56 Car Cleaning Hacks to Keep Your Car Cleaner

Updated:

Silas & Grace

pink car

Do you ever just clean the car and then it’s messy again just a couple days later? Thankfully, there are some great ways to keep your car clean and organized (almost) permanently.

Here are some helpful car cleaning hacks that’ll make you think, โ€œI probably have the cleanest car in this neighborhoodโ€ every time you get in it.

So check them out and get rid of those annoying crumbs and wrappers and sticky gunk in the cup holder for good. You’ve got this. 💪



JUMP TO SECTION:

Car Cleaning Hacks: Table of Contents

How To Clean Car Interior:

  1. Coffee Filters For Dusting
  2. Magic Eraser On Vinyl
  3. Vent Dusting With A Foam Craft Brush
  4. Compressed Air To Dust Out Vents
  5. Car Cleaning Slime
  6. Animal Hair Cleanup With Squeegee & Spray Bottle
  7. Toothbrush To Remove Dirt & Grime
  8. Homemade Carpet Stain Remover
  9. Condition The Dashboard With Vaseline
  10. Olive Oil Dashboard Polish
  11. Olive Oil Leather Polish
  12. DIY Leather Cleaning Solution
  13. Clean Cup Holders With A Sock, Travel Cup & Windex
  14. Screwdriver To Remove Dirt From Crevices
  15. Rolling Up Seats
  16. Vacuuming The Inside Roof
  17. Sprinkling Baking Soda Before Vacuuming
  18. Don’t Forget The Ashtray
  19. DIY Car Floor Mat Cleaners

How To Clean Car Exterior:

  1. Microfiber Cloth Windshield Cleaner
  2. Baby Wipes Windshield Cleaner
  3. Be Sure To Roll Down The Windows
  4. Dead Bugs Removal With Drier Sheets
  5. Dead Bugs Removal With WD-40
  6. Wash Car Exterior With Conditioner
  7. Cleaning Headlights With Toothpaste
  8. Cleaning Headlights With Headlight Wipes
  9. Microfiber Mitt To Clean Your Car
  10. Remove Car Stickers With Hair Blower
  11. Clean Wiper Blades With Rubbing Alcohol
  12. DIY Rim Cleaner
  13. Tire Brush

How To Organize Your Car:

  1. Shower Caddie Trunk Organizer
  2. Shoe Bag Organizer
  3. Carabiners
  4. Ice Pop Makers
  5. Acrylic Trays
  6. Glove Box Command Center
  7. Homemade Car Kit
  8. Loose Change In Old Containers
  9. Snack Basket
  10. Cereal Container Trash Can
  11. Command Hooks
  12. Back Seat Trashbag
  13. $1 Bin Food Holder
  14. Silicone Cupcake Cup Holders

Car Air Freshener Tricks:

  1. Essential Oil On A Clothespin
  2. Pineapple Skins
  3. Car Humidifier
  4. Freshening Air With Leftover Candle Wax
  5. Cleaning Car’s Air Conditioner With Lysol
  6. Check Your Filter

Great Car Cleaning Products:

  1. Mini Car Vacuum
  2. Complete Car Care Kit
  3. Windshield Glass Cleaner
  4. Pet Seat Hammock

How To Clean Car Interior

1. Use Coffee Filters For Dusting

Using coffee filters for dusting as a car cleaning hack
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Dusting is pretty easy, but not if you have a cloth that spreads lint everywhere. Coffee filters have an awesome quality about them which allows for dust to be picked up easily, so there’s really no need to spend a ton of money on expensive car cleaners.

The lint-free material of the coffee filter is perfect for wiping car dashboards, the center console and other parts. Try it for yourself and find out!

2. Use A Magic Eraser On Your Vinyl

Scuffs on vinyl that Magic Eraser can fix
Found from Honeybear Lane

If you want a good way to clean up the scuff marks in your car (e.g. around doors) then check out this tutorial to clean up your vinyl with a magic eraser, just like you would inside your home.

You can even use it on leather that is dirty, but I’d pass on using it on thin, dyed or worn-out leathers.

