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If having a clean vehicle inside and out is a priority, invest in a car duster. A buildup of dust or pollen is not only unsightly, but it can also affect your vehicle's performance by getting into the air vents. The ultimate car duster will make car cleaning simple and keep your car nice and tidy. Check out our car duster review for the best car duster on the market.

Best Car Duster Overall: Ultimate Car Duster by Relentless Drive
Best Value Car Duster: AutoSpa 97372AS Interior Car Detail Duster
Best Car Duster Honorable Mention:
California Car Duster 62442 Standard Car Duster with Wooden Handle

Why Buy Car Dusters?

• Eliminate interior dust. A quick and simple way to keep your car free of dust is by using a car duster. Simply swipe it across the dashboard and other areas to remove the particles.
• Clean more than with a simple cloth. When you use a piece of cloth for dust, it usually moves it to another area of the car. A duster picks up the debris and removes it completely.
• Keep your interior from fading. You need to get the places a normal car wash can't. If you use an ordinary duster or brush, the surface area may fade in time. A regular duster can also scratch the dashboard, center console, and other interior spots.
• Avoid a lot of vacuuming. If you use a car dust remover on a regular basis, it eliminates the need to vacuum all the time. The duster will remove particles that otherwise could end up on the floor and seats.
• Avoid messes. While soap and water can effectively clean your vehicle inside and out, it can be messy. Avoid drips, splatters, and spills by using dash dusters instead.
• Get to hard-to-reach spots. While a vacuum is effective for the seats and carpet, they're tough for cleaning areas such as cup holders, air vents, door pockets, and other small spaces in the vehicle.

Types of Car Dusters

Microfiber

Microfiber dusters use a synthetic material that contains an electrostatic charge. This enables them to attract and catch dust, pollen, lint, and other tiny particles. Microfiber car dