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 trimmable floor mats built to stand up to the elements (and messy passenger princesses) 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).
2. A car-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 $24.72 (available in two colors).
3. 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 $24.99.
4. Some universal purse-holder hooks you can attach to your headrests in case you rarely travel with just one bag or often find yourself putting your groceries in the back seat.
Promising review: "This product rocks! Easy to install in my Ford Explorer. No more purse flying off the front seat onto the floor due to sudden stops for example. No more bags with items spilling out onto the seat and/or floor. No more take-out food tipping over and causing a mess. I was worried this product would damage my leather seats but all is well. Excellent gift for others too!" —Space Cadet
Get two from Amazon for $8.99 (available in beige and black).
5. Some gooey cleaning compound to detail vents and other hard-to-clean areas of your car. 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.
6. 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.
7. A scratchy lil' tool can FINALLY get all the pet hair off your fabric surfaces both inside your house and car. You'll wonder how you lived without it up until now.
8. But if you'd rather use (an also very effective) tool with a handle, this pet hair-removing tool can get the persistent fur you've been trying to mentally and emotionally accept.
Uproot Clean is a small biz specializing in pet cleaning products.
Promising review: "I have three Siberian Huskies and a Blue Heeler. They leave an entirely new carpet in my van every time they go for a ride. Vacuuming with a Dyson or shop vac takes HOURS. I read a lot of negative reviews of knockoff versions of this product, and even some for this original manufacturer, but I figured I’d take the risk on my vehicle carpets. Best decision ever! The pictures show a VERY quick run over the area, without moving anything, and without a lot of attention to detail. From covered in hair to over a quarter of the floor clean took less than five minutes! I cannot speak to using this on anything other than automotive carpet. But if you want to clean pet hair out of your vehicle’s carpet, BUY THIS PRODUCT!" —BruceW
Get it from Amazon for $16.79.
9. A drive-thru tray that'll help contain your meal on the road in hopes that way less of it ends up all over your car seats.
10. Plus a double-dipping clip to hang onto your car vent to keep 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).
11. A leather cleaner and conditioner can 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.
12. A chic(?!) cupholder trash can for catching all those squeezed-dry sauce pockets, straw wrappers, and receipts you no longer require.
Promising review: " Love having these in my car to help upkeep any little trash I have such as straw wrappers, tissues, etc! The set comes with two so I have one in my passenger and driver side doors!" —Step into Savings
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in four colors).
13. And a larger waterproof trash bin the whole fam will use to toss their stuff someplace that isn't the floorboard.
You can hang it from stuff or just set it on the floor. AND you can use a shopping bag to line it!
Promising review: "I cannot say enough good things about this trash bin. My car was a mess!! I’ve needed a trash can awhile so I bought this one. It’s sturdy, holds quite a bit of trash, and can be stored in a number of ways. With a child, this is definitely a must have!" —Kristin Guthrie
Get it from Amazon for $9.59+ (also available in a larger size with a lid).
14. 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.
15. An air sanitizer even funeral directors recommend if you have an olfactory disaster on your hands (like say, a dead mouse or spilled milkshake?!).
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.
16. A lidded trunk organizer to put SO MUCH into. Finally, you'll tidy up your vehicle by just tossing junk in here your kids leave in the car but SWEAR they'll need 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).
17. An expandable cup holder so that 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-ounce 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. A cup holder ashtray will look so much nicer than stray butts or repurposed soda cans if you're a smoker (or drive around a smoker).
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 $8.97.
21. 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. (Though they seemingly have a real future in soccer.)
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.
22. But if your kids are old enough to need all their essentials back there with them, storing stuff like toys and snacks in some storage-filled seat guards can do the trick.
Promising review: "I love them. They're perfect. They fit all my kids' things for long trips." —Mike Sperduto
Get two from Amazon for $21.99.
23. A bamboo charcoal air purifier you can toss in your car and forget about it.
You just have to place the bag in the sun (like say, on top of your car?!) for a couple of hours once a month to ~refresh~ its odor-neutralizing powers for up to two years.
Promising review: "I got these to try out because I have a dog that rides in my car sometimes, not often but I can always smell dog smell when my car has been sitting for three to five days and then I go to get in and can smell wet dog. I traveled for work this week and my car sat for a few days at the airport again and got in my car the other night and no do smell. I was so happy. I stuck one in the storage area under the stairs and we will see how that does." —Jody VIncent
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $16.95.
24. A sling-like purse holder to stretch between your front two seats to keep all your essentials within reach and upright, even when traffic forces you to brake in a split second. Reviewers find this also serves as a barrier to keep dogs in the back seat.
Promising review: "This was the best purchase I have made for myself! It works extremely well, exactly how the description described, which is a rarity these days. I spend a lot of time in my car with my children running back-and-forth doing the mommy thing. This little gadget has made my life so much easier. I actually have the pocket facing me so that way I can put my iPad in it and lay my pocketbook in front." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
25. A handy seat organizer you can easily move from seat to floor to backseat to backseat floor — it's going to be as well-traveled as you!
It has super convenient carrying handles, movable dividers, and a belt strap to help it stay put. Plus the mesh pockets make it super easy to see what's inside for easier finding.
Promising review: "There's almost never anyone in the front passenger seat, except when there is. When I'm running in mom-mobile mode, this thing keeps my purse and phone from falling off the seat, it holds my sunglasses, lip balm, and hand lotion for easy access, it keeps a deck of cards, wipes, banking paperwork, frost scraper, granola bars and other must-haves organized and within easy reach. And when my husband hops in, we just put it in the trunk and I can pretend I don't use the car as base camp." —Amazon customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors).
26. A sunglasses holder clip so you can actually buy some nice sunglasses without people stepping all over them in the car.
CCMMotorsport is an Etsy shop specializing in car accessories.
Get it from CCMMotorsport on Etsy for $13.99 (available in three colors).
27. If all else fails, some auto wipes because they'll make a surprising difference for such a low level of effort.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.