Clean Your Car’s Cup Holders in 30 Minutes or Less With This 5-Step Guide

Empty the cup holders

Clear away any cups and loose trash from the cup holders. If you have a cup holder insert or a cup holder separator, remove them as well.

Vacuum

Vacuum the inside and area around the outside of the cup holders of any leftover small trash, crumbs, dirt, etc. If you have a cup holder lid, close it and vacuum the tight edges around it to get any dirt or crumbs that may have gotten wedged in the cracks.

Use a cleaning gel

Use a car cleaning gel as a follow-up after vacuuming to pick up dirt or crumbs that the vacuum could not. Form it into a ball and roll it around in the cup holder, periodically squeezing it at the edges and corners to get hard-to-reach debris. The gel comes sticky, so any little particle of dirt or debris will get picked up.  A great thing about the cleaning gel is that you can reuse it a few times before throwing it out. Just fold over the dirty side until you get a nice, clean smooth surface, and it’s ready to be used again.

Scrub them clean

Spray an interior car cleaner inside the cup holder. Use a soft-bristle boar’s hair brush combined with a microfiber towel to scrub the inside and outside of the cup holder. Be sure to scrub deep inside the cracks and corners. For cup holders with inserts or separators, use the brush to remove caked-on grime, then wipe with a microfiber towel and cleaning solution.

Once the car cup holders have been scrubbed, wipe them down with a clean microfiber towel. To get into those cracks and corners, use your fingernail or a plastic credit card to push the towel into them to clean up any leftover cleaner.

Apply interior protectant and reinstall inserts

Spray an even layer of interior car protectant onto a clean microfiber towel. Apply the protectant to the cup holders, ensuring it is evenly distributed on the inside and outside of the cup holders and the cup holder inserts. Wipe away any excess protectant. Reinstall any cup holder inserts after the protectant is dry.

The interior protectant is great as it adds a clean, shiny finish and helps protect your interior from UV damage. Over time, without protection, UV rays can discolor your interior and may cause it to crack, leading to repairs and headaches.

FAQ

What should I not clean a car interior with?

There are several things you should never use to clean your car’s interior, including dish soap, bleach, glass cleaner and other household cleaners. The harsh chemicals and abrasive properties of these cleaners will eventually damage your car’s interior surfaces. Stick to products specifically made for cars, as they’ve been tested and are proven to protect your interior.

Is Dawn dish soap safe for car interior?

No. Avoid using Dawn dish soap for any car cleaning, inside or out. Dish soap breaks down grease and oil, and when applied to a vehicle’s interior surfaces and may strip the protective layer, causing it to dry out, crack and fade the color. Avoid at all costs.

Are car cup holder inserts worth it?

Car cup holder inserts help reduce mess, prevent rattling, and secure smaller drinks. The low cost of these products makes them appealing (at least to try) for people who want to make their cup holders more useful or keep them cleaner.