We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. Some gooey cleaning compound to detail vents and other hard-to-clean areas. It feels like a child's plaything but WOW does it work.
You can also use it on surfaces like keyboards, speakers, screens, cameras, etc. JUST NOTE that you should use it to press to clean. Don't leave it on a surface and walk away because gravity will let it sink into grooves and make a mess.
Promising review: "Love this! Mini car detailer. It even got some trapped fur in the car crevices!" —MvP
Get it from Amazon for $6.77.
2. An upholstery cleaner will undo whatever it is your kids are doing to your backseats.
Promising review: "I have kids (8- and 3-years-old). They have destroyed my back seat. Spilled chocolate milk, vomit, melted chocolate, dropped fries, dropped ice cream, spilled Gatorade — you name it, it has been spilled in my back seat. I was to the point of accepting my backseat would forever be a disgusting wasteland. Then I stumbled upon this product and y'all...Y'ALL IT WORKS! I almost cried when I sprayed it on, ran a detail brush over it, wiped it away with the cloth, and the stains were GONE. No scrubbing for 30 minutes. No 'leave to set for 15 minutes.' No carpet cleaner required. Just spray, scrub, wipe, and it takes everything off. I am now cleaning EVERYTHING with this stuff. It is AMAZING! An absolute MUST for any parent. 100% will buy again." —Rachel
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
3. Plus a powerful tire cleaner can clean off the road dust (and so much more) on all sorts of wheels.
Promising review: "Wow! I spend a long time trying to clean my rims with car soap, dish soap, and other car products without any success. No matter how much I rub and scrub it felt like the the dirt and grime was a permanent part of my rims. I've been negligent and haven't touched my rims in about two years (I know... never again). I was desperate so I decided to do some research as a last attempt. I found this and thought maybe it's because I need something specifically for 'brake dusts.' Decided to give it a try and it actually worked! I had to scrub it with a brush and respray it about two to three times on each rim before it's 90% like new again but that's mainly because my rims are so heavily soiled that I don't blame the product. At the end of the day it did what I needed it to do so I'm happy." —Rvn101
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in two sizes).
4. And a bug remover to clean the gore from your windshield, grille, and side mirrors.
Promising review: "This item was recommended by a stranger in the next RV lot at a campground hundreds of miles from home. This good Samaritan brought his bottle over, sprayed down the front of my bus, and then just wiped half an inch of smashed bugs off it! Just like magic. He then smiled, shook my hand, and left. When we got within two days of home, we ordered this, and it was delivered the day after we arrived. Again, it worked just like magic." —Hikes in Rain
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
5. A pair of low-key seat gap fillers you may have eyed on Shark Tank and wished you'd invented them yourself because think of all the french fries you could've saved from the floor.
Promising review: "Never drop and lose your stuff again! I purchased these over six months ago and ended up buying another because of how convenient and safe it is. The stitching and quality for the seat filler is great with no loose fibers. This was used in a 2000 Honda Accord as well as a 2016 RAV4. I really believe this will fit a majority of cars, see images for reference.
Having it between the seats has saved me on many occasions. You don't even notice it there until you drop something, say oh ****, but feel relieved that it stops right on top of the gap filler. Even my friends don't notice it until they drop something into the abyss." —Long-Term Product Reviews by Hugh&Co.
Get two from Amazon for $22.99.
6. And while we're on the subject of fast food, a steering-wheel table that'll contain your lunch Taco Bell feast without causing a Fire Sauce mess all over your seat.
Promising review: "Love this! Did have to turn steering wheel upside down, but it fits my VW Jetta. I eat in my car four days a week, and this greatly improves my dining experience. :)" —Pbrooks
Get it from Amazon for $13.97.
Also check out a dedicated French fry holder that'll fit in your cup holder.
7. And a double-dipping clip can hang onto your car vent to keep your sauces upright instead of tipping over onto your seats.
Promising review: "Bought this for my brother for Christmas, it was a hit! He's often on the road traveling and has shared funny stories of how he gets sauce on his fast food while in the car. He loved it, works great, thank you! :)" —Amanda Nill
Get it from 3DPrintedByBrian on Etsy for $5+ (available in single or double).
8. A chic(?!) cupholder trash can for catching all those squeezed-dry sauce pockets, straw wrappers, and receipts you no longer require.
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in four colors).
9. And a larger waterproof trash bin the whole fam will use to toss their stuff someplace that isn't the floorboard.
BRB, buying this for my Uncle Bill.
Promising review: "This garbage bin works so well with my sedan!!! First of all, the small-sized bin fits my car perfectly. Plus, it stops the garbage from producing weird smell in the car, not even to mention that those small little bugs. Now, I am not afraid of having garbage in my car." —Liz
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in five colors; check out a similar trash can in solid colors for $14.87+).
10. A spring-loaded coin holder can fit nicely into a cup holder and help you make speedier money moves in the drive-thru. No more peeling soda-sticky coins up from your cup holder to make correct change.