And just make sure to never use magic erasers on your clear coats, paint finishes or on cars with a clear car bra (a car bra is a stretchy vinyl you can put on your car’s front bumper to protect it from damage.)

Keep this car cleaning hack limited to inside use only!

3. Dust Your Vent With A Foam Craft Brush

Foam brushes cleaning our car air vents
Found from One Good Thing By Jillee

Car air vents can get pretty dusty over time, but those narrow slots make it tough to clean with just a rag.

If you need some extra reach, you can make a small sponge brush soaked with some cleaner and that will take care of the job (you can also buy them in art stores or in art sections at department stores.)

Specialised car vent cleaning brush in an air vent
Alternatively, you can check this mini duster out. It’s designed specifically for your car air vents. With its unique triple-headed design, you can make sure it’s completely clean.

4. Use Compressed Air To Clean The Dust Out Of Vents

Compressed air into car vents cleaning hack
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

If the brushes above aren’t to your liking, then a can of compressed air is a simple and fast way to get the dust out of your vents and start breathing cleaner air.

Moreover, you can even spray a disinfectant enzymatic cleaner instead for a deeper clean. The possibilities are endless! Watch a video guide for that here.

5. Car Cleaning Slime

Car cleaning slime placed on a car's air vent
If you think slime is just great for kids, then think again. Because of slimeโ€™s natural malleability, you can use it to pick up any dust and dirt in your car’s hard to reach crevices without making a mess.

Green slime being used to clean a car's gear stick.

6. Clean Up Animal Hair With A Squeegee & Spray Bottle

A squeegee and a spray bottle sat on a cat seat covered in animal hair
Found from CareaBearaSara’s

If you have pets that you take in your car frequently, and you’re tired of seeing their hair build up, try using a spray bottle of water and a squeegee. It’s a great way to gather it up and get rid of it easily.

And to avoid accumulating your furry friendsโ€™ hair on your car seats next time, make sure to cover your seats with a blanket.

7. Brush Dirt & Grime Out Using A Toothbrush

A toothbrush getting out dirt on a car seat
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Probably the most down-to-earth car cleaning tip in this whole article, removing dirt and grime between the seams is actually pretty easy if you’re using a toothbrush. Yup, a $1 toothbrushโ€ฆpretty much all types will do.

Gently brush the dirt and you’ll have a mess-free car seat in a jiffy. And just make sure not to clean your teeth with it afterward before thoroughly rinsing!

8. Homemade Carpet Stain Remover

A bottle of homemade car carpet stain remover placed on a dirty carpet
Found from Kids Activities Blog

Dirty shoes make your car carpets look stained and soiled. But you can make a homemade two-ingredient carpet cleaner that is super effective and will leave your car smelling nice.

All you need is some hydrogen peroxide and lemon essential oil (oh, and water too!).

Check out this link for the rest of the instructions!

9. Condition Your Dashboard With Vaseline

Conditioning a car's dashboard using vaseline
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Vaseline works wonderfully at conditioning the dashboard and giving it a nice shine. It’s time-saving, effective and inexpensive.

Just make sure your dashboard is dry, apply a tiny amount using a clean cloth to rub it in, then wipe away any leftover excess. And if it starts building up dust after a couple of days, just keep the cloth nearby and give it a quick wipe!

10. Olive Oil Dashboard Polish

Using olive oil to condition a car's dashboard
Found from Sun Gazing

Don’t have any vaseline lying around? Then most likely you’ll have olive oil.

Traditional wipes or dashboard sprays are expensive, full of chemicals, and sometimes donโ€™t do the job properly. So instead, try using olive oil and some paper towels to make your car dashboard clean and shiny.

Just make sure to fully wipe off excess oil with your paper towels otherwise it’ll collect more dust.

11. Polish Leather With Olive Oil

Usually, cars’ interiors and fixtures are made up of leather that gets darkened and faded over time. And since leather cleaners are pricey, you can also use olive oil as an alternative. Pretty versatile, right?

Just apply a small amount of oil onto a cleaning rag and rub in a circular motion on your leather interior. Let it dry and wipe off all excess fully with a clean rag.

12. DIY Leather Cleaning Solution

Now, here’s another DIY cleaning solution that will make your leather look like new again.

