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Clean Your Cars Efficiently With The Best Degreasers For Cars

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Grease can come from many different sources. Whether you’re working on the car’s engine and parts or simply driving over a dirty area, your vehicle can accumulate grease over time. The problem with grease is that it’s much harder to get rid of and clean, unlike regular dirt. This can be an issue if you want to keep your car looking as good as new all the time.

The good news is that there’s a product for just about anything these days, including a formula to get rid of grease on your car. These car degreasers are safe and convenient for car owners, allowing you to clean and get rid of grease and other debris from any part of your car with little to no effort. These are our favorite car degreasers of 2023 you’ll want to look out for.

Buying Guide: Degreaser for Car

Car degreasers can turn even the dirtiest of vehicles into brand-new cars. This guide will cover the basics of the best product to clean your car.

What Is a Car Degreaser?

A car degreaser is a cleaning mixture that is used to remove grime and grease from your vehicle. It can be used to clean various parts of your car and is also acceptable to use when you want to simply remove dirt and dust in especially dirty areas such as near the tires.

The Benefits of Car Degreaser

You can remove grease and grime

Dirt and dust are easy enough to clean from your car — a good washing with some soap and water will usually do the trick. But grime and grease can be a lot tougher and a lot messier, and getting rid of them with something simple like a toothbrush or cleaning rag will just be more trouble than it’s worth. Using a car degreaser, you can remove the grease and grime in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. The formula works quickly and removes any otherwise difficult-to-remove debris specks, no matter how tough.

It’s used for heavy-duty cleaning

You don’t need to have grease on your car to have an excuse for buying car degreasers. In fact, many car degreasers work perfectly fine as a general-purpose cleaning liquid for your car. Think of them as a more potent alternative to soap and water — they can remove dirt and dust more effectively. This is especially true when it comes to spots of dirt and dust that have dried up and stayed on your car for weeks or even months.

Types of Car Degreaser

Degreaser sprays

Degreaser sprays are the more widely used of the two degreaser types. Stored in a spray bottle and ready to use, you can apply degreaser on any surface at a moment’s notice. The benefits are clear — you can get right into the action immediately without preparing beforehand. However, the issue with degreaser sprays is that they’re quite expensive for how little they provide. 

Degreaser concentrate

Degreasers are not just sold in bottles — they can also be bought in large quantities in higher concentrations. These degreaser liquids are meant to be diluted in water, with a ratio that depends on how the original formula was made. These degreasers are cost-effective as you can make lots of spray bottles’ worth of concentrate with a single gallon. The downside is that you will need to do a little bit of extra work every time you need to make more degreaser, but it’s a small price to pay to, well, pay less.

Tips When Using a Degreaser for Cars

Apply the degreaser evenly

Even application is the most important thing when it comes to using degreasers. Just because an area looks more covered in grime and dirt doesn’t mean you should shower it with a degreaser. It’s best to go with even applications over a wide area, slowly making your way to the more concentrated areas as you remove the dirt and grime layer by layer.

Don’t overdo it

It can be tempting to spray a ton of degreaser over a really dirty spot, and while it may feel satisfying, it’s not the most efficient way to go about it. You’re wasting some greaser by doing this, which can be quite problematic if you only have a small spray bottle. Try to spray lightly and remove the grime bit by bit instead of all at once.

Follow the dilution instructions

For degreasers that you have to dilute, be sure to use the right amount of water to formula ratio. Too little water will make the formula too strong, whereas too much water will make the formula not effective enough.

Top Picks

  • Best Overall: Adam's All Purpose Cleaner
  • Best Large-Sized: Chemical Guys Orange Degreaser
  • Best Citrus-Based: 3d Orange Degreaser
  • Most Powerful: Por-15 Cleaner Degreaser
  • Fast Acting: Meguiar's D10801 Super Degreaser

Reviews

Best Overall
None

Adam's All Purpose Cleaner

Pros Cons
  • Available in two sizes
  • Great for general-purpose cleaning
  • Stored in a convenient spray bottle 
  • Does not come with a rag or cloth
Best Large-Sized
None

Chemical Guys Orange Degreaser

Pros Cons
  • 1 gallon of degreaser
  • Can make into solutions for more formula
  • Great for cleaning your whole car
  • Can take time to prepare the solution
Best Citrus-Based
None

3d Orange Degreaser

Pros Cons
  • Made by a USA-based company
  • Citrus cleaning degreaser
  • Available in two different sizes
  • A little tricky to work with at first
Most Powerful
None

Por-15 Cleaner Degreaser

Pros Cons
  • Water-based formula
  • Flexible dilution options
  • Does not leave behind strong odors
  • Can’t see the amount of degreaser left
Fast Acting
None

Meguiar's D10801 Super Degreaser

Pros Cons
  • Very fast-acting formula
  • No residue remaining after use
  • Leaves an herbal fragrance
  • Doesn’t come with a spray bottle

FAQs

Are degreasers meant only for grease?
Though degreasers are advertised to be used on grease and grime primarily, you can also use them as a general-purpose cleaner to get rid of any dirt, dust, or other foreign debris on your vehicle.
Should I dilute my degreaser?
This depends on the formula. Some degreasers already come in the ideal dilution, whereas others need to be diluted manually. Read the instructions and directions on the product packaging to learn more information regarding usage.
Are degreasers safe for cars?
Degreasers may be powerful chemicals, but they’re designed for cars and are therefore harmless to your vehicle as long as you use the right dilution.