best cleaner for car lcd screen in stock

All of us have a tendency to treat the driver"s seat as our personal throne. That"s where we"re in our element, so we get comfortable—and complacent. Whether our fingers were last tapping on our phone screen, grasping the handle of a wrench, or carefully unwrapping a half-melted Hershey bar, we all tend to jump in, tune the radio, adjust the AC, and set a destination on the nav screen—all without first washing our hands.

And if you have a family? Other drivers use the car and its touchscreen, too. Of course, kids can"t resist touching any kind of screen, ever, and who knows where those tiny fingers have been? All parents have swiped their car"s touchscreen and felt... mystery muck. Yuck.

Touchscreens are likely one of the dirtiest, most germ-covered surfaces of any automobile. Sure, your dash gets dusty and your floorboard accumulates (a disturbing amount of) trash. However, it"s that dash-mounted screen that gets the most fingers, and therefore germs, on it.

Not necessarily. Many typical household glass cleaners contain either ammonia or alcohol. Most manufacturers recommend avoiding harsh chemicals on touchscreens, as they can affect functionality and perhaps damage the surrounding dashboard.

Sure, it"s cheaper and easier to use plain ol" Windex or Glass Plus, mainly because you"ve probably already got that stuff. Despite the temptation, though, you should avoid using household glass cleaner on your car"s touchscreen unless you"re positive the one you"re using contains neither ammonia nor alcohol. Besides, you may already own a great screen cleaner and not realize it.

Many modern automotive detailing products, including Chemical Guys Interior Cleaner and Meguiar"s Total Interior Detailer, are safe and effective to use on your car"s touchscreen. Read the label to be sure.

The fact is, there"s an even less expensive method to clean your car"s touchscreen, no products required—except a microfiber towel. (Again, you want to avoid scraping dust particles across the surface of your touchscreen to prevent scratches, so always use a clean microfiber towel.)

Many of the experts and gearheads in our Hearst Autos test garage told us they rarely use any kind of cleaner on their personal touchscreens. Up and down the line, those who saw us testing and photographing screen cleaners—we"re talking about people whose opinions we trust and whose bylines our readers know and respect—told us that whenever they get behind the wheel, they just drip a bit of water onto a clean microfiber towel, and wipe. Done.

As a parent, however, I"m left asking the question: Will a simple water wipe eliminate germs in the family SUV? Yeah, no. Sorry, but knowing my children, and the impressive but disgusting level of filth they can achieve, I"m going to use a cleaning agent on my car"s touchscreen.

To get to the bottom of whether car screen cleaners were truly necessary, we used a very scientific methodology. That is, we got our fingers and hands dirty, and touched the heck out of a screen in a test vehicle in the Hearst Autos stable. We let it dry for a while, and then cleaned it according to the product"s instructions. We did that five times.

We first made sure all the products did the job they claimed to do—and they all did. The wipes left droplets on the screen, which required a second wipe with a microfiber. But they all cleaned the chocolate and grease off the screen, leaving it clean and clear.

While using, we looked for any greasy film or residue left behind. We also considered any particularly strong odors, and took note of cleaners that left residual streaks. Most did, but all came away clean with a soft buff—that is to say, a few more gentle wipes with the microfiber towel.

Word to the wise: Don"t discount a screen cleaner because it leaves streaks on your screen. Take your time and do it right. We noticed far too many people online complaining that the product they used wasn"t some sort of magical solution that cleaned perfectly with just one wipe. All screen cleaners—all glass cleaners, really—will streak unless you take the time and care to give the surface a soft buff at the end of the process.

With a combined 206 years of automotive publishing experience, Hearst Autos—Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Autoweek—knows cars better than just about anyone. The Gear Team is committed to delivering honest evaluations, hands-on tests, and product reviews driven by decades of knowledge and experience. We get our hands on almost every product, tool, and piece of gear we feature.

If we can’t get our hands on the gear, we rely on the combined wisdom of our writers and editors, as well as auto experts we trust. We’ll never say anything is “the best” if we wouldn’t recommend it to our friends or buy it ourselves, and we won’t claim we’ve tested something if we haven’t. Learn more about our product testing here.

Through the car touch screen, also known as the infotainment screen or itouch screen, we enjoy a lot of advantages such as music playing, GPS navigation, voice recognition, etc.

