For some of us, a vehicle is a second home. For those of us who depend on vehicles for work (like the writers at Forbes Wheels), they’re often our primary home. But like any home, it’s important to keep a car clean as part of a regular maintenance routine. Well-maintained cars last longer.

Your vehicle’s upholstery and carpets keep us comfortable as we drive, sleep or eat breakfast at a stop sign. As such, they trap dirt, oil and whatever incredible sauce was in that breakfast burrito. Over time, these stains and grime become too difficult to remove with a simple spray. For professional cleaning results at home, we recommend investing in a heavy-duty upholstery cleaner—otherwise known as a wet-dry vacuum. 

Upholstery cleaners work like dry vacuums, only they clean deeper by lifting embedded filth from fabrics using water and a soap solution. Because they are designed to distribute and hold liquids, these vacuums have two tanks to separate clean and dirty water. Different models utilize varying techniques. Some products rely on suction and scrubbing, others rely on soaking and drying and others rely on steam for the ultimate clean. 

Hoover has been manufacturing vacuums for over 100 years, so it is no wonder the company takes the number-one spot on our list. This vacuum hits all the marks. This portable vacuum has a 36-ounce dual compartment tank, which is smaller than many competitors but is also lightweight and easy to transport. The Hoover comes with a five-foot suction hose so you can reach all of those nooks and crannies where the crumbs and occasionally your phone, wallet or spare toothbrush might fall. 

The Bissell 3624 Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner can tackle deep-seated dirt and unseat long-standing stains. This unit weighs in at 13 pounds with a 96-ounce dirty water tank. A handle on top of the machine makes it easy to move around, which is complemented by its 20-foot extension cord. Be wary when reaching for those tight areas in the car. Customers report kinking in the hose which can cause irreparable damage. 

At seven pounds with a nine-ounce tank, this Hoover is strictly for spot cleaning. Its short battery life means you can only clean a few spots at one time, but in return, this cordless vacuum allows for maximum portability and flexibility. For smaller jobs and on-the-go messes when it’s impossible to carry and power a conventional vacuum, we’d recommend stashing this Hoover in your cargo area. This product is best paired with a separate vacuum unit.

For professional grade cleaning, the Bissell Big Green competes with rental machines like Rug Doctor. As such, this is a heavy-duty vacuum good for both home and auto. A nine-foot hose connects to a six-inch-wide attachment, while the 1.75-gallon tank (269 ounces) ensures you can clean an entire Suburban without stopping. Buy this Bissell only if you’re planning to clean your house carpets, too. It’s 48 pounds and quite pricey. But for a one-and-done vacuum purchase, this is a good option.

Some messes get so big they require more than soapy solution and a scrub—they need heat. The Dupray One Plus Steam Cleaner is the best product we found for steam cleaning. It can reach 320-degree Fahrenheit in only eight minutes. The tank holds 82 ounces, which seems large compared with competitors, but customer reviews suggest this steamer needs to be refilled consistently during use (but the unit can be kept running during a fill-up). At 15 pounds, the Dupray steam cleaner is easy to maneuver and compact for easy storage. 

Best-selling Car Upholstery Cleaners on Amazon Sponsored Bestseller No. 1 15,259 Reviews Chemical Guys CWS20316 Foaming Citrus Fabric Clean Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner (Car Carpets, Seats & Floor Mats), 16 oz. 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Bissell proudly supports Bissell pet foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets.Our most powerful portable spot and stain cleaner for carpets, stairs, upholstery, auto interiors, and more.Combines superior suction, scrubbing action and professional cleaning solution to remove stubborn pet stains, embedded dirt and more. $195.20 Buy on Amazon Partner Offer Bestseller No. 7 Blue Coral DC22 Upholstery Cleaner Dri-Clean Plus with Odor Eliminator, 22.8 oz. 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In order to determine the best upholstery cleaner for your vehicle, we considered the products most accessible to the widest swath of consumers in the U.S. and evaluated performance, price and value. We also considered a broad range of end-user ratings and evaluations by multiple testers. Forbes Wheels evaluated 10 of the top rated and upholstery cleaners available on the market. They were rated on tank capacity, suction capacity, weight, size, maneuverability and price. Customer reviews and ratings were taken into consideration to determine the final top five list.