Do you have a dirty car interior? If so, then you need the best all-purpose cleaner for car interiors!
There are tons of options on the market that claim to be the best. But finding a true product that can be used on virtually all kinds of car surfaces is a daunting task.
In this article, we will help you figure out which one is right for your needs by providing reviews and information on some of our favorites.
Top 10 Best All-Purpose Cleaner For Car Interior:
1. Meguiar’s Detailing All Purpose Interior Cleaner
It’s not very often you find the cleaner that treads the fine line between being a heavy-duty all-purpose formula for professional use and a cheap one for at-home use, but honestly? We’re happy to say the Meguiars Detailing All Purpose Interior Cleaner fits that bill perfectly!
We compared it to just about every cleaner we could think of, and unless you’re talking about the ones that cost several hundred dollars a pop, it outperformed them by miles. The product is straightforward to use and even comes with a pleasant fragrance for inside use.
It’s also the cleaner of choice for professional detailers because, unlike many formulas, it’s safe for use on all types of surfaces.
That means metal, plastic, glass, chrome, and even interior leather seats.
The Meguiar’s All Purpose Cleaner is excellent at removing built-up deposits of grime and grease. It’s not precisely an acidic wheel cleaner, but a microfiber towelette and some non-diluted product can do wonders for your wheels.
Pros:
- Extremely easy-to-use all purpose cleaner with good lubrication
- Fast grime and grease removal in just a few seconds
- The package comes with a durable plastic spray bottle and nozzle.
- Great for removing liquid stains like cola and coffee from leather seats
Cons:
- The spray bottle doesn’t come with measures. Use a 10:1 dilution ratio (water to product) for lightweight cleaning and 4:1 for heavy-duty purposes.
- Most sellers retail the product at a relatively expensive cost.
2. Griot’s Garage 11105 Interior Cleaner Gallon
Coming in three different quantities of 35 Oz., 22 Oz., and a gallon, the Griot’s Garage 11105 Interior Cleaner ranks second, and honestly? We’d be lying if we said it didn’t deserve the spot.
Its quick action was the first thing that came to our attention. The Meguiar’s product was fast, sure, but Griot’s Garage knocked it out of the park with this fast-acting cleaner that’s suitable for a wide variety of surfaces.
You can forget about swirls and those mysterious tiny deposits of white material you often see with interior cleaners with the Griot’s Garage 11105. Because it has no dyes, it’s also the dye that detailers who don’t want to take any chances should use.
The one drawback we noticed with the 11105 was that it was slow to act on carpets and other fabric surfaces. It worked just as well, but it takes about a minute to get the stain out (because come on, everybody’s got that one annoying coffee stain).
Pros:
- Large-sized bottle and adjustable spray nozzle for convenience
- Doesn’t leave behind residue that could attract more grime and grease
- Perfect for cleaning hard-to-clean plastic and vinyl surfaces without leaving swirls
- It can be used around the house without fear of damaging fabrics or furniture.
Cons:
- The cleaner is unscented, which can be a slight drawback for people counting on that usual freshener-like scent.
- Like the Meguiar’s product, it’s a little more expensive than regular cleaners.
3. 3D All Purpose Cleaner – Multi Surface Cleaner Refill
Be honest, you’ve thought about using the car’s cleaner for cleaning that horrible little stain on your desk before. You don’t have to be afraid of damaging precious office furniture with the 3D All Purpose Cleaner, a medium-grade product perfect for being used everywhere.
The active foaming action is excellent on this cleaner. Get a brush or a towelette to clean the surface, and a few wipes create a soft, wet foam that reduces the effort you have to put in.
It falls behind the Griot’s Garage 11105 in cleaning power, but we think the trade-off is worth it given the product’s affordability.
Like the previous two cleaners, the 3D APC is safe for use on various surfaces like rubber, plastic, vinyl, glass, fabric, and painted surfaces. It’ll clean your car from the headliner to the carpet and not leave behind a weird smell while doing it either.
The 3D All Purpose Cleaner is also a biodegradable cleaner, meaning it isn’t very chemically toxic. You can use it on older cars without any fear of damaging the interior.
Pros:
- Wet foam reduces the amount of effort required for cleaning
- Provides heavy-duty performance suitable for professional car detailing
- Can be used to clean wheel rims and windshields without fear
- Removes years of dirt buildup easily from exterior surfaces
- It’s also a product that we thought was pretty affordable.