Promising review: "This product works great! For years I have stored coins in the driver’s side door handle slot (‘05 Buick LaCrosse) and now in a plastic dish placed in the tan towel area seen in the photo (‘18 Prius). The coin organizer fits perfectly in the center console cupholder. It’s perfect for accessing exact change when in a drive-thru line. The coins easily slide in and out of their spring-loaded slots." —haparnold
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
11. An air sanitizer even funeral directors recommend if you have an olfactory disaster on your hands (like say, a dead mouse?!).
OK, when you spray it you may want to vacate your car because it's strong! But it works!
Promising review: "This product was recommended to me by a funeral director. He said he has been using it for years. I have to agree it is wonderful. Recently our daughter had a mouse die in her car (she was away and the car sat in the summer heat, in Florida, for a week). She was ready to sell the car... the smell just wouldn't go away. I told her about Ozium and she couldn't believe it! After one night the smell was gone! Another Ozium believer!" —jbf
Get two bottles from Amazon for $11.78. Also check out the gel version.
12. And for when things aren't so dire, a mini "plant" air freshener that'll jazz up your vents while helping mask the smell of french fries — which is only a lovely smell when you're eating 'em.
Vroom Blooms is a Greensboro, North Carolina–based Etsy shop that makes cute car accessories.
Promising review: "I'm obsessed with this! Even cuter than the pictures (and the pictures were pretty cute). So happy with it! Thanks for helping me decorate my new car!" —Julie
Get it from Vroom Blooms on Etsy for $12.75+ (available in a variety of scents).
13. A lidded trunk organizer to put SO MUCH into. Finally, you you'll tidy up your vehicle by just tossing junk in here without displaying its contents to the world!
Promising review: "Pleasantly surprised with the quality of this organizer. It was more sturdy or rigid than I expected. And I like that the top lid is easily placed on and off with Velcro. I believe it could get a few years use before replacement." —Tina
Get it from Amazon for $27.99 (available in gray and black).
14. An expandable cup holder so your actual child-size soda from the drive-thru can snugly fit without a spill while you show the yellow light who's boss.
It has an expandable base of 2.5-3.75-inch diameters which can fit most 32- to 40-oz bottles and in 3.4-3.8-inch diameter cup holders.
Promising review: "Chyuhh! This cup holder/expander is excellent!! I was pleasantly surprised with the materials — very sturdy. Also, it. does. not. rattle! For those of you who can’t get enough of the larger Hydro Flask/Yetis and are tired of them flying off of your passenger seat onto the floorboard, praise be this little guy. Do yourself a favor and just shell out the $25. So here’s the compatibility breakdown (mind you, this is not all-inclusive, just validation for my gear): Hydro Flask 32-oz, Hydro Flask 40-oz, Yeti Rambler 26-oz, Yeti Rambler 30-oz, Camelbak Chute Mag 32-oz, Camelbak Chute Mag 40-oz (it’s tight, but fits), S’well Traveler: 16- and 20-oz, and the Nalgene bottle: 32-oz. Cheers!" —Chelsea Marquart
Get it from Amazon for $18.69.
15. Or a cupholder adapter with a slit that'll fit in your coffee mug handle to prevent coffee from going everywhere.
Promising review: "This cup holder absolutely fits in a 2019 Tacoma, which is great because none of the twelve cup holders will accommodate an actual coffee mug. Seems fairly secure with the help of the cozy that comes with it. Fits nicely in the front console cupholders without too much wiggling. The pic shows my Hydro Flask fitting with just a bit of room left over. I feel that this will be enough to stabilize it." —the delta druid
Get it from Amazon for $16.95.
16. Or if you can't go anywhere without your HydroFlask, a HydroFlask car cup holder so you'll never be without your precious H2O. Keep it in your drinking cup instead of flooding your floorboards.
Wine & Whiskey is an Etsy shop that specializes in mostly custom print transfers.
Promising review: "This is absolutely perfect! It fits my cup perfectly and is very simple looking. The shipping was fast, which is always appreciated." —kpstitt304
Get it from Wine & Whiskey on Etsy for $12.99.
17. A pet protector can fit over your backseat so you won't have to go hunting for it in your garage next time Fido rides with you for errands.
My parents have one for our shed-happy family dog Hank and they're never going back. BTW, this one has a universal fit!
Promising review: "My fianceé and I bought this to take our dog on his first trip about four hours away. He has a problem trying to climb into our laps during drives so this was a perfect way to stop him from hurting himself. Our big concern was him not being able to see us, but he was the perfect height to still see us. It was still tall enough for him to not to be able to climb over it. However, this trip made him too anxious, and, since I didn't listen to my fianceé and stop to let him use the bathroom, he had an accident in the car. This divider helped prevent anything from being ruined. We cleaned up the poop quickly with Clorox wipes and it didn't bleed through at all. I would highly recommend this product." —DJ Fullmer
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
18. And an ugly but effective tool that'll FINALLY get all the pet hair off your backseat and floors. You'll wonder how you lived without up until now. (Psst, it's also super useful in your home, too.)
