The 14 Best Car Cleaning Products to Make Your Ride Shine Inside and Out

One of the best car cleaning products out there, Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash cleans and conditions at the same time. Rich suds get rid of a winter’s worth of dirt, chemicals and all the other grime that accumulates on your ride. The conditioner leaves a slick, shiny surface, and it won’t strip the wax or risk damaging the finish like a commercial car wash can. A gallon of the concentrate should last a year; all you need is a capful in a bucket of water to clean the car from top to bottom.

Here’s a cleaning secret from car detailers: You can use old rags to wash your car, but it’ll take longer and won’t do as good of a job. The Chemical Guys wash mitt is extra absorbent, so it holds plenty of soap to get every square inch of your vehicle lathered up. Plus, the microfiber material doesn’t hold grit like a towel does, so it won’t scratch the paint. And when you’re done, just toss it in the washing machine

Invisible Glass is an Amazon top-seller and one of the best car window cleaners for a reason: it works! The foam cleanser removes bugs, grease, road salt and anything else that makes it hard to see out of your windshield. It goes on without streaks or drips and doesn’t leave behind any residue. It’s also safe for tinted windows, and it effectively cleans inside car windows, too.

Half the battle when washing your car can be drying it fast enough to avoid water spots. With a name like The Absorber, this towel does the trick, and quick. It’s chamois, which absorbs water faster than a terry cloth or microfiber towel. Speaking of water, here’s what to do if you leave your car window down in the rain.

Armor All Trim and Plastic Restorer fights wear and tear on exterior plastic, vinyl and rubber trims, which are prone to sun discoloration and wax stains. Armor All is easy to use: simply apply, let the cleaner sit, then wipe it off. This car detailing tool protects finishes through 100+ car washes.

With more than 15,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, you can trust that Car Guys Super Cleaner works on all interior surfaces—plastic, rubber, vinyl, leather and fabric. Reviewers love its stain-busting power that restores interiors to their original color and leaves a matte finish. Have you tried using a car vinyl cleaner?

Armor All Wheel and Tire Cleaner is one of the best car cleaning products that does double duty: It also helps your wheels and tires last longer. The foaming spray dissolves brake dust as well as dirt and makes tires glossy black. Just be sure to protect yourself from brake dust and wear rubber gloves while cleaning.

Lexol Leather Conditioner is “the best, period,” according to Lauren Fix of The Car Coach. “It’s made of natural products and truly does the job. It absorbs well and doesn’t leave a film behind,” she says. This two-step leather car cleaner and conditioner combo can also be used to clean furniture, shoes, sporting equipment, clothes, accessories and saddles.