Cons:
- Horrible packaging often leads to the bottle getting damaged during shipping.
- It has a slightly annoying chemical smell.
4. Chemical Guys CLD_101 All Clean+ Citrus-Based All Purpose Super Cleaner
Low acidity, superb usability across most surfaces, and outstanding performance at cleaning neglected interiors are just a few hallmark features of the Chemical Guys CLD_101 All-Purpose Cleaner.
The product is ‘shipped at full strength’ so that you have finer control over the strength of the cleaning solution by adjusting its dilution ratio. This cleaner is perfect for rubber tires, plastic dashboards, and even metal engine bay parts with the correct ratio.
We loved the fact that you could liberally dilute this cleaner. It provides results until dilution ratios of 10:1 (water to product) and doesn’t lose out on much cleaning power either.
It seeps into cracks, nooks, and crannies to provide the best cleaning, ending up just as good as the Meguiar’s All-Purpose Interior Cleaner in cleaning power.
Like the Griot’s Garage cleaner, the best way to use this product is with a microfiber towelette and in diluted form.
Pros:
- Affordable and efficient all-purpose cleaner for upholstery, vinyl, and plastic
- It doesn’t require an expensive brush for effective cleaning.
- Pleasant citrus smell that takes the chemical edge off
- Great at eliminating unpleasant odors that linger in the car
Cons:
- While the product is superb, you might want to get another bottle for it. The Chemical Guys bottles are of terrible quality and leak over time.
- Highly concentrated, which means using it without diluting it first can damage your interiors.
5. Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner
We’ve always had a soft spot for Carfidant (seriously, anybody that knows what they’re doing will have the same). Still, the Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner defied even our expectations with its comprehensive, effective, and quick cleaning action.
We want first to say that if you’ve let the grime and grease build up on the surfaces for years now, this is the cleaner you want. It’ll get the dirt off in a few brush strokes and even rejuvenate old, lifeless, and dull leather and give it a new shine.
It’s also great for cleaning black, vinyl, and glass surfaces since the Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner is thoroughly swirl-free for your convenience.
And guess what? This versatile cleaner comes with an adorable cleaning cloth that’s pretty durable, so you won’t have to fork out more money for a pack of towelettes.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use spray nozzle with a spray lock for convenience
- Great for cleaning out greasy engine bays
- Strong enough to clean stains, adhesive, or even windshield bugs
- It doesn’t have a strong chemical odor.
- 100% clear coat safe formula for cleaning all surfaces of your car
Cons:
- The towelettes that come with this cleaner are weak. If you’re a professional detailer, you’ll want a new pack.
- Because of how easy it is to use, this cleaner runs out fast. Buy a larger size if you like it, or you’ll have to keep nipping out for more.
6. CARPRO Multi X All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate
The CARPRO Multi X All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate is a cleaner made almost exclusively for professional applications. This cleaner comes in 400-ml, 1 liter, and 4-liter bottles and is both well-performing and cheap for the best mixture of affordability and performance.
The great thing about this cleaner has to be its unique versatility. Like most cleaners, it’s perfect for prepping your car for the full detail, but you can also use it at the end of a wash cycle for getting out tough stains and heavy grease.
The CARPRO Multi X Concentrate is also a powerful cleaner. Carpro recommends a 1:20 dilution for weekend cleaning and 1:100 for use with a pressure washer.
And that’s not where it ends either. It’s excellent for cleaning all surfaces but excels particularly at chrome and vinyl seat covers.
Being a Carpro product, it lasts for up to two years after the manufacturing date. That means as long as you buy a recent product, you can have this reliable product on your garage shelf for years.
Pros:
- Concentrated product that you can dilute extensively to prolong its use
- It can be used as either pre/ or post-wash.
- It gets the deepest stains and caked-on grease out without trouble.
- Suitable for cleaning interiors, tires, wheels, and home furniture
Cons:
- It’s a little expensive compared to other cleaners.
- The product often arrives damaged because of inconsistent packaging.
7. CarGuys Super Cleaner – Effective All Purpose Cleaner
You knew there was going to be a CarGuys product in here somewhere. Jokes aside, though, the CarGuys Super Cleaner gets a lot of points with us for its good performance, even if it does end up a little on the pricey side.