You wouldn’t want such a precious thing to get damaged or destroyed, so it’s a must to take proper care of it, including observing the proper way of how to clean your car touch screen.

To clean it, it must be turned off, gently wiped with a microfiber cloth sprayed with a cleaner in an up and down motion, and wiped dry with another clean microfiber cloth.

Since the touch screen is delicate, cleaning it should be done with caution. And that includes using the right materials for the task to avoid causing any damages. So make sure to prepare the right materials for cleaning itouch screen, which are listed below:

The soft texture and non-abrasiveness of a microfiber cloth make it the best type of cloth to use when cleaning touch screen in car. With it, you can gently clean the car touch screen without leaving any scratches. You will need one for cleaning the car touch screen with a cleaner and another for wiping the surface.

Avoid materials like paper towels and cotton rags, as they’re highly abrasive and won’t do well in lifting the dirt from the car touch screen. Another thing to avoid is alcohol-based wipes, as they are damaging to touch screens, can leave streaks, and aren’t very soft.

A car touch screen can be cleaned with only the use of distilled water. Just distilled water would be enough for cleaning off the fingerprints and dirt on a car touch screen. Avoid tap water, as it can leave some residue from its minerals.

If there are stubborn grease, splatters of soda, or other accumulated deposits on your car touch screen, you can make use of an alcohol-and-ammonia-free cleaning solution.

Do not clean touch screen with alcohol or ammonia-containing products like household windows or kitchen cleaners, as they can damage the car touch screen. Other things you should avoid to not damage the car touch screen are solvents, kerosine, gasoline, acidic and alkaline solutions.

Or, you can make a DIY car touch screen cleaning solution. You can create one by combining equal parts of distilled vinegar and water. The vinegar’s acidity will dissolve the oils, sugar, and protein on the car touch screen’s surface, which will allow you to wipe them off more easily.

The steps in cleaning the car touch screen are very easy to do. Just remember to execute them with caution to avoid damaging it. Do the following steps with care:

Before you clean touch screen in car, you must turn it off first. You should never clean the car touch screen when it’s on because that would interfere with the pixels. Also, with the car touch screen off, you’ll be able to see the dirt and oils much better on the dark surface.

Spray the cleaning solution on a microfiber cloth for cleaning the car touch screen. If the oils and dirt on the surface aren’t too much or stubborn, then distilled water would work just fine. But if its surface is too filthy and with stubborn oils and dirt, then you need to use the commercial cleaner or the vinegar and water cleaning solution.

While there are different options for the cleaner, the best way to clean touch screen would be to lightly spray the cleaner on the microfiber cloth and gently wipe the car touch screen in an up and down direction.

You should not spray the cleaner on the screen directly, exert too much pressure on it, and pick off the stubborn debris with your fingernail, as doing these can damage it.

Or you may also wipe the screen in a side to side manner if you have a wider screen. Don’t wipe the screen in a circular motion, as it’s not as effective in cleaning.

After you’ve cleaned the car touch screen with a microfiber cloth and cleaner, wipe it again with a clean, dry microfiber cloth to dry it. Use the same wiping direction as you did in the previous step, either up and down or side to side.

How to clean your car touch screen is a super easy three-step process, and it can even be done with readily-available things at your home. However, if done wrong, the screen could get damaged. So always make sure to do it carefully.

How did you find this tutorial? If you liked it, kindly tell us in the comments section. And it would be great if you would pass the information on to other car owners by sharing this article.

Cleaning the inside of your car is rarely anyone’s favorite thing to do, but sometimes you just have to do it. If you have ever looked at your touchscreen and thought it needs a good cleaning, but you weren’t sure how to do it, here’s a post dedicated to getting your touchscreen clean safely so you don’t have to worry about those awful smudges and fingerprints anymore.

Cars get dusty, they just do. Bring a hand vacuum or a vacuum with a hose to your car and dust off the entire dashboard and lightly wipe the dust off your touchscreen with a microfiber towel. Use the vacuum to suck up as much dust out of the air as possible, but don’t touch it to your screen. You want to avoid dragging dust across the surface of your touchscreen to prevent scratches.

For best results, use a light spray of distilled water, spray it on your microfiber cloth first, then wipe your screen side-to-side OR up-and-down. Don’t wipe in circles and don’t use anything but microfiber. If you own a car you should have microfiber rags for all your car cleaning needs.

