Top five on-the-go car care products

While you’re on the go, sometimes you may find a panel, a part, or a patch of paint that’s less than shiny then it might drive you crazy for the rest of your trip. Some of the more “maarte” car owners among us can relate and in order to keep your anxieties at bay, you might want to keep a kit handy.

Though, what do you pack? We have five recommendations that will cover a wide variety of stains, marks, dirt, and smudges. You can buy all of our recommended products using the affiliate links listed. Do add these items to your cart and check out with us. 

When it comes to on-the-go car care, this is a catch-all solution that will cover most bases. Microtex makes affordable and quality car care products, and this quick detailer/waterless carwash is perfect for on-the-go cleaning. 

To use this, do consider using this with a proper microfiber cloth. Apply it on the affected area first and then wipe it off gently. Let the product do its thing.

Speaking of microfiber cloths, if you need a cost-effective solution, here is a three-pack for your car. When it comes to microfiber, you can go the more expensive or the more cost-effective route, and here is a very affordable set for your on-the-go kit from Micromagic. Use it to wipe away dust and debris safely. Microfiber carries away dirt and debris from the surface. Keep a few handy in your car, preferably one for the interior and one for the exterior. These towels are also color-coded so you don’t get them confused. 

On the note of wiping things off, another thing to keep in your on-the-go kit is a pack of wet wipes. Prestone has a disinfectant wipe that will kill bacteria and other viruses over any surface it touches. It’s different from your typical wet wipes since it’s quite a bit stronger, and leaves the surface a lot more disinfected. This canister has 30 pieces in it, and it’s also available in a bigger or smaller pack depending on your size preferences. 

It’s worth noting that Prestone’s kit is best used on dirty surfaces that aren’t sensitive to solvents. It’s safe for interior plastics and is perfect for the crevices of cup holders and more. It’s useful for those hard-to-reach spaces, and also those surfaces that are high-traffic areas and are touched a lot. Disclaimer: Perhaps it’s not best to use this on leather surfaces. If you are, we recommend that you go with something a little milder. 

Now this is the pesky thing about rain. Either it leaves dirt on your paint and headlights, or it etches into the plastic and/or the clear coat. Even using a good car shampoo won’t guarantee that these marks will come off so here’s something that is more up to the task and specifically formulated to remove those pesky acid rain marks in a jiffy. 

Microtex chimes in once again with a watermark remover: Glaz. This is a small bottle that you can pack in your kit along with the rest of your stuff. Easy to use and ready in a pinch, it’s there to keep your car rain-spot-free. 

If your car has black trim pieces like cladding or even on the dashboard, here is something that will restore the blackness of the black. Plastics tend to get faded and tarnished and this brings back the contrast that those parts once brought. 

A trim restorer must be used on trim, and this one is quite pricey, but Mother’s is an internationally acclaimed brand with a bunch of other stuff for professionals and pro-sumers. Its Back to Black Trim Cleaner should help you get stains out of trim properly. We like their trim cleaner because it cleans the trim and leaves a nice sheen over the surface. It also comes with a free brush, so at least you have another tool to add to your kit if you buy this.