Recommended Car Cleaning Components: a Quick Guide

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Contents hide

1. Always Keep These Car Cleaning Products On Hand

1.1. All-Purpose Cleaner

1.2. Car Wash Soap

1.3. Car Wax

1.4. Glass Cleaner

1.5. Interior Cleaner

Cleaning your car or truck doesn’t only make it look good. It also protects your vehicle by removing dirt, dust, moisture, and other substances that can corrode or wear its various parts. Use the right car cleaning components to get the job done correctly.

Always Keep These Car Cleaning Products On Hand

Here’s our list of recommended car cleaning components and why you need them:

All-Purpose Cleaner

Before you wash your vehicle, treating its surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner is recommended. All-purpose cleaners lift difficult-to-remove dirt and grime from most surfaces. Also, there are specialized formulas for treating convertible tops, undercarriages, and other surfaces with unique requirements.

Our Top Picks For All-Purpose Cleaners

Car Wash Soap

Car wash soap removes most dirt from your vehicle’s surface without damaging it. There are also heavy-duty shampoos specializing in removing mud, bugs, and tar that resist general cleaners.

Our Top Picks For Car Wash Soap

Car Wax

Keep your vehicle clean and safe by coating it with wax after washing it. Car wax shields the coated surfaces from direct exposure to the elements, keeping the paint and body panels safe. A wax coat also stops dirt and other sticky substances from touching the coated part. Some products use carnauba wax, while others use ceramic-based wax.

Our Top Picks For Car Waxes

Glass Cleaner

A glass cleaner specializes in removing dirt from the windows. It eliminates stickier substances like dirt, grime, and insects from the exterior side of window glass. When applied to the interior side, glass cleaner can remove the oily film that builds up on the surface. Formulated to clean windows safely and effectively, glass cleaner doesn’t leave streaks after use, keeping car glass like the windshield clear.

Our Top Picks For Glass Cleaners

Interior Cleaner

The interior of your vehicle has various surfaces made of different materials, such as leather, plastic, and wood. Each material might have unique cleaning requirements. For example, an approach that works for plastic might damage leather. You need a universal interior cleaner that can safely clean most surfaces. Consider getting specialist formulas that clean specific parts and accessories, such as floor mats.

Our Top Picks For Interior Cleaners

Quick Detailer

If you must remove relatively light dirt but lack the water to rinse car cleaner and car wash soap, use a quick detailer. It reduces friction between the treated surface and your cleaning tool, enabling you to remove dirt with a microfiber cloth. Some quick detailers have wax, allowing you to clean and wax your vehicle simultaneously.

Our Top Picks For Quick Detailers

Wheel Cleaner

Wheels get dirty all the time. In addition to the usual culprits, dirt and water, they also get exposed to brake dust, oil, and other substances that are hard to remove. Use a wheel cleaner to eliminate contaminants without damaging the part. Some wheel cleaners can remove iron-based contaminants like brake dust and iron deposits.

Our Top Picks For Wheel Cleaners

Car Wash Brush

Choosing the right kind of brush can make cleaning your car easier. A good car wash brush can scrub off clingy dirt without damaging the surface. You also need a separate brush that’s safe for use on leather and textiles.

Our Top Picks For Car Wash Brushes

Cleaning Cloth

The cleaning cloth is the jack-of-all-trades in cleaning. It can dry wet surfaces, apply cleaning solutions to surfaces, and wipe away dirt. Thus, you require multiple pieces, reserving some for use outside your vehicle while only using the others to wipe interior surfaces.

Our Top Picks For Cleaning Clothes

Sprayer

Some liquid car cleaner products require spraying over the surface. That’s a job for a sprayer. Also called foam cannons and foam guns, sprayers apply liquid cleaners in the best pattern to treat the surface.

Our Top Picks For Sprayers

About The Authors

Written By

CarParts.com Research Team

Automotive and Tech Writers

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

Reviewed By

Richard McCuistian

Technical Reviewer at CarParts.com

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.