19. A car vent organizer that comes equipped with a charging port to safely hold onto the essentials so you aren't digging in the floorboard for a charging cord.
Promising review: "I keep the charging cables for the family's phones rolled up and in the pockets. It doesn't hold a whole lot of weight with my use. My Pixel 2xl will fit in the middle and back pockets and supports the weight of it (for testing purposes I don't keep it in the pouch). The hook I did have to wrap around a couple of times to make the length work with my dash. Over all it works well." —Aaron H
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
20. If you're a smoker (or drive around a smoker), this cup holder ashtray will look so much nicer than stray butts or repurposed soda cans.
Promising review: "Just what I wanted for my car. They don't come with ashtrays anymore. This fits in the cup holder, has a cool blue light when the lid is lifted, holds two cigs, and no more lit cigarettes flying back into my lap when flicked out the window. Thank you from those of us who still crave a cig while driving." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $12.97.
21. Some trimmable floor mats built to stand up to the elements because you're not going to wipe off your drenched shoes before you duck into your car during a downpour.
AND if you're wondering "But will it fit my car?" Amazon has a Check Fit option for this product where you can enter your vehicle's year, make, and model to help you find the perfect fit. Oh, and they can be trimmed!
Promising review: "Very nice, easily cleanable mats. I just take them out of the car and wash them with the car washing brush. I wish I had bought them sooner instead of wearing out two sets of those chintzy synthetic carpet mats which never really came clean in my dusty rural area and allowed my right heel to wear a hole in them after only a couple of years of driving. Even a blob of shoe goo didn't last long, and looked dumb." —Critical Thinker
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three styles).
22. Some protective kick mats because no matter how many times you say "Stop kicking!" your kids will keep on doing it like it's their job.
Promising review: "Absolutely love these!! I bought a Forester a couple of weeks ago and was freaking out about the light-colored cloth interior with a toddler and infant in the back seat. They fit wonderfully! Top and bottom buckle straps are both adjustable. The bottom strap is elastic, so if it doesn't fully tuck into your seats, it will stretch out of your way when you sit in the seat and is stretchy enough that it doesn't bother the driver or passenger's back/butt area. Have not had to clean it yet, but it's material similar to my travel changing pad which wipes clean super easily!" —Sarah M
Get two from Amazon for $16.97.
23. A dedicated wet/dry vacuum (that plugs into the cigarette lighter!) because who has the time to go by the car wash and feed quarters into the vacuum?!
Has a 106w motor, strong metal turbine, 16-foot cord, elastic hose, nozzle, and a clear trash compartment so you can see when it's time to empty it.
Promising review: "This thing is awesome! I own a 2018 Dodge Durango that sadly does not have leather seats. I own three dogs and it is just a nightmare pulling out my extension cord to vacuum my truck. I can now just plug this little guy into my 12v car outlet and I’m good to go! The power in this vacuum is as good as it’s going to get for a car vacuum so if you want extreme suction — buy a shop vac. Also the attachments are fantastic.
P.S. I own three dogs — it picks up hair. The spots with sand in the picture are not vacuumed over yet to compare." —Sally
Get it from Amazon for $14.72 (available in two colors).
24. A leather cleaner and conditioner that'll take out dirt and oils and leave behind a nourishing barrier to help prevent further UV damage.
It works with any color leather! And it's also safe to use on your leather jacket, shoes, and furniture.
Promising review: "I wear jeans all the time and the dye transfers onto the beige leather seats of my 2016 Camry (see before photo). I applied twice in immediate succession. Application one: seven sprays with immediate paper towel wiping. Application two: five sprays, waited 60 seconds, then paper towel wiping. ‘After’ picture shown here was taken after the first application. No discernible difference between application one and application two. One application does the trick!" —DDM11
Get it on Amazon for $26.99.
25. A super effective foaming glass cleaner that does all the hard work for you because the windshield is the window to your car's soul. But really.
Promising review: "I almost never make it through a car wash, though my windshield picks up enough dust that the occasional rain doesn't necessarily clean it up. I picked up a can of Invisible Glass after seeing lots and lots of comments from car buffs who swear by it, and I have to say they were right!
The aerosol can is a lot easier for applying it than your typical Windex bottle, and once it's wiped down, it dries almost instantly with absolutely no streaking. I have problems with glare when I'm driving at night, so a few streaks can really wreak havoc on my vision. Invisible Glass is inexpensive and easy, and I no longer have to deal with a not-quite-clear windshield." —ysar
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
26. A visor tissue holder fit for a royal's snotty nose. Cheers to getting the smushed box of tissues up and off your floorboards.
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.