If your screen is exceptionally greasy or if soda splatter or other deposits have formed on your screen, mix a little bit of distilled white household vinegar into your water (no more than half vinegar to water). The acidity of vinegar can break down the sugars, grease, and protein of whatever you need to clean, making it easy to wipe off.

Don’t spray your screen directly, only your cloth should get sprayed first! Don’t push too hard or try to pick stuck-on debris off with your fingernail because you will probably end up damaging the touchscreen. Clean off your screen regularly to prevent it from getting really dirty all at once, and you will notice a big difference.

The screen for the navigation and audio system in your is more than likely a "Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display" (TFT LCD), which is very similar to the screen in a laptop computer. It not only uses advanced micro-technology to operate, it"s also coated to minimize glare and remain sharp and vivid almost all the time.

Make sure the screen in your car is turned off - you don"t want to interfere with any pixels while they"re still firing. Turning off the screen will also allow you to see dirt, dust, and grime better because you"re working with a dark surface.

Find your microfiber cloth. These soft, dry cloths are the same type of cloth you would use to clean your smartphone, eyeglasses or tablet. They"re perfect for the LCD screens in cars because they’re non abrasive. A high quality microfiber cloth will work efficiently when dry to clean most screen dirt and dust.

What not to do: You don’t want to use paper towels or old cotton rags because these can scratch your screen. These materials are both highly abrasive, and neither will be particularly good at lifting dirt from the screen’s surface. If you use one of these, your monitor will still be kind of dirty, and you run the risk of scratching or leaving behind lint particles.

Gently wipe the screen with the microfiber cloth from top to bottom using a circular motion. Try not to press too hard as this can damage your LCD screen. Continue to use the microfiber cloth to remove any remaining smudgy oils.

If you have a lot of dirt or any other tough sort of build up on your device, then you’ll probably need to use something more than a dry cloth. Spray your microfiber with a small amount of ammonia and alcohol free screen cleaning solution. Ordinary household window or kitchen cleaners, should never be used, as the alcohol or ammonia in the cleaner will damage the screen.

Avoid getting moisture in any ports on the car’s dashboard and don’t let the cleaning solution sit on the multimedia or satellite navigation screen for too long.

Do not wipe or clean your touch screen with paper towels or facial tissues, as these can scratch the surface. Using a microfiber cloth is the only safe way to clean your touch screen.

Unlike paper towels, our gentle microfiber cloths clean the sensitive glass on your touch screen without scratching the surface. The microfiber attract and removes unwanted oils and dust, whereas other product simply spread them around.

This post was written by AM Denmark. Established in 1971, over the last 45 years AM has earned its place as a leader in the field of vinyl, hi-fi, computer, touch screen and flat screen TV cleaning. As media consumption has evolved, AM has continued to innovate and adapt to new technologies and devices. AM thrives to provide the best and highest quality cleaning products for office and home use. The cleaning liquid in all AM cleaning products is alcohol-free, and safely tested across all screens. It won’t damage your most sensitive gadgets, screens or your skin, even after repeated use.

Pre-moistened and ready-to-use, Weiman"s wipes remove dust, fingerprints and other greasy smudges and smears without any harsh ingredients that could damage delicate screens — all reasons that helped them earn our Good Housekeeping Seal. In our Cleaning Lab tests, they were well-sized to use on large and small devices, worked quickly and cleaned well. Screens dried fast and without any excess moisture, streaks or residue left behind. We also like using Weiman pre-moistened wipes to remove grime from keyboards and for spot cleaning, too.

If you want a basic cloth to wipe away greasy smudges and film on everything from your phone to your laptop to your television screen, opt for E-Cloth. Made of microfiber, it picks up and locks in dust and dirt particles within its microscopic structure without scratching the surface and without the need for liquids, so it"s a safe bet for any device. And thanks to its large 8-inch by 12-inch size, there are thousands of tiny crevices for trapping particles, so it can handle multiple cleanings before it needs rinsing or washing. For devices that can withstand moist cleaning, the E-Cloth can be dampened before wiping for even better results. We have tested many E-Cloth microfiber cleaning cloths in the GH Cleaning Lab on glass, appliances and countertops and we are big fans.