All you need is Castile soap or dishwashing liquid, water, and a spray bottle. Mix them well in a spray bottle (or bucket) and spray lightly on the leather. Wipe down and see the stains go away!

You can read more from the tutorial here!

13. Clean Cup Holders With A Sock, Travel Cup & Windex

Using a cup, a sock and Windex to clean car's cup holders
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Letโ€™s be honest, cup holders can get pretty grimy and gross. But just attaching an old sock to a travel cup and wetting it with Windex can be an easy way to clean them out. Just twist it around in the holder, and anything stuck on will come off!

Do this a few times if need be and, hey presto, it’s done!

14. Get Dirt Out Of Small Crevices With A Screwdriver

A screwdriver going into small crevices in a car to get dirt out
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

If youโ€™ve started noticing all the dirt thatโ€™s built up over time in small crevices and cracks, then consider giving them a cleaning too. And you can easily do this with a flathead screwdriver.

Get a cloth to catch the dirt and make sure not to cause any damage with the screwdriver!

15. Roll Up Seats

Rolled up seat in a car showing a few crumbs on a car mat
Found from Kiwi Services

So this is pretty obvious really, but if you want to make sure everything is cleaned, don’t forget to roll up your seats and hunt for any spots you may have missed while cleaning. Works extra well with a long vacuum nozzle.

But if you do vacuum, remember to reclaim items you accidentally dropped down into the void of forgetfulness beforehand.

16. Vacuum The Inside Roof

Speaking of vacuuming, more often than not we tend to just vacuum our car’s ground and forget the inside roof. But did you know that roof fabric can also accumulate dust and dirt? So it seriously does make sense to vacuum it!

17. Sprinkle Baking Soda On Your Seats Before Vacuuming

A vacuum nozzle head on a car seat with baking soda sprinkled around it
Found from Mom Deals

Step up your vacuuming technique even more with this humble yet helpful car cleaning hack.

If your car smells bad, it ruins the whole driving experience, plus itโ€™s embarrassing when youโ€™re giving someone a lift. Use the baking soda to absorb and neutralize the smells from your car carpets and upholstery.

Just sprinkle a bit, leave it for a short while, then vacuum your car as normal.
Vacuuming baking soda off a car seat to keep the car clean
Found from Natural Healing Magazine

18. Don’t Forget Your Car’s Ashtray

Make it a habit to always clean out your car’s ashtray to avoid the cigarette smell. After cleaning it, spray some rubbing alcohol or some ordinary freshener to leave a nice smell.

19. DIY Car Floor Mat Cleaners

Before you throw out those filthy and dirty floor mats, give them new life and wash them. All you have to do is brush the dirt and dust off, put them into your washing machine, add some detergent or spray some stain remover, and leave the cleaning to your machine.

Rinse and dry after and you’ll see the difference. You’ve just saved yourself some money!

How To Clean Car Exterior

So now that we’re done cleaning our car’s inside, let’s now work on the exterior to get it looking shiny and as good as new using these budget-friendly hacks.

20. Clean Your Windshield With A Microfiber Cloth

Cleaning the exterior windshield with a microfiber cloth

Improve your windshield visibility by cleaning the glass with a damp cloth and then drying it clean with a microfiber glass wiper that will leave no streaks behind. Seriously, this method is so much better than using traditional window cleaners that leave dirt and marks behind.

It’s so great to drive with a windshield that looks spotlessly clean no matter what light it’s under.

21. Clean Windows With Baby Wipes

Cleaning a car's passenger windows with a baby wipe
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

As a friend of mine told me, baby wipes can be used for just about anything. So as an alternative way to get clean, streak-free windows without putting in too much work is to simply use baby wipes. One wipe surprisingly does a lot of work.

This works because of the alcohol in the wipes that keep your windows clean and free of streaks. So on your next trip, keep a pack in your compartment and use when needed.

22. Make Sure To Roll Down The Windows

Cleaning the grime off the top of a car's front passenger window
Found from Family Handy Man

Make sure that when you’re cleaning your windows, you roll them down to make sure that all of the grime and dust gets cleaned off.