We’d say that the price is well worth the product, however. This cleaner works at the molecular level to dissolve your dirt, grime, and grease, making it effortless to get off with a cheap towelette.
A neat little feature of this cleaner is that it works exceptionally well for finished wood and wooden furniture. Do you know that varnish stain on your dresser? This cleaner can get them off!
The CarGuys Super Cleaner is also an adequate replacement for the cabinet of cleaning chemicals most car enthusiasts will have you believe you need. Replace your leather polisher and wheel cleaner with this concentrated cleaning product.
Here’s a quick sum-up of why we liked the CarGuys Super Cleaner so much: with this all-purpose cleaner, you’ll be spending far less time scrubbing and more time driving!
Pros:
- Unmatched cleaning power except for the CARPRO Multi X All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate
- Works on everything from leather and vinyl to plastic, rubber, metal, and wood
- Fast-working formula that removes stains in just minutes
- Mild coconut scent that’s pleasant in most cases
- No dilution is required before it’s ready for use.
Cons:
- Using the cleaner without gloves will make your fingers feel pruney. Trust us on this.
- It’s also a little expensive.
8. Adam’s ECO All Purpose Cleaner – Industrial Strength
The Adam’s ECO All-Purpose Cleaner is versatile, holding up to its promise of being all-purpose. If you ask us, though, it’s best used for cleaning dirty engine bays since it’s one of the two products we noticed that never left any residue behind after cleaning.
Sold commonly in quantities of 16 Fl. Oz and 640 Fl. Oz., this industrial-strength cleaner is strong enough to get all the grime caked on over the years out of your car. It even removes the weird oily substance that builds up on your wheels.
One of the best things about the Adam’s ECO All-Purpose Cleaner is that it doesn’t leave an oily sheen on your plastic, vinyl, and leather surfaces that most cleaners do. If you’re like us and hate that fake, oily sheen, that’s a huge plus.
What sealed the deal for us, though, is that you can use this cleaner for cleaning your microfiber pads. That’s extremely rare since most cleaners end up damaging the towelette instead!
Pros:
- It can be used to clean wheels, exhaust tips, engine wheels, and other sensitive areas.
- Perfect for cleaning detailing accessories like towelettes and pads
- The spray bottle is made of thick, durable plastic that will last years.
- Shipped with a safety cap to eliminate any chances of leaking.
Cons:
- It smells like your average lemon-flavored cleaner.
- Shipping for this product is costly, at about two-thirds of the retail price.
9. Mothers 87138 Professional All-Purpose Cleaner
Mothers 87138 Professional All-Purpose Cleaner doesn’t exactly make our list of favorites, but this biodegradable product is nevertheless a good choice for anybody who wants a decent all-purpose cleaner at medium price ranges.
It works almost as good as the CarGuys Super Cleaner when it comes to removing dirt, dissolving grime and grease in about two to three minutes. You’ll have a slightly harder time cleaning glass, but it suits plastic and vinyl just fine.
You’ll want to dilute this product in 8:1 ratios for regular cleaning and 5:1 for cleaning dirty leather. Did we mention it cleans leather like a charm and has no chance of damaging even twenty-year-old leather?
Mothers 87138 All-Purpose Cleaner is also surprisingly good at melting brake dust and grime on rims, though you should keep in mind that letting it sit for more than 30 seconds can ruin the rim’s paint. Spray on, gently agitate with a brush, and wash off with a hose for the best results.
Pros:
- Safe for use on leather decades old
- Seeps into the cracks and cuts in old leather to flush out the grime of years
- No harsh chemical smell that stinks up both your car and the garage
- Low price makes it a good option for weekend car cleaners
Cons:
- Mothers 87138 can stain your car if left on for even half a minute. Start scrubbing immediately to prevent stains.
- This cleaner turns 4:1 tires brown, so it’s not fit for use on rubber surfaces.
10. 303 Multi Surface Cleaner Spray, All Purpose Cleaner
Last on the list is the 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray, All Purpose Cleaner, but don’t get us wrong. It’s as good as the Mothers 87138, with a cleaning power that can challenge the Griot’s Garage product.
The 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray doesn’t look very impressive at first sight, but it shocked us with how well it works on just about every kind of surface. It’ll clean your car interiors without a problem, but where it shines is cleaning stained and dirty fabric.
