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Best Car Upholstery Cleaner For Carpets, Fabric, and Interior

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Introduction


Your car upholstery goes through rough rides, so paying a little attention to it is a must. After an accidental coffee spill, a long road trip with pets and children or commutes where dust piles up, you need the best car upholstery cleaner to save the day. It will maintain the interior of your car, guaranteeing a longer life.

Even if you’re a clean driver and passenger, dirt and dust will always find their way to the tight corners. In this article, you’ll find reviews of the best car upholstery cleaners and tips to help you choose the right one.

Reviews of Best Car Upholstery Cleaners


There are several cleaners available on the market, so picking the right one might be a little tricky. Here are reviews of some of the best-selling products.

1. CarGuys Super Cleaner - Effective All Purpose Cleaner

This multipurpose cleaner removes dirt and grime particles at the molecular level guaranteeing cleaner surfaces in a shorter time. Moreover, it’s an eco-friendly and non-toxic product that doesn’t harm the environment as you’re cleaning the interior of your vehicle.

It works on upholstery, leather, vinyl, plastic, and even wood. The potent foaming formula removes organic and non-organic stains but doesn’t work on glass and delicate panel screens like your navigator. You won’t have to rinse it after use, but it might leave a thin film on glossy surfaces.

Using this cleaner is easy as it comes with a cleaning towel, but it’s more expensive than other products. There’s no tacky gloss or oil residue left behind, so your car won’t feel sticky.

Combining the properties of a solvent, and a dust remover in one product, I recommend this product to people who need a versatile cleaner that works on pretty much any surface. It’s a bit more expensive than other products and has a chemical smell, but it goes away quickly.

Pros

  • Multipurpose cleaner for most surfaces in your car.
  • Non-toxic formula.
  • Removes organic and non-organic stains fast.
  • Doesn’t feel tacky or leave an oily residue.

Cons

  • More expensive than other products.
  • Not suitable for glossy surfaces.

2. Chemical Guys CWS_103_16 Fabric Clean Carpet and Upholstery Shampoo and Odor Eliminator

No rubbing or scrubbing is needed to clean stains when you use this upholstery cleaner. It breaks down tough stains thanks to a biodegradable degreaser, while the enzymatic odor eliminator controls bad smells in your car.

This is an excellent choice for family vehicles as the naturally occurring microbes dissolve stains on several surfaces like vinyl, leather, and plastic. It doesn’t contain any bleach, ammonia, or other chemicals that might harm kids or pets.

It’s good value for money because it’s highly concentrated, and you won’t be paying for water. One container will last for a very long time, keeping your car smelling and looking new. You can also use it at home as it works on all carpets and upholstery, without leaving any sticky residue.

I recommend this to pet owners as it will remove pet odors from your vehicle, leaving a fresh clean smell. Using this product can get quite messy as it doesn’t come with a spray bottle. You’ll have to dilute it in a separate container and then use it to clean your upholstery.

Pros

  • Biodegradable upholstery cleaner and odor eliminator.
  • Safe for kids and pets.
  • Concentrated liquid formula that lasts for long.
  • Works immediately and doesn’t require scrubbing.

Cons

  • Messy application.

3. Blue Coral DC22 Upholstery Cleaner Dri-Clean Plus with Odor Eliminator

Some stains like coffee, lipstick, ink, blood, and tar are difficult to get rid of. This cleaner dissolves those stubborn stains, leaving your upholstery looking as good as new.

You can use this affordable foam cleaner for your upholstery, carpets and floor mats, but it won’t work on other surfaces like vinyl and leather. It neutralizes the bad odors, but it’s not strong enough to remove pet stains and odors, so you might need to shop for another product if this is what you need.

The built-in stiff brush cap will help you scrub off the grime and target the small particles of the stain that get trapped in the weave of the fabric. For older stains, you might need to spend more time until they’re 100% clean.

Although this is marketed as a fast drying product, it takes some time, and you’ll have to wipe it off completely before your car is ready for use. I recommend this for light-colored upholstery as it doesn’t leave a residue.

Pros

  • Affordable cleaner for heavy and old stains.
  • Removes bad odors while leaving a fresh scent.
  • Built-in brush cap for scrubbing.
  • Doesn’t leave marks on light-colored upholstery.

Cons

  • Not suitable for other surfaces in the car.
  • Not strong enough to remove pet odors and older stains.