Insignia, Best Buy"s private label brand screen cleaner is a consumer favorite. While we haven"t tested this spray ourselves, consumers praise it for cleaning all types of screens quickly and thoroughly and without damage. Most say it zapped streaks well and give it points for including a washable microfiber cloth — though a bit small — that can be stored neatly with the spray under the cap. Handy for homes with lots of screens to clean, the 5-ounce bottle of cleaning solution goes a long way when you spray the cloth, then wipe.

This ingenious little tool from OXO is super handy to keep in a desk drawer or nearby your desktop.Pop off the plastic cover and use the microfiber pad to zap a smudge, fingerprint or speck of stuck-on dirt that"s blurring your screen. The soft-bristle brush gets gently into crevices, ports, openings and between and around keys to whisk away crumbs and dust. When done, just snap the cover back on and retract the brush to keep it clean and in good shape.

If you have experience with high-end cameras, binoculars or microscopes, you likely recognize the Zeiss brand. With a long history in high-quality lenses, Zeiss knows how to clean delicate surfaces without damaging them. These pre-moistened, disposable wipes are individually wrapped so they stay clean, fresh and moist until you open the package. Easy to tuck into a purse, pocket, car console, desk or drawer, the wipes remove fingerprints and greasy smears without leaving behind any filmy residue that needs additional buffing. They can be used to clean eyeglasses, too.

There are lots of devices that use UV-C light and claim to kill bacteria and germs on surfaces. While it"s difficult to determine just how effective they are without the assistance of a microbiology lab, there are some things about the PhoneSoap Pro that impressed us enough to include it here. In conversations we had with the manufacturer, we learned that thePhoneSoap Pro is EPA-registered, though it"s not required to be. EPA registrations are something we look for on all the germ-killing cleaning products we test,and it provides the assurance that the claims are verified.

In our testing, we found the PhoneSoap Pro easy to use. It cleans both sides of your phone at once in just five minutes, shuts off automatically and allows you to charge your phone while it"s being cleaned. You can also use it for sanitizing small items like eyeglasses, keys and credit cards. While it kills germs, it doesn"t remove grease or smudges, so you"ll need to wipe your device with a cloth before or after sanitizing.

Toddy Gear microfiber cloths are a GH Cleaning Lab favorite not only for how hefty and durable they are, but also for their dirt-trapping dual-sided cleaning and polishing fabrics. These colorful cloths are perfect to stash in a purse, glove box or briefcase for whenever you need to spruce up electronic screens or your car"s infotainment center. The 5-inch by 7-inch cloth neatly folds down into its own little pouch so it stays clean, and it"s machine washable and dry-able if it ever gets overwhelmed with dust.

A consumer favorite with over 7,700 five-star reviews on Amazon, Whoosh claims to be the screen cleaner of choice at Apple stores. In our experience, it leaves screens squeaky clean and shiny in seconds with no hard-to-remove residue. The small spray is great to tuck into a purse while the larger one stays in a desk drawer or TV stand. The microfiber cloths are 6 inches square, washable and perfect for phone, tablet, laptop and desktop screens. As with all liquids, we recommend spraying the cloth before wiping. Never spray a screen directly.

When we test screen cleaners in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we are first and foremost concerned with the how safe they are to use on delicate devices and whether they may cause any possible harm to screens and coatings. For pre-moistened wipes and liquid sprays, we check the ingredients for potentially damaging culprits, like ammonia, and steer clear of recommending products that contain them. For dry cloths, we look for a convenient and usable size and how easy they are to launder and clean.

We test all screen cleaners on a variety of devices — large and small and from different manufacturers — for how well they clean, how easy they are to use and store, how quickly they work and whether they leave any residue behind.

Above, one of our Lab experts tests the OXO Good Grips Sweep & Swipe on the screen and keyboard of a laptop to assess how well it removes dirt, dust and smudges.

There are tons of screen cleaning options on the market, but always check your device’s manufacturer’s recommended cleaning instructions before purchasing any cleaner to be sure what you are considering is safe. Here are some things to consider when shopping for screen cleaners:

✔️Size: It"s best to determine the size of the screens you plan to clean when shopping for cleaners. Of course, microfiber cloths and electronic screen wipes will work on a variety of screen sizes but if you are looking for a wipe that can clean your laptop, mini portable wipes made for smartphones might not be large enough for a thorough clean. On the flip side, a large TV wipe used on a phone wastes product.

