Found: The 20 Best Car Accessories You'll Wonder How You Lived Without

Sure, most car washes automatically offer free vacuum services when you get a wash done, but sometimes you just don’t have the time. You’re going to need a car vacuum for those quick cleanups, and I’m personally a fan of this Shark Wandvac cordless handheld, which comes with a crevice tool for hard-to-reach spaces, and an upholstery tool that is specifically designed for cleaning fabric surfaces. It’s lightweight, easy to use and the portable design means you can carry it everywhere.

Car spills are normal, but stains ain’t so great. A good stain remover goes a long way, and this one from Chemical Guys has great ratings for its ability to remove the blemishes from fabric seats and carpets. “I am so relieved that I didn’t have to pay for a full detail service to get the final marks out and now know a product to recommend to family with toddlers and pets that takes the stress out of messes,” writes one happy customer, who adds, “It worked super quickly, I bought it for overnight shipping and used it on the way to work, and it was dry before I walked in. Highly impressed with the product and the price is great, too.” This leads me to my next recommendation.…

Whether you have leather seats or accents, you’ll want to keep it looking and feeling luxurious. For that, specifically, you’re going to need a leather cleaner. I have found great success with this conditioner from Honey Leather, which is made with a silicone-, solvent- and toxin-free formula that restores and protects all types and colors of leather. Warning though, this conditioner gets kind of sticky, so you will need to let it air dry for a while before sitting in the seats.

You won’t know how much you need a trunk organizer until you have one. This is the place where you can keep all of your cleaners, tools and smaller car accessories in easy-to-reach compartment, and it definitely comes in handy when it comes to keeping your trunk tidy. As one customer notes, “The Gorilla Grip large capacity trunk organizer is exactly what I needed—no gimmicks, just a straightforward design that works. The multiple compartments make organizing easy, and the slip-resistant, water-resistant material ensures it stays put and stands up to spills or rough conditions.” In addition to the three main compartments, there are multiple flap and mesh pockets to hold smaller items.

Hey, life gets busy, and sometimes you have to work from the car (or you may even prefer it, like I do). Believe me when I say that a wheel tray can make your life so much easier. This one, in particular, can be attached directly to your steering wheel, and has a designated space for your laptop (so no more balancing your computer on your lap!). Plus, there’s an additional part that can hold your food and drinks, if need be. And if it’s a really stressful day, you can remove everything and simply use it as a headrest.

Blind spot mirrors are one of the best (and most affordable) investments you can make for your car. The concept of looking behind as you’re driving (especially if you’re on the highway) is quite scary, and can definitely be dangerous. Blind spot mirrors like this one take the risk out of that, as you can simply attach it to your regular car mirror and glance at that to get the full view. This pick has a frameless design to blend seamlessly with your mirror, comes with an outdoor-rated adhesive base to stay sticky and reflects your blind spot view three times larger to give you the big picture of what’s going on behind you—literally.

If your vehicle doesn’t come with built-in charging port equipped to match your phone, then you’re going to need to buy one—as we all know, there’s nothing worse than getting stuck with a dead battery when you’re out and about. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable car chargers available on the market, including this one from Roadress which is compatible with most phones, and has ports for three different types of USB adapters. All you have to do is plug it into your car’s lighter port.

Yes, you need a trash can for your car. No, it should not be overflowing to the point where it spills out because that defeats the purpose. Now that we have that established, this fabric trash bin holds up to 2.5 gallons, has a removable leakproof liner and is made with waterproof material. It also comes equipped with an adjustable strap, so you can attach it to the headrest, center console, door or glove box. As one happy buyer writes, “I bought this for my husband’s truck, and we love it! We have three kids, so the inside of the truck is always collecting trash. This trash can looks good, is a decent size, is sturdy and functions well. It has helped so much with keeping the truck clean and minimizing the smell.”

