal preference, it's a significant part of these interior cleaners. Select one with a fragrance you enjoy; life is too short to not like how your car smells.

Tools

The effectiveness of cleaners relies on the tools of the trade. Microfiber cloths are the gold standard since they leave no fabric traces like terry cloth or towels. You might also consider using brushes for hard-to-reach and especially tough areas.

How We Tested Car Interior Cleaners

To find the best car interior cleaner, we tested nine of the market's top products from brands such as Meguiar's and Chemical Guys. The test included a well-loved (and slightly legendary) 1990 Geo Tracker from a previous beaters challenge, a stick of butter, and more.

So, before applying that elbow grease to your chrome bumpers, don't overlook your vehicle's interior. These cleaners will freshen up steering wheels, dashboards, cupholders, and just about everything in between.

The Best Car Interior Cleaners

Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant

Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant from Chemical Guys actually cleans all interior surfaces and is safe to use on everything including glass and screens. It's got great strength too, acing our butter test (see below).

The cleaner also doubles as a protectant, meaning it'll shield your dashboard and other interior components from harmful UV rays. The only knock? We aren't a fan of the scent—it's strong. But if that doesn't bother you, you can't go wrong with this choice.

Hot Tip: A 'wipes' version of Total Interior Cleaner is also available. While we didn't test the wipes against the other cleaners here, they're perfect for on-the-go cleaning and quick wipe-downs. Just stash a pack in your glovebox.

Interior Cleaner

For strong, no-frills cleaning power, look no further than Griot's Garage Interior Cleaner. We chose it as our second-best car interior cleaner for its simplicity and effectiveness, and because it's also safe for use on fabric and carpet. There's no scent, no residue, and its clear color gives us confidence that it won't stain. Griot's took off normal grime with ease and smashed our butter test. The comparatively large 22-ounce bottle is nice too, and should last a while.

The only drawbacks? It doesn't work on screens or glass and lacks any UV protection. But we're willing to sacrifice that for the fantastic cleaning power and the compatibility with textiles.

Quik Interior Detailer Cleaner

For those of us who want a quick, cheap spray to clean our car's interior, Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer does the trick. The cleaner works decently—passing our butter test—and left behind neither streaks nor residue.

It's not as strong as other cleaners on this list, and it has a slight scent. But it does feature a protecting agent to keep surfaces looking clean longer. This is a 24-ounce bottle, so it may be more than you need. But for a cheap, quick interior cleaner, this is the best budget choice. It's also available in handy wipe form.

Ultimate Cleaner

While this is strictly an interior cleaner test, Carfidant Ultimate Cleaner also cleans various exterior parts. (Hey, we like two-in-ones!) The cleaning power is evident—it aced our butter test and cut through existing grime easily.

Carfidant says this stuff can clean exhaust tips, degrease an engine, and remove bugs from your windshield. While we didn't test any of those claims this time, we believe that its strength makes it capable of such tasks. The scent is quite strong, and it's one of the pricier cleaners on our list, but the versatility outshines both issues.

Cleaning Wipes