✔️Cloth: Not every cloth is designed to remove fingerprints and dust. Some can actually make your dirty screen look even worse. Stick to microfiber cloths that are delicate enough to leave your screen scratch-free but still collect dirt, dust and grease.

✔️Formula: Always look at the indigents listed for your cleaner — screens are sensitive, and harsh chemicals can cause damage to the surface. For regular use, it"s important to use products specially made for screens. Disinfectant wipes containing alcohol can be used occasionally to remove germs, but try to avoid bleach- and ammonia-based products.

When it comes to cleaning electronics, the Good Housekeeping Institute Media and Tech Lab always recommends following the device manufacturer"s recommendations for safety. And while this is always a good practice, many of those recommendations are extra gentle to keep from damaging the anti-glare, fingerprint-resistant and other protective coatings on a device"s surface.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab provides expert tips and reviews on all things cleaning. Carolyn Forte brings over 40 years of experience a as consumer products expert to her role as Executive Director of the Home Care and Cleaning Lab. She has deep analytical testing and editorial writing expertise in categories like washers, dryers and vacuum cleaners, cleaning products and all things and tips needed to keep a home clean and organized.

Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute"s Home Care and Cleaning Lab.

Important:Don’t clean the screen with a cleaner containing acetone. Don’t use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the screen.

If cleaning an external display, disconnect the display from power, from your Mac, and from any external devices. If cleaning an iMac screen, disconnect the power from your computer.

If additional cleaning is required, slightly dampen the cloth with water or a cleaner intended for use with a screen or display, then wipe the screen. Avoid getting moisture in openings.

Important:If you have an Apple Pro Display XDR or an iMac, its screen is either nano-texture glass or standard glass. For more information about how to clean both types of glass, see the Apple Support article How to clean the nano-texture glass on your Apple display.

For more information about cleaning Apple products, including Mac notebook and desktop computers, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple accessories, see the Apple Support article How to clean your Apple products.

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The screen for the navigation and audio system (known as the COMAND system) in your Mercedes-Benz is a "Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display" (TFT LCD) that´s very similar to the screen in a laptop computer.  It not only uses advanced micro-technology to operate, it"s also coated to minimize glare and remain sharp and vivid in nearly all environmental conditions. Ordinary household window cleaners, paper towels and ordinary cloths must never be used, as the alcohol or ammonia in the cleaner combined with the abrasive nature of the paper or cloth will damage the screen. However, virtually any computer-screen cleaning product, available at office supply stores, discount retailers or electronics stores, can be used. Just make sure it"s alcohol-free, ammonia-free and includes an anti-static component. These products are specifically designed to protect the coating and resist the accumulation of dust while cleaning the screen. Cleaning sprays must not be used, as the sprayed liquid can seep beyond the edges of the screen into the electronics of the unit and cause permanent damage to sensitive internal components.

One of the best features of any vehicle is its infotainment system which keeps all the passengers entertained on the road. Not only does it entertain everyone, but it also keeps you connected with your friends and family. Moreover, most infotainment systems come with navigation so that the driver can get route assistance on the road. If you plan to purchase a new vehicle or if you already own one, you know that most infotainment systems have LCD screens. Since you use these screens regularly, inevitably, they will get fingerprints or dust.

We know that cleaning the inside of a vehicle is not a driver’s favorite thing to do; however, it is crucial to keep your car in good condition. If you are wondering how to clean the touchscreen panel of your vehicle, our team at Sheehy Volkswagen of Springfield has some tips for you. Moreover, if you want to learn about anything else related to your Volkswagen, you can contact or visit our dealership near Alexandria, VA.

One of the best ways to keep the touchscreen panel of your Volkswagen clean is by using an anti-static cleaning cloth. Not only will this cloth keep the panel clean, but it will also ensure that it does not get any scratches in the process. You can also use a cleaner designed specifically for LCD screens if you cannot get the smudges out with a dry cloth. Additionally, you can use a wet microfiber cloth to wipe the touchscreen display.

Before starting the cleaning process, you must turn the infotainment system off. If it is left on while cleaning, it may damage the pixels in the display. Also, do not press hard while cleaning the touchscreen panel of your Volkswagen; otherwise, you will end up harming it.

