7 better alternatives to the best-selling slime-like cleaning gel at Amazon
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If you haven’t seen it yet, one of Amazon’s best-selling automotive products is this colorful cleaning gel. The slime-like putty is made from a “high-tech material” and is designed to clean dirt and dust from the hard-to-reach areas of your vehicle – like the cup holders and air vents. It can also be used for cleaning other things, like your computer keyboard and other office supplies but what you unfortunately cannot do is clean the cleaning gel. The company says the goop can be self-cleaned by folding it onto itself but warns on the product listing, “Do not wash cleaning goo with water. It’s a no-clean product that can be reused multiple times.” We’ve used this gleaning gel and it works reasonably well as a quick solution for picking up crumbs and dirt from cupholders and other areas of the car that even the narrowest of vacuum attachments has trouble reaching however, it’s not as reusable as we’d hoped. With this shortcoming in mind, we’ve gathered seven of the best, reusable, cleaning products you can currently buy on Amazon to clean your car, office and more.
$39.90 at Amazon
Another Amazon best-seller is this portable handheld vacuum from ThisWorx. Version 2.0 is still corded and plugs into your car’s 12V outlet, but there are some small differences from the model it replaces. Some of the changes to the new model vac include a larger capacity, and a new filter system and filter type. The ThisWorx car vacuum comes “fully loaded” with a travel case, 16ft power cord, HEPA filter, long hose nozzle, narrow tube nozzle, brush nozzle and filter maintenance brush. Users praise its compact form factor, value, and suction power. One potential knock against this vacuum is that it’s not equipped for wet cleanups. If you are looking for a handheld car vac for both wet and dry messes, check out this sub-$20 option from Armor All.
Key Specs
Features: Ergonomic design, built-in LED light, double HEPA filter
Power source: corded
Filter type: foam
Capacity: 2.6 pounds
Wattage: 110 watts
Charging time: 5 minutes
Voltage: 12 volts
Amperage: 9.17 Amps
Noise level: 70 decibles
Item weight: 2.4 pounds
$104.99 at Amazon
We don’t recommend using a leaf blower to clean out your car’s interior. We do however recommend buying a small electric handheld duster to do so. A small blower like this is great for cleaning dust out of air vents and other areas of your car that are hard to reach without a small brush or Q-tip. This model from Fulljion is designed for cleaning dust from computer cases, keyboards, cars, fans and more. What’s even better about a rechargeable blower like this lets you ditch buying disposable cans of air duster.
Key Specs
Built-in 6,000-mAh rechargeable battery with fast charging capability
Fully charges in 3 to 4 hours
Comes with 5 sets of nozzles
Adjustable 3 speed airflow modes: 33,000 RPM, 38,000 RPM, and 51,000 RPM
$9.98 at Amazon
The microfiber towel is one of the most important tools you’ll want for car cleaning. Simple. Effective. Affordable. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more useful accessory for keeping your vehicle clean. And, they’re machine washable for easy care and many reuses.
Key Specs
Great for interior or exterior cleaning jobs
Great value
Pack of 24 (for under $10)
Machine washable
Non-abrasive
Can soak up to 8 times their weight
$6.98 at Amazon
This small microfiber duster with extendable stainless-steel handle is the perfect size for those hard to reach interior spaces in your car. Unlike the popular cleaning goop, this duster can be used wet or dry and the mini head is detachable so you can wash it and reuse it. It’s not the most sustainable item on this list but it is more sustainable than the goop and it comes with a replacement head so that when the first one finally bites the dust (yeah, we know) you’ll have another one already to go. And at under $7 it’s a hard deal to ignore.
Key Specs
Great buy
Telescoping pole (10″ to 29″)
2 pack – 2 replaceable microfiber heads
Comes in 5 colors
$39.99 at Amazon
Even after drying your car with microfiber towels after a wash, often there’s still water left over in places like your mirrors, lights, door jams and other hard-to-reach crevices. Compressed air or electric blowers like this one are great for blowing the water out of those spots to be more easily dried. This “electric air duster” can blow at 67.5 mph, has a 10-foot-long power cord, and only weighs 1.9 lbs.
Key Specs
Blows at 27 m/s at 67.5 mph
Power: corded electric
10′ long cord
550W high-speed motor
$6.99 at Amazon
This brush set is the definition of “right tool for the job.” There are 5 unique brushes in the set, each with a specific function. They will help you keep your car interior, electronics and other delicate items clean and free from dust.
Key Specs
Reusable
Compact
Affordable
$169.00 at Amazon
This 6-gallon Craftsman air compressor is great if you’re looking for a tool that can do more than just clean dust out of your car. You can use it for car detailing – blowing water and dust out of tight crevices – but you can also use it for a wide variety of other jobs. And it’s portable so you can take the the max 150 PSI with you on the road. It comes with a PVC air hose with coupler and plug assembled, a tire chuck with plug, a blow gun with plug, a tire gauge, a blow gun with OSHA safety nozzle, a rubber tip and three inflator adapters.
Key Specs
Power source: battery-powered
Noise level: 78.5 dB
Item weight: 32.5 pounds
Maximum power: 0.2 horsepower
Air flow capacity: 2.6 cubic feet per minute
Max pressure: 150 bars
2.6 SCFM at 90 PSI
Voltage: 120 V
Oil-free pump
Portable
Supports two users