It can be easy to just spray some cleaner on the window and wipe it down. But what a lot of us forget to do is to clean the very top of the window. So make sure the window is rolled down so you can get the grime off the top too!

PS. This also prevents the grime from streaking down when there’s a rainy day!

23. Get Dead Bugs Off With Drier Sheets

Getting dead bugs off a car using drier sheets
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Rather than going to the nearest car wash, you can use dryer sheets to get those nasty bugs off the front of your car quickly. You’ll save so much time and money as well by simply trying out this trick.

24. Remove Dead Bugs Using WD-40

If you go on a road trip and pick up a lot of dead bugs, then WD-40 is another great way to clean them off. Spraying a bit of WD-40 on the car’s grill will remove them off easily, as well as grime

You can also spray some WD-40 on your car’s hood or roof and then rinse with soapy water to remove bird droppings, sap and dirt. WD-40 can even be used to spray off old bumper stickers. Seriously, this stuff can be used for so many things!

25. Wash Your Car With Conditioner

Conditioning a car using Pantene hair conditioner
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and effective car soap, then try using a cheap hair conditioner. It has lanolin in it (a type of wax), which will make your car shine in no time without having to pay for expensive car wax.

Most importantly, it will also help you avoid the water spots caused by rain or dew.

Feel free to check out the link to get direct instruction for this hack!

26. Clean Your Headlights With Toothpaste

Cleaning front car headlights using toothpaste
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Dabbing toothpaste with a cloth onto a car's front headlight
Found from How To Get Rid

More and more cars these days come with plastic headlights. Plastic headlight lenses tend to get dull and dirty, as the UV rays from sun mix with rain and road grit.

Plus, they might get foggy due to oxidization over time. This oxidization is actually quite similar to the plaque buildup on teeth, which is why toothpaste works so well here.

To maintain proper functioning of headlights as well as keep them clean and fog-free for a clear view, clean it with toothpaste (preferably baking soda toothpaste since it has a slightly rougher texture.)

Squeeze out the toothpaste into a clean rag and rub the paste all over the headlights. Rinse the headlights with water after and get all the grime off.

27. Use Specialized Headlight Wipes


If that last car cleaning tip just felt too much like home DIY for your taste, you can also try these headlight wipes that are made especially for your car.

It comes with three large restoration wipes that’ll remove any streaks from your lights. It’s super easy to use and is much cheaper than visiting your local car shop.

28. Use A Microfiber Mitt To Clean Your Car

A man using a green microfiber mitt to clean his car
A blue microfiber mitten cleaning a black car's hood
Taking your car through an automatic car wash can sometimes leave scratches on your vehicle’s paint. So do yourself a favor and hand wash your car with a quality soap, a bucket of water, and a microfiber mitten. In a few minutes, you’ll have a properly cleaned and scratch-free car.

These mitts are really handy and hold lots of water for cleaning your car.

29. Remove Car Stickers With A Hair Blower

A hair dryer blowing off a sticker on a car
Found from Cars

Removing stickers is not as easy as putting them on. If you need to remove that old bumper sticker, youโ€™ll need a hairdryer, razor blade (if the sticker is on glass), a stiff plastic card, towels, some cleaning solution, and a bit of patience.

Hold the hair dryer a few inches away from the sticker and move the hot air around the sticker, heating the center of the sticker first and the edges last.

Then use your plastic card (razor blade if on glass) to slowly peel up the sticker around the corners. After the sticker has come off, use some cleaning solution on where the sticker used to be to remove any stickiness.

30. Clean Wiper Blades With Rubbing Alcohol

Overtime driving, road debris, dirt, and rocks can get in between your car’s wipers. This grime will cause your wipers to streak across the windshield.

So keep your wiper blades clean by simply soaking a micro-fiber cloth into rubbing alcohol and wipe your carโ€™s blades. This will remove any soapy film or residue that’s left on the rubber.

31. DIY Rim Cleaner

Cleaning the rim of a car's front wheel
To easily make your car’s rims and hubcaps sparkling clean, mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, and 2 cups of warm water in a small bowl.

Get a soft sponge or towel and gently scrub the tires and hubcaps. Rinse off with water and your tire will look like new.

