3 Methods To Easily Clean Car Armrest
How To Clean a Dirty Armrest in Your Car (Fast & Easy)
Over time, wear and tear shows in just about every area of your vehicle — especially inside.
Today, we’re talking about a heavily used interior, specifically a dirty armrest that hasn’t been cleaned in years. At MC Auto Detailing, we’ve seen a ton of these — and no, it’s not damaged or peeling. It’s usually just layers of body oils, sweat, and grime from daily use.
The good news? This is a simple cleaning you can do in under 5 minutes with the right tools and approach. Here’s how we do it in the shop — and how you can do it at home.
Tools You’ll Need
No fancy detailing gear needed. Just grab:
Microfiber towels (a pack from AutoZone or O’Reilly’s will do)
An old toothbrush or interior brush
All-purpose cleaner (we recommend Super Clean which can be bought locally)
Optional: A larger brush if you want to speed things up
Don’t worry — if you follow this method, your car won’t smell like harsh chemicals afterward.
Method #1: Spray the Brush, Not the Surface
This is the exact method we use on customer cars in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Step-by-step:
Spray 2–3 trigger pulls of cleaner directly into your brush.
Gently agitate the armrest in circular motions using light to medium pressure.
Wipe it off with a clean microfiber towel.
Why spray the brush? It reduces the chance of streaking, especially on hot days or when the interior is warm. Less runoff = less chance of leaving marks.
If it’s still dirty after one round, repeat the process. Break the armrest into sections instead of tackling it all at once for better control. We like to keep cleaning interiors that way.
Method #2: No Brush? Use a Towel
If you don’t have a brush, no problem — a towel works too.
Here’s how:
Spray cleaner onto one part of your microfiber towel.
Wrap your fingers behind that part and scrub the armrest.
Flip the towel or grab a clean one and wipe the surface down.
This takes a bit more elbow grease than using a brush, but it still gets solid results.
Method #3: Spray the Armrest, Then Brush
Want to go a little faster? You can lightly mist the armrest and agitate with a brush.
Be careful: Set your bottle to mist, not stream. You don’t want runoff soaking into the material.
Spray the armrest, agitate in circles, and wipe it off. Easy.
Bonus Tip: Clean More Than Just the Armrest
Once you’ve cleaned the armrest, feel free to use the same method on your:
Door panels
Dashboard
Leather seats
If it’s plastic or leather, you’re good to go.
Wrapping Up
Cleaning your car doesn’t have to take hours or cost a fortune. At MC Auto Detailing, we believe even a simple 90-second cleanup can make a huge difference.
Try this next time you’re waiting for food to cook or have a little free time—it’s rewarding, relaxing, and your car will thank you for it.