For the most part, cleaning the inside of your car isn’t anything special. There have been wipes and solutions for cleaning vinyl and leather interiors, soaps for cloth car seats and all kinds of products to make the inside of your car look new again, but can you use those on your car’s touchscreen? It’s best to make sure you have a safe way to clean your infotainment screen so you don’t end up damaging it. Continue reading for advice on how to get rid of smears, fingerprints, residues and more.

Cleaning a touchscreen should be done with care, and not with just any old cloth. Go for microfiber cloths or rags, and make sure they are clean before you use them on your touchscreen. You might be tempted to use alcohol-based wet wipes, but don’t do it. Wipes often leave streaks and can damage some touchscreens with plastic surfaces, not to mention the fibers aren’t very soft. Don’t use regular rags, paper towels or newspaper either, save those for drying off your windows.

For the most part, regular fingerprints, dust, and other light deposits can be cleaned off with clean water. For best results, avoid tap water and go for distilled water instead. Soap is not necessary, even if you have tougher residues. If you do run into difficult spots that harden, mix some distilled white vinegar into an equal amount of clean water and use that instead. The acidity of the vinegar can help break down oils and sugar so they wipe off.

Pick one of the following methods and stick to it. Either wipe side-to-side or up-and-down. You might be tempted to do circles, but your screen won’t be as clean. On a wider screen, side-to-side will be your best bet.

There’s no shortage of car wash soaps on store shelves—and, to be honest, not a lot of difference between the top choices. So we looked for a good soap that’s also a good value, and Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash is about as safe a bet as you can find. Gold Class is reasonably priced and widely available, and after using it for years, we’ve found that it does a good job of lubricating the surface to help lift off dirt, bird poo, and other crud. The Gold Class wash is also recommended by a number of pro detailers, such as Darren Priest of Best Auto Detailing Tips, who writes that it’s a quality product at an economical price. It’s also consistently cited as one of the top car wash soaps among enthusiasts, and it gets very high ratings on Amazon and other retailer websites, including Walmart, Advance Auto Parts, and Autogeek.

Some car wash soaps include a wax, but we don’t really see the point because the solution won’t be on the paint long enough to do much good before you rinse it off. We think it’s better to apply a good wax separately to make sure the paint gets real protection.

If you need to conserve water (thinking of you, Californians), Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine produced good results for us, and it’s highly rated across more than a thousand Amazon reviews. The company recommends mixing 1 ounce of the soap into 2 gallons of water, and in our experience we’ve found that’s just enough to wash a sedan or small SUV. Go around the vehicle, working on one section at a time. First, use a wash mitt dipped in the solution to clean the surface; then, use a microfiber towel to dry it. This method does take longer, and you may have to wash a section more than once or scrub a little harder to get all the gunk off. You can find many spray-on formulas that claim to be “waterless” washes, but we’ve found the Optimum cleaner to be easier to use overall and less likely to cause scratches by rubbing dirt into the paint.

While some pro detailers we talked to said they would use an inexpensive dish detergent, such as Dawn, or an all-purpose cleaner, like La’s Totally Awesome, others worried that the grease-removing chemicals of these types of cleaners could be too harsh on a car’s finish, possibly stripping off the paint’s protective wax like, well, bacon grease off a skillet. We recommend using a dedicated car wash soap, which is formulated to wash the surface dirt and grime off of a vehicle without hurting the protective coating.

After trying several different wash mitts, we recommend the Relentless Drive Ultimate Car Wash Mitt. In contrast to traditional mitts, this Amazon best seller is made of soft, fluffy pile “noodles” that absorb lots of water and provide plenty of nooks and crannies to trap dirt particles. It’s also easier to get into tight spaces than a typical lambswool mitt. And like most microfiber mitts, it’s machine washable. Although similar mitts are available, the Relentless Drive has earned very high ratings across more than 1,600 Amazon customer reviews, without the many low ratings related to poor-quality construction that some competitors have received.

This tough rubber hose isn’t cheap and can be heavy to wrangle, but its strong fittings and durable body can last for years—and there’s a lifetime warranty, just in case.

Wirecutter has tested dozens of different garden hoses since 2015, and the Dramm ColorStorm Premium Rubber Hose (50ft) is the most lightweight, flexible, and kink-resistant one we’ve found. Unlike a hefty hose like the Continental Commercial Grade Rubber Hose (50ft) (our also-great pick), the ColorStorm is elevated into a higher tier of hose thanks to a number of things it does better than the rest, starting with its couplings. With big, flat facets for a wrench to grab, the crush-proof nickel-plated couplings are a stark contrast to the knurled round grip you find on cheaper hoses.