32. Tire Brush

Cleaning a car's tire with a specialised tire brush
To increase the effectiveness of that last tip, clean your tires while also using this brush.

Built for quick and effective cleaning, this brush will totally get the job done. It can clean those hard-to-reach spots, is very flexible in cleaning wheel spokes, protects your rims from scratches, and gently scrubs your wheel.

How To Organize Your Car

I hope you liked those car cleaning hacks above, but now we need to find ways to keep your car clean and organized so that you don’t have to keep cleaning it over and over again.

33. Shower Caddie Trunk Organizer

The trunk of a car organized neatly using shower caddies
Found from The Castro HAPPYnings

This is a really cool way to keep things that you need in your car organized. Imagine seeing this every time you pop open your trunkโ€”you’ll be sure to feel a warm glow inside each time you do!

With everything so accessible and neat, now you donโ€™t have to go fumbling through your giant purse trying to find that box of bandaids.

34. Shoe Bag Organizer

A pale brown shoe organizer filled with goodies overhanging on the back of a car's front seat
Found from Martha Stewart

Again, just another great way to use an ordinary organizer as a way to keep things organized in your car (but this time not in the trunk.) This will be your greatest helper when on a road trip.

Whether you need wipes or an umbrella nearby, a shoe bag organizer is never a bad idea! You can place all sorts of things inside each pocket, such as toys, coloring books, headphones, water bottles, cords, road maps, and so much more.

This first one was made just by cutting a large shoe organizer in half, hemming the bottom, and attaching ribbons to tie it to the seat.

A clear shoe organizer filled with goodies overhanging the back of the car's passenger front seat
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Another great way to use a shoe bag organizer is for toys! If your kids are at a certain age where they need something to keep them entertained, then this is a great idea. Especially if you donโ€™t want a ton of cleanup afterward.

35. Carabiners

Two carabiners holding up two umbrellas and a bag attached to a headrest overhanging the back of the front seat
Found from HGTV

A simpler hack than the organizers above, but I think this idea of using carabiners is nonetheless super clever! Itโ€™s just a handy way to discretely hang your belongings so theyโ€™re easily accessible, meaning you’ll spare yourself some potential back pain reaching the floor to grab them.

It also means your items are less likely to go missing (that’s presuming you don’t also lose your headrest tooโ€ฆbut you kind of deserve losing your items if you lose a whole headrest 😉)

36. Ice Pop Makers

Ice pop maker tubs near the car's gear shift filled with odds and ends
Found from HGTV

Head to the dollar section in Target and get some ice pop containers to organize the small things you need in your car. You canโ€™t get more simple than that!

It’s little car cleaning hacks like this that make me feel like I’m making the world a slightly better placeโ€ฆ

37. Acrylic Trays

Acrylic trays inside a car filled with coins, headphones and a pair of sunglasses
If Ice Pop Makers aren’t your thing, then acrylic trays are also a great way to keep the front of your car neat and organized by storing loose odds and ends.

38. Glove Box Command Center

A binder and an envelope inside a car
Found from A Bowl Full of Lemons

Keep all of your important car documents organized and easy to grab by following this simple tutorial.

You can include things such as a car parking money pouch, insurance and registration papers, car mechanic contact details, road service contacts, mileage details, car expenses, and repair history in one convenient folder in your car.

Itโ€™ll definitely help you out in many situations and it’ll give you more peace of mind knowing they are there!

39. Car Kit

A box labelled with the words โ€œCar Kitโ€ filled with car essentials
Found from Simply Kierste

Keep all of your cleaning supplies in this super easy-to-make car kit. Whether itโ€™s hand sanitizer, garbage bags to clean up a mess, wipes, a first-aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen, paper towels, or a plastic tablecloth, youโ€™ll be prepared!

So pop it in your trunk and drive relaxed knowing you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way.

40. Loose Change In Old Containers

A chewing gum tub filled with coins placed inside a car's cup holder
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

If some of these other car organizers were a bit too much for you, here’s one so simple anyone can do it straight away.

Don’t you just hate frantically searching for loose change in your car when paying for parking or toll roads? So why not make it easier on yourself and keep all your change in a small unused container? (Preferably one with a lid!)

