7 Best Car Cleaning Kits of 2023, Reviewed by Experts

Jul 12, 2023

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These top-rated kits will have your car sparkling, both inside and out.

Every car, no matter the make or model, needs to be cleaned regularly to keep it functioning at its best and looking good. But just because you want a clean and refreshed car doesn't mean you need to head down to the car wash. These car cleaning kits mean you can do it all from the comfort of your own driveway. Whether you're looking to take your at-home car wash to the next level, or you want to stock up on all the supplies you need to properly detail your ride, these kits can help you make sure your vehicle is looking as good as ever.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute regularly vet and review cleaning and auto products to keep your car looking great, from the best leather cleaners to the best upholstery cleaners. Our experts did the research to find the best car cleaning kits of 2023. To make our picks, we researched top brands, looked through five-star reviews and considered popular products we can trust and stand behind. We considered factors such as which tools and cleaning supplies each kit included, the quality of the products, how well they cleaned and how easy they were to use, as well as which applicator tools were included. We also took into account the price, cleaning supply ingredients and more.

Once you've read through our top picks, head to the end of this guide to learn more about how we chose the best car cleaning kits, what to consider when shopping and why you can trust the experts at Good Housekeeping.

With 20 different pieces including a collapsible bucket and car dust cleaning gel, this exhaustive set has just about every cleaning product and tool you'll need to get both the interior and exterior of your car sparkling. It includes a 16-ounce bottle each of car wash soap, wax spray, wheel spray, detail spray, interior cleaning spray and glass cleaner as well as a car wash mitt, tire brush, rim and wheel brush, collapsible bucket, window squeegee, air conditioning vent brush and much more. We'd be surprised if you could think of any additional tool or spray you'll need while washing, dusting, detailing and protecting the interior surfaces. Keep in mind that some online reviewers found the tools (especially the collapsible bucket) to be not quite as sturdy as some other options.

Five sprays, an air freshener, liquid wash and wax and a wash pad make up this eight-piece premium kit by Armor All. Use the wash and wax liquid, wheel and tire cleaner and tire shine to clean up the dirt that accumulates from hours of driving before switching to the protectant and multi-purpose cleaner to keep your interior looking spiffy. It also comes with a glass cleaner for your windows. The microfiber wash pad helps clean without scratching or damaging surfaces, and the on-the-go air freshener is the cherry on top of that professional looking clean.

This classic wash and wax kit has all the basics you'll need to detail everything from the interior console to the wheels. The eight-piece set includes wax, detailer mist, wheel and tire cleaner, interior detailer cleaner and car wash shampoo and conditioner. It also comes with a sponge, microfiber towel and foam applicator pad to make it easy to apply each cleaner.

Online reviewers particularly liked how well the cleaners worked and the quality of the products. While it doesn't come with absolutely everything you'll need for an extra-deep clean (like a tire brush), it's a solid option for those who aren't looking to spend as much money but still get a quality job done. Plus, our cleaning experts gave the similar Meguiar's Hybrid Wash & Wax System a 2021 Cleaning Award.

You'll have no trouble keeping your car in tip-top shape with this 16-piece kit from Chemical Guys. Unlike many other kits, this one comes with a sturdy plastic bucket so you don't have to supply your own. While definitely on the pricier side, it also comes with four microfiber towels, an applicator, a short handle brush, a Torq Foam Cannon, microfiber wash mitt, cyclone dirt trap, glass cleaner, wheel gel, wax, washing soap, shine protectant and detailer spray. With a 4.7-star rating on Amazon and over 23,200 reviews, this kit has a huge following. Online reviewers particularly like the foam cannon that easily sprayed soap all over the car, but noted that this kit is more for washing the exterior of the car than the interior.

If you've already got all of the cleaning fluids in your garage, this detailing brush set is the missing piece to give your car that extra-professional clean. Featuring five different-sized detailing brushes great for getting into all the nooks and crannies, three wire brushes for less delicate areas and an air vent brush, this kit is designed to give a deep clean to your engine bay, wheels and rims, interior and exterior. While it doesn't come with any cleaning fluids, it's a great, budget-friendly addition to any car-lover's kit. Plus, this way you'll no longer need to use the same tools from around your house for cleaning your car.

No matter what you want to clean inside or outside of your car, this kit has everything you need. With both interior and exterior cleaning fluids and tools, you'll be able to get your car pretty close to that "new car" feeling. Each 21-item kit comes with a sturdy bucket, foam gun, air fresheners, microfiber towels, interior detailer spray, wheel cleaner, glass cleaner and a ton more. It also comes with instructions on how to apply each of the products and where each of the tools is best used. Online reviewers like how thorough the kit is and appreciated that the products felt very high quality, but found the packaging on the cleaning fluids to not be extremely durable.

Car owners who have vehicles with leather seats will find this complete restoration kit from Furniture Clinic a lifesaver. This Good Housekeeping Seal-holder cleans, protects and restores your car's leather to create a finish that's almost as good as new. While testing it, we appreciated that the cleaner did a great job of removing built-up dirt and grime, including blue dye stains from jeans. We also found that the Re-Coloring Balm was able to restore the color to faded and worn leather in a natural way that seamlessly blended into the color of the rest of the seat.

The cleaning and auto experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute research and vet a variety of products to help keep your vehicles in great shape, from the best products to clean your car to the best car accessories, including car cleaning kits. In the past few years, we have tested dozens of cleaners and furniture polishes. "We look for not only how well [each product] cleans but how safely it cleans without any damage or color loss," explains Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté regarding how we evaluate leather cleaners.

When picking our favorite car cleaning kits (and vetting the ones we found worth considering), we look at things like the product labeling directions and safety information, packaging, ease of use and durability. We also examine the ingredients list to ensure all products are safe for use on your car. This list is comprised of top products from brands we trust and kits with five-star reviews.

✔️ Use: Most of these kits can be used to clean both the interior and exterior of your car, but which one you pick is dependent on which area you're planning on focusing on more. While some options have more tools and cleaning fluids for your car's wheels, rims and paint, others come with specialized tools and cleaners for interior detailing.

✔️ Application: Aside from the cleaning fluid, it's important to consider what additional tools are included in the kit. We particularly recommend ones that come with specialty tools for each task along with some general applicators like microfiber cloths and dusters. This way, "You can keep these tools dedicated to your car cleaning and not use the same ones you use to clean inside the house," explains Forté.

✔️ Special features: Some larger, more exhaustive kits include unique tools and cleaners that can come in handy. While casual beginners may not need these extra items, things like foam guns, a grit guard and even a few air fresheners can help add that special touch to your car cleaning experience.

Our auto experts test-drive dozens of new vehicles each year and evaluate many car accessories and cleaning products as well. Our lead tester, Chief Technologist and Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman has test-driven over 200 cars herself in the last five years.

Our cleaning experts, led by Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté, research, review and test a variety of cleaning products for both the interior and exterior of your car.

To write this guide, GH Institute analyst Jamie Spain worked with Rothman and Forté to research the best car cleaning kits available right now. Jamie has vetted and reviewed a variety of auto products for GH, including car organizers and car leather cleaners.

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor's degree in journalism and psychology and a master's degree in journalism.

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