After testing several nozzle models, we recommend the Gilmour Full Size Zinc Pistol. Cast from solid zinc, this inexpensive nozzle feels solidly built and has a great spray pattern. We easily moderated the spray, depending on what we were doing, by squeezing the trigger harder or softer. Pull the trigger back a lot, and you get a strong, steady stream for blasting off dirt and gunk. Pull it a little, and you get a wide, fine mist. In contrast, other models we tested—most of which were two to three times as expensive—were flawed by too many complicated spray patterns, which means more parts and more chances for failure.

Although you now have several waffle-weave towels from which to choose, we recommend Meguiar’s Water Magnet Drying Towel. We’ve gotten good results from it over several years of car washing, and it has earned very high ratings from more than 2,500 Amazon customers. It’s also inexpensive and capable of absorbing lots of water—it claims to hold twice as much water as a terry towel. You can also fold this 22-by-30-inch towel into quadrants or eighths to make it easier to use.

Another alternative recommended by Ryan Conde, a detailing hobbyist who moderates several online forums, is The Rag Company’s Eagle Edgeless towels. Conde told us, “They’re so soft, you’ll want to wrap your infant child in them.”

After testing several glass cleaners, we recommend Sprayway Glass Cleaner, which is inexpensive and widely available. It worked well for cleaning the glass of our cars, leaving behind neither streaks nor smears. One Wirecutter editor has also long used Sprayway for cleaning the glass of picture frames for hanging in an art gallery. We got good results from Stoner’s Invisible Glass and Meguiar’s Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner, but both of those are more expensive than the Sprayway cleaner. We saw more streaking with Chemical Guys Signature Series Glass Cleaner.

For stuck-on grime—such as tar and asphalt, dried bugs, or tree sap—we recommend Stoner Car Care Tarminator, a potent degreaser that’s recommended by more pro detailers than other bug-and-tar removers we’ve seen. On some nasty adhered-on gunk on our own cars, we found it quicker and more effective than similar cleaners we tried. We sprayed it on, let it sit for about a minute, wiped it with a microfiber towel, and hosed it off, and it did a good job. The company recommends that you not use it on clear-coat plastic trim like the kind on bumpers, however, as the formula is strong enough to potentially cause the plastic to haze over time.

A good backup is Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover. We’ve used this cleaner a lot over the years and found it to be effective; it also claims to be safe for use on plastic. Ryan Conde, an avid detailing hobbyist who moderates several forums on the subject, also recommended Turtle Wax, although he warned that it could be too abrasive for some paint jobs. Either cleaner could require some extended soaking or a bit of elbow grease for debris that’s particularly hard to remove.

Of the several wheel cleaners we tested, our favorite is the Eagle One A2Z All Wheel & Tire Cleaner because it offers the best balance of price and performance. After spraying it on the wheels and letting it sit for a few minutes, we could see the dirt and grease running off. Then, we rinsed the wheels with a hose to remove the cleaner and residual grime. We still recommend scrubbing with a brush or wiping with a cloth to finish the job, but this advice holds true for every wheel cleaner we tested. The Eagle One cleaner is typically one of the least expensive options, although prices vary. We also got good results with CarGuys Premium Wheel Cleaner and Griot’s Garage Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner, but at the time we tested, both of those cost about twice as much as the Eagle One cleaner.

For removing dirt, globs of dead bugs, or bird poo when a hose isn’t handy, we’ve found Meguiar’s Quik Detailer to be an effective and inexpensive choice. A few sprays of the detailer and a wipe with a microfiber or terry-cloth towel quickly and easily cleans it off, even leaving a nice shine behind. In an interview with Car Talk (PDF), pro detailer Greg Yoke recommends Quik Detailer for exterior detailing. It gets a very high rating from Amazon customers. And back when our autos editor worked for the car-enthusiast magazine Motor Trend, he typically used Quik Detailer to rapidly prep filthy cars for photography on the road. Although you can find several spray-on detailers, we recommend Meguiar’s because it’s one of the least expensive and most readily available options, yet it gives us consistently good results.