This Genius Car Trash Is Totally Waterproof and Smell-Proof

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From commuting for work to carpooling for soccer practice, no matter where you’re driving, chances are you spend a good chunk of time in your car every day. And with everyone eating, working and playing games in there, you can count on spills, stains, pet hair from four-legged friends, and more. So just like your home, you should be cleaning your car often to keep it looking and smelling its best.

It turns out, that many of the best cleaning products that you use to spruce up your house will work for car cleaning, too. But the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab experts have found some cleaning and organization products are especially suited for any vehicle’s small spaces, textured surfaces and hard-to-reach crevices and compartments.

Here are the best car cleaning products from our Lab tests, including trusted Good Housekeeping Seal stars, that can easily tackle dust, dirt, and debris to leave your car clean in no time.

Super Cleaner

With nearly 14,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, this all-purpose cleaner from the Car Guys promises to tackle nearly every spot and stain in your car. Reviewers rave about how the bestseller transformed their car interiors, erasing years of stains and restoring the color to their seats.

StashAway Console Car Trash Can

The best way to tackle messy cars? Prevent it from happening in the first place! Keep a lidded trash can, like this one from High Road, in your vehicle to contain all the wrappers, cups and other trash that accumulates in the car. GH cleaning pros like the unique design that means you don’t have to open the lid to throw things away, which will keep stinky smells in. Not to mention, since the inside is vinyl, you can easily rinse it clean.

Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner

A inexpensive Amazon favorite with almost 11,000 5-star reviews, this handheld vacuum is a bargain to say the least. It plugs into your car’s 12-volt outlet with an almost 15-foot cord and features a headlight to nab every last speck under and between the seats. There’s also a washable stainless steel filter, a hose, brush, crevice tool and even a storage bag to pack it up neatly into the trunk so it’s handy at home or on the road.

Car Wash & Wax

Forget pricey trips to the car wash and add-on car waxes, Simple Green’s auto cleaner cuts through dirt, grime and grease (even bugs!) to leave your car with a polished, streak-free shine. Use it on everything from SUVs and trucks to motorhomes and ATVs. And according to auto experts, washing your ride with dish soap or dishwashing detergent can actually damage the finish. Stick with a product formulated specifically to wash cars instead.

Quik Detailer Mist & Wipe

Nothing's worse than parking your freshly washed car under a tree and having berries — or worse bird poop —land on it. Rather than heading back to the car wash or pulling out the garden hose, reach for Meguiar's Quick Detailer instead. The trigger spray bottle makes it easy to target small messes before they damage your car's finish. Simply apply the fine mist and wipe clean. It's neutral formula won't remove any wax that's already there.

Pet Stain Eraser 2003T

Don’t let its name fool you: Bissell’s Pet Stain Eraser is great for way more than just pet messes. The Good Housekeeping Seal star vacuums up wet spills and removes stains. We like that it comes with a cleaning formula that stores on-board to remove not only your pet’s messes, but food and drink spills and set-in stains as well. It works on carpet and upholstery, and includes a bristle brush in case your mess needs extra scrubbing. Not to mention it has an 18-minute runtime so you can clean front and back seats with no trouble.

Leather Wipes

Use Weiman’s leather wipes to condition and clean your car’s interior — they’re even formulated with sunscreen to guard against damaging UV rays. Keep some in your trunk or glove box for quick access. In our Cleaning Lab’s tests, the Good Housekeeping Seal star wipes left leather looking richer and easily removed dirt and grime. Before giving your seats a cleansing, be sure to test in a hidden area.

Glass Cleaner

The constant traffic of kids and pets can leave windows covered in grimy prints. Opt for a spray like this one from Invisible Glass that dispenses a fine mist instead of one in a trigger bottle to give glass a so-clean-it’s-invisible look in minutes. A fine mist stays where you spray it, so you won’t deal with messy drips or extra wiping. Starting at the top, wipe the glass vertically on one side and horizontally on the other. This way if you see a streak, you’ll know what side it’s on. This is our Cleaning Lab experts’ favorite window cleaner because it doesn’t drip!

Disinfecting Wipes

There’s no easier way to rid your car of cold and flu germs from ill family members than with Lysol wipes. These aren’t for leather surfaces, but use them on anything plastic like the shifter, window buttons, door handles, floor mats, and other places that get touched often. Simply wipe the spot down, and then let air dry. You can also use these as a steering wheel cleaner if you don’t have a leather-wrapped one, if you do, go with the Weiman wipes instead.

Leather Re-Coloring Balm

Sunlight exposure, dry air, and everyday wear can leave leather interiors looking faded and dull, and cleaning alone can’t restore them. Good Housekeeping Seal star Furniture Clinic Leather Re-Coloring Balm is an easy-to-use pigmented paste that brings the color and shine back to worn items with just one or two applications.

After applying it to a leather recliner in Lab tests, we saw an instant improvement and after five minutes, we couldn’t tell the faded areas from the rest. Before using the balm, make sure the leather is absorbent (if a water drop soaks in, it is OK to use) and clean the leather to remove loose dirt and dust.

Window Genie

Just like microfiber shines up mirrors, surfaces and windows inside your home, this cloth mitt will work wonders on your car, too. Our GH Cleaning Lab has tested many of e-cloth's towels with impressive results which is why we're excited about this microfiber mitt made especially for the car. It's a super absorbent cloth that will leave your windows shiny and streak-free. Plus, it's machine washable.

Car Vent Clip

Zap odors from stinky pets or snacks with a Febreze clip-on air freshener. Attach the Good Housekeeping Seal star your car’s vent, and air from the AC or heater disperses its scent with zero effort from you. This works for sensitive noses too, since you can easily adjust the top dial to release more or less fragrance.

One Fabric and Air Mist

Have fabric seats and can’t seem to get rid of stinky smells no matter how much you clean? They could be clinging to fabrics, but since you can’t toss your seats in the wash, try Good Housekeeping Seal star Febreze ONE, whose formula traps and deactivates odor molecules. We love that it works on fabrics and the air so you can zap smells in your car air with a few sprays.

Microfiber Electronic Cloth

Your infotainment system (whether you have a touchscreen, buttons or both) is a dust and germ magnet. To clean the screen, use soft microfiber cloths like these from Toddy’s, which are specially-designed for electronics. Then go over buttons and any other spots with crevices where dust can settle with your vacuum’s soft brush.

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