4. Tuff Stuff Multi-Purpose Foam Cleaner

This is a powerful and affordable multipurpose cleaner that works on car upholstery and other surfaces to keep your vehicle clean. The deep foaming action dissolves grime and dirt, restoring the original color of your upholstery.

You can use this strong cleaner to remove tough stains from upholstery, fabric, leather, vinyl, carpets, and floor mats. You can also use it on any washable and painted surface inside the house.

I recommend this for people who don’t want to ruin their expensive suede or velvet. It doesn’t leave a residue, which makes it a good choice for cleaning light-colored upholstery.

It comes with a spray nozzle, so you can keep it in the garage for quick cleaning jobs. It won’t remove tough organic stains like food, drinks, and pet stains. If you need to remove strong annoying odors, then you might need to shop for another product.

Pros

  • Deep foaming upholstery cleaner.
  • Works on several types of surfaces.
  • Easy to apply using the spray nozzle.
  • Doesn’t affect light-colored and expensive fabrics.

Cons

  • Doesn’t work on tough organic stains.
  • No odor eliminator.

5. Meguiar's G9719 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner

Using this cleaner will restore your vehicle’s upholstery to its original state thanks to the fast acting cleansing foam. It targets stains and dissolves them from the bottom up; leaving your car’s interior looking as good as new.

Thanks to the dual-purpose sprayer, you’ll be able to use this cleaner on big surfaces or as a spot cleaner for tight corners. It’s not as messy as other cleaning products, so you can target a single spot for a quick fix.

I would recommend this if you’re looking for strong upholstery and carpet cleaner for your car, as it’s not designed to work on other surfaces like vinyl or leather. Moreover, you’ll have to wait for ten minutes before wiping it clean. You can use a scrubbing brush while working on tougher stains, but the foam will leave a fresh smell so it will remove the bad odors from your car.

Pros

  • Foaming formula for stubborn stains.
  • Dual spray for spot treatments and targeting wide areas.
  • Masks bad odors and leaves a fresh smell.

Cons

  • Needs time to soak in before it can remove stains.

How to Choose the Best Car Upholstery Cleaner?

Buying good car upholstery cleaner will save you time and effort. It’s also more affordable than going to the car shop. Here are some tips to help you choose the best product.

  • Upholstery Type

    Fabric is the most common and affordable type of upholstery and most products will work well on fabric. In some cases, you might need a cleaner for leather and vinyl as well to make sure that every surface in your vehicle is clean.

    Buying a cleaner that doesn’t suit your upholstery might damage it. You should be extremely careful, especially if the upholstery is light-colored.

  • Effectiveness

    Some cleaning products will work on dust, while others are strong enough to remove organic stains. Make sure that you’re buying a cleaner that will remove your stains efficiently. If you haven’t cleaned your car in a while, you should choose a strong product to dissolve old stains.

  • Removing Odors

    In addition to removing tough stains, you should make sure that your product will keep your car smelling fresh. Some products will only mask the bad odors, while others will dissolve even the most annoying pet odors.

  • Application

    Some car upholstery cleaners some in practical spray containers that you can use to target various stains. A small nozzle will allow you to clean tight corners.

    Liquid cleaners are suitable for wider applications so you can wipe any surface, but they might be more difficult to apply, especially if they need to be diluted. You’ll also have to wait until the surface is dry. Foam cleaners can be easily wiped and are suitable for quick cleaning jobs.

How to Use your Car Upholstery Cleaner?

No matter how careful you are, accidents happen and you might accidentally stain the upholstery of your car. Here are some tips to help you make the best of your car upholstery cleaner.

  • Deal with the stain as soon as it happens.

    The more you wait, the more difficult it will be to remove.

  • Blot the stain before adding the cleaner.

    ​Scrubbing a wet stain will spread it.

  • Follow the instructions of the cleaner you choose.

    See if you have to let it sit, wipe it, or rinse it after use.

Verdicts

There are several good upholstery cleaners on the market, but I highly recommend the Chemical Guys CWS_103_16 Fabric Clean Carpet and Upholstery Shampoo and Odor Eliminator. This concentrated cleaner won’t only remove all the tough stains, but it will also get rid of the annoying odors using a non-toxic formula.

Using the best car upholstery cleaner frequently will prevent the buildup of dust and grime. It will also allow you to tackle stains as soon as they happen. This will help you avoid wasting time at the car wash using a potent product that maintains and restores the condition of your upholstery.

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