This includes everything from seats stained from years of use to coffee or ketchup stains that just won’t come out with the regular cleaner. It leaves a lot of residues when dissolving stains, but if you don’t mind cleaning that up, you’ve found the all-purpose cleaner for you.
We’d say that the one drawback with this product is that it isn’t powerful, and you’ll need a fair bit of scrubbing to get the worst of the stains out.
Pros:
- Great for cleaning mildew and other contaminants from fabrics
- Works equally well for cleaning both household furniture and car interiors
- Completely solvent and dye-free to prevent damage to delicate fabrics
- You can wipe it off with a cloth instead of having to use water.
Cons:
- It leaves a lot of residue on the surface.
- We also noticed that it’s not very concentrated, so it’s probably not a very good choice for cleaning wheels.
Best All-Purpose Cleaner for Car Interior Buying Guide
While it’s easy to find a product that is labeled as ‘All-purpose’, there are very few products that actually fall under this category. This is because of the materials it needs to cover without harming inside the vehicle. In case you are curious what to check when finding all-purpose interior cleaners, here is the buying guide.
Effective Interior Cleaning Power
All-purpose cleaning products need to be able to cut through dirt and grime and remove it without inflicting any harm on the interior. And while some products might claim that they are effective, you need to check what kind of cleaning power is being used in order to determine whether or not if the product will actually work efficiently on most interior surfaces.
Usability and Safe to Use
Since these products are used inside the car, it is important that they are safe for use in an enclosed environment.
Some ingredients may be too harsh or abrasive which can harm surfaces if not handled carefully. The cleaners should have a list of materials on their labels so you will know if it is safe to use.
Make sure there are no harmful chemicals in it as chemicals can pose risks for your car, your health, and the environment.
Read Also: Best Cleaner For Car Interior Plastic
Fast Acting Cleaning Formula
Fast-acting cleaners are best for using on the car interior as you need to use as little time as possible. These products should be able to break down the dirt and other materials on contact so it’s easier for you to wipe away without leaving any stains or residue behind.
If you pick a product that takes time to complete cleaning tasks, it will be erratic at some point to clean the interior. Ultimately, you will stop cleaning the interior regularly resulting in a dirty car interior that no one wants to see.
Easy to Use and Store
Dedicated cleaners for car interior should be easy to use and store. This means that they need to have a spray bottle or trigger dispenser which you can easily control the amount of product dispensed. You also want to make sure it is safe enough to store at your garage or inside the house.
You’ll find cheap interior cleaners but they may come with harsh chemical concentrations that may not be safe to be stored inside the house. Be careful about that.
Scented Cleaners are Best for Interior Use
You might want to pick a product that has a nice scent or your car will smell like chemicals.
There are products out there with different scents you can choose from and if possible, we recommend going for the ones that have no chemical odor at all. Not only does it appeal but also helps enhance the interior vibe of your vehicle as well.
Brand Reputation
You need to check the brand reputation when it comes to interior cleaning products. You can do this by checking out if they have good reviews online and also what other car interior cleaners are saying about them. If possible, try speaking with their customer service team as well just in case you picked up a defective product that needs replacement or refund right away.
Apart from these, reputed brands are less likely to use products that are not safe for your car’s interior or human health. Plus, they are not likely to claim things that they actually don’t provide.
Cost and Value of the Product
It doesn’t matter how effective a product might be, if you can’t afford it then there’s no point in buying it. That is why we recommend that you look at the cost as well as the value of each product so you will know which one provides more bang for your buck.
By knowing what to look for when choosing the best cleaner for any car surface, you will find it easier to weed out products that aren’t worth your time and money. That way you can cut through the clutter and get a product that delivers on its promises without wasting any resources or effort in purchasing something that won’t work as well.
Final Verdict
With so many great products in the lineup, we don’t have to tell you how hard it was to make a choice. The CARPRO Multi X All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate offered the best overall cleaning power, but the Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner was much easier to use.
In the end, we chose a product that combined the best of all worlds, with a little more focus on cleaning power. The winner, thankfully, was one we expected:
The CARPRO Multi X All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate!
It was cheap, affordable, and from all the reviews we checked out, it worked exceptionally well for everybody. Not only that, but professional garages that go through a lot of products daily will also appreciate that you can dilute it up to a ratio of 20 parts water and 1 part product!