It’s better to be safe than sorry, and if you’ve ever owned a car, just know you will be sorry if you don’t have everything you need in case of potential emergencies. This emergency kit covers all the bases, as it comes with a tire inflator, a jumper cable and a tow strap. There’s also under-the-radar accessories packed in that could end up being useful in extreme emergencies as well, such as a seatbelt cutter and a glass breaker. Oh, and did I mention there’s a first aid kit, too? Keep this kit in your trunk and you won’t regret it.

Is a wheel and tire cleaner absolutely pertinent? No. Is it important if you have a slight case of OCD and basically live on dirt-filled country roads like me? Why yes, it is. Your tires will literally be glowing as you drive, and that makes this well worth the $12 price tag, in my opinion.

Ever experienced getting into a sweltering car with burning hot seats, seatbelts and a wheel that burns your hands the second you touch it? Yeah, not fun…especially when you have somewhere you have to be ASAP. Want to know what eliminates that from happening? A car sunshade like this guy. Run to the checkout, don’t walk.

Sometimes our fur babies can’t resist giving us some love. Unfortunately it’s not the best idea while you’re driving, which is exactly where this net barrier comes in. It’s available in multiple sizes and is said to work for every type of car. Plus, it doubles as a storage bag, so you can even pop some other accessories from this list in. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

The stickiness that gets left behind from drinks is icky and can be tough to clean the longer it’s left there. Personally, I recommend spending a few bucks on a car coaster that you can easily remove and wash—especially from a brand that gives you the option of multiple fun colors like this one.

A car diffuser is another essential you won’t realize you’ve been missing until you have it. Between dirt, trash and sweat when it’s hot, cars have a way of smelling really funky really fast. This diffuser from Pura boasts a small, sleek design, and you can select from multiple scents depending on your mood. “Goodbye air fresheners,” writes one 5-star Amazon reviewer, who adds, “This is amazing! You can select scents; they last a long time and are easy to set up and use.”

For starters, not having properly working headlights is grounds for getting pulled over (I have personal experience with this one). Aside from the annoyance of potentially having to pay a costly ticket, not having bright headlights makes driving at night ten times harder, and at this phase in my life, I’m completely over squinting. Get a headlight restoration kit for quick cleaning and improved clarity—in case of an emergency, you’ll thank me later!

If you can’t already tell, I’ve been through it all in my car over the years. This, however, is what helped me to put together this comprehensive list of car essentials you didn’t know you needed. . Two years ago, one of my windshield wipers broke during a heavy rainstorm while I was on a road trip. Getting the wipers replaced wasn’t too bad cost-wise, but it doesn’t hurt to save a few bucks by doing the job yourself. This brand offers tons of different blades for all different types of makes, models and years. For this list, I selected one for Honda’s made between the years 2005 and 2022, as I know those are very popular, but you can browse through the brand’s entire offering to find a match for your vehicle.

Seats past the point where cleaning and detailing can save ‘em? A car seat cover is the solution you need. I had to do this with my last car, and it made the seats look brand new. This car seat cover set is a little bit of a steeper investment, but well worth it considering the results. “These seat covers fit like a glove…Definitely worth the money. My heated seats work with them also as that was a concern,” writes one buyer who made the splurge.

Protect your car’s floors from snow, salt, dirt and mud with these pet-and kid-proof rubber mats. They’re durable, waterproof, easy to spot clean and equally easy to vacuum. Plus, they come in different colors, and the full set includes covers for both front seat floors, as well as the back seat.

Fewer gas stations are offering free compressed air nowadays, so I think it’s worth it to bite the bullet on a tire inflator. This portable Airmoto is straight-to-the-point and easy to use, which is really all you can ask for. “Love it, it works beautifully! It’s easy, fast and, precise to add air to the tires of my car. It’s also quiet, small and easy to store in [my] glove compartment,” notes one buyer, which has been my experience with this inflator as well. It’s a bit of an investment, but it’s much better than being stuck on the road with a flat.

There is nothing worse than being in a position where you need your important car documents and can’t find or remember where you put them. Save your future self the trouble and grab a car document holder to keep everything organized in one place—preferably one in a pretty color.