6/7
Best Multi-Use Car Carpet Cleaner
Chemical Guys Lightening Fast Extractor
Swiftly tackle all the carpeting you’ve got with Chemical Guys Lightning Fast Carpet and Upholstery Extractor. It handles carpet and upholstery in your car and home, plus it cleans a variety of other items like sofas and sneakers. It’s affordable, works quickly and is the ultimate bundle when paired with Chemical Guys New Car Smell Air Freshener.
There are nearly 15,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, many touting it as a “total game changer.” One reviewer used it to get stains out of their car on the first try and then removed oil from a gray-and-white rug in their home. Keeping a bottle on hand is one of our best car cleaning tricks.
Pros
- Compatible with multiple surfaces, including car interiors, sofas, sneakers and more
- Affordable
- Easy to apply and use
- Light, refreshing scent
- Works on many types of stains like oil, pigment and mud
Cons
7/7
Best Car Carpet Cleaners for Pet Parents
Rocco & Roxie Stain and Odor Eliminator
An essential cleaning tip for pet owners: Buy this Rocco & Roxie spray to banish protein stains and stinky urine odors. It’s designed to eat up odor-causing matter from your pet’s “organic spills,” instead of just masking the scent with a fragrance, and definitely lives up to its motto: “If it’s gross, it’s gone.”
While it’s marketed as a cleaner for home carpet, we found that it works nicely on car interiors, too. A few spritzes on car carpets lifts old, stinky messes with minimal effort. You can use it with a paper towel, microfiber cloth or one of the best car vacuum cleaners with wet-dry capabilities.
Pros
- Designed specifically to tackle pet odors and messes
- Lifts and removes odors rather than masking them
- Works on car carpets, upholstery and inside your home
- Can be blotted, steamed or wet vacuumed out
Cons
- Not ideal for greasy or heavily-pigmented stains
FAQs
What is the best way to clean a car carpet?
Using a car carpet cleaning product is the easiest way to lift stains and odors. If you have cloth car floor mats, you should remove them first. Then apply cleaning products and allow them to soak into the affected areas. Blot, rub, steam or wet vacuum until the dirt and debris are no longer detectable.
Can you use regular carpet cleaner on car carpet?
You can, but car carpets are typically made of sturdier nylon fibers and synthetic polymers that can handle more aggressive surfactants. That means carpet cleaners for your home are typically weaker than car carpet cleaners.
Can you steam clean a car carpet?
Yes, you can steam clean car carpets. This method is especially effective on old, tough and highly-pigmented stains.