41. Snack Basket

A basket filled with fruit, seeds and water bottles in the trunk of a car
Found from The Realistic Mama

Whether you want to make sure youโ€™re eating healthy and not eating out, or itโ€™s for your kids, this is definitely an awesome idea that will also keep your car organized!

You can store in it water bottles, nuts, fruits, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, and whatever healthy options you can cram inside it.

You’ll definitely spend less eating out and will eat healthier if you plan ahead, which is why I love this neat snack basket idea.

42. Cereal Container Trash Can

A cereal container transformed into a trashbag located on the floor of the car's front seat area
Found from Better Homes & Gardens

These things are cheap which is why I think itโ€™s a great idea to keep at least a couple of them in your car to ensure that any messes are picked up (especially good for road trips.)

Once you come home you can easily throw it all away without having to search your car like Indiana Jones for lost wrappers that you know are in there but haven’t been seen for a thousand years.

43. Command Hooks

A command hook located near the glove compartment hanging up a rubbish bag
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

A great idea to keep trash off the ground is to use a command hook to hold up a bag so that trash is easily disposed of.

Long road trips always seem to be accompanied with chips and snacks, but you can keep your car free from all the crumbs and trash after finishing your food by using a command hook to keep a paper (or plastic) bag in place. Then you’ll have a convenient place to dispose of the trash!

44. Back Seat Trashbag

A specially designed attachable trashbag hanging off a car's front seat
As an easier non-DIY option, this back seat trash bag, that you can purchase online, looks nice on the outside, will hold any trash you have, and empties in a snap. It’s perfect for long road trips, especially if you have kids that eat plenty of snacks and create messes easily.

45. $1 Bin Food Holder

A green plastic bin holding food in a car
Found from Lookie What I Did

This particular blogger found this bin in the dollar section of Target. Iโ€™m pretty sure you could find something very similar there or at any dollar store to keep food and food waste altogether.

So if you’re the kind of parent who allows food in the car, your kids won’t have an excuse anymore for making a big mess. And those guilty post-work takeaways can be cleaned away more conveniently. Pretty handy right?

46. Silicone Cupcake Cup Holders

Two silicone cupcake cups in a car's cup holders to catch dirt
Found from One Good Thing by Jillee

I’ll just get straight to it, I really, REALLY like this idea of making sure that your cup holders stay clean. We all know how gross cup holders can get with dried spilled juice, crumbs, and gunk that can so easily get down in there and be nearly impossible to clean.

Two silicone cupcake holders being used as a car cleaning hack to keep dirt out from cup holders
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

You can get silicone holders on Amazon for pretty cheap and it’ll definitely be a conversation starter with all your passengers who’ll praise your mastermind-like intelligence.

Car Air Freshener Tricks

Ok, you’ve cleaned and organized your car, but how on earth are you going to keep it smelling fresh? Read on!

47. Essential Oil On A Clothespin

A clothespin with essential oil attached to a car vent
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

The best time to add an air freshener is straight after cleaning your car. So here’s your first DIY option!

Get a wooden clothespin and apply 5-10 drops of essential oil, and pin onto your car’s air vent to let it blow the natural scent around the car. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.

48. Pineapple Skins

Pineapple skins in a ziplock bag to freshen up a car's smell
Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

If you like pineapple, you can cut one up, eat it, and put the rinds in a plastic bag to give your car a tropical sweet scent. Once the pineapple starts going bad, just replace the rinds with a new ziplock bag filled with new pineapple skins.

If you’re worried this might look a bit weird to other people, simply put them in a place not as visible but where the smell is still able to waft slightly around the car.

If you do this, you might end up needing two bags to strengthen the scent a bit more.

49. Car Humidifier

A car humidifier blowing out a steam of mist near the car's control panel
Another way to make your car smell great after cleaning it is a humidifier with an aroma diffuser. You just need to add a few drops of your essential oil and/or water for a cool mist.

50ml water equals 2 hours of use and it comes with an automatic shut-off once it gets empty. It plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter and provides you with an extra two USB ports.

50. Freshen the Air in Your Car with Leftover Candle Wax


Found from The Krazy Coupon Lady

Yet another simple and super-easy way to freshen up your car’s air and get the best car scent: put a scented candle in your car’s cup holder, and when the wax melts due to hot weather, your car will seriously smell good!

And even if it’s not hot, the scent can still lift from the wax.

51. Fix Bad Smells in Your Car’s Air Conditioner with Lysol

A can of Lysol spraying into a car's airflow inlet
Found from Car Reviews n Care

If you want to get rid of all the bad smells coming from your air conditioner, then try spraying a can of Lysol into the airflow inlet.

Shake the can for 1 minute, then spray for 2 minutes evenly over the inlets.

52. Check Your Filter

A dirty air filter side by side with a clean air filter
Found from Remove and Replace

If you notice a persistent bad smell in your car even after trying out one of the above options, it might just be your filter! So check it out and get it changed. It’ll probably solve the problem.

Great Car Cleaning Products

Ok, we’re nearly at the end now! If you want to make your life easier and/or want a deeper clean of your car, here are some cool and helpful cleaning products so that you can hack and win at cleaning your car!

53. Mini Car Vacuum

A mini vacuum with a long nozzle vacuuming inside a car
Portable and lightweight vacuums are best for your car so you can get rid of all the dirt and dust that comes from your shoes. This cleaner has a powerful suction leaving no debris on your floor, upholstery, or in those harder to reach places.

It’s also super easy to use, saving you a lot of time and energy.

I personally haven’t tried this car vacuum, but you can check it out and read the reviews!

54. Complete Car Care Kit


If you’re the sort of person who likes to have all their bases covered, this twelve-piece car care kit will have you covered in almost all situations. It has car shampoo, car wax, tire blackening, wheel cleaner, smooth surface clay, and more.

This kit will give your car some serious shine and is recommended for car enthusiasts. Plus its also great value for money.

You can check out a car care kit here. I haven’t personally used it, but it might be good for you!

55. Windshield Glass Cleaner

A windshield glass cleaning device being used inside a car
A clean windshield can play a huge part in a driver’s ability to actually see clearly (especially during inclement weather conditions.) So if you’re looking for convenience, try this super easy-to-use windshield cleaner.

You can keep it in the trunk ready-to-use on long car journeys.

Here’s a windshield cleaner you can check out here. I haven’t used it, so just know this isn’t based on my opinion.

56. Pet Seat Hammock

A happy dog sat on pet seat cover inside a car
If you’re bringing your dog (or even cat) for a car ride, make sure you use this seat cover to protect your car’s upholstery. It’s waterproof, doesnโ€™t slip out of place, and will totally make your pet feel comfortable without spreading fur.

Here’s a link to a pet seat cover if you want to try one yourself. I haven’t used it myself, so make sure to check out the reviews! ๐Ÿ™‚


Seriously, taking care of your car doesn’t need to be overwhelming or take loads of time when there are plenty of car cleaning hacks and tips out there.

And with these car cleaning ideas from the list above, your car will be sparkling clean on the outside and tidy and organized on the inside. So give them a try and let me know what you think!

Now if you have any car cleaning hacks yourself, let me know in the comments down below! Iโ€™d love to hear about them!

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Silas & Grace

Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.

13 thoughts on “56 Car Cleaning Hacks to Keep Your Car Cleaner”

  1. I love these hacks and will definitely try them…I have a question…how would you clean the whole area of the motor? Thanks in advance

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  2. Thanks for the tips. Clean my husbands truck is very therapeutic. I will using your tips. And listening to music.

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  3. Great suggestions, I have one for you: Instead of putting your floor mats in the washing machine go to the Do It Yourself car wash the ones that take the Quarters and sray the mats with the wand. If you do this on a Sunny Day, you get the mats dry. Also for the wheel cleaning mixture mix it up in an Empty 1/2 gallon milk jug and put it in the trunk when finished for use next time instead of using a bowl

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  4. Given that we are expert cleaners ourselves, we can attest that these are all some very great car cleaning hacks. You definitely want to use a good, soft mitt that will not scratch up your vehicle’s surface. Thank you for even taking the time to share, this is very good. Look forward to more articles now.
    San Jose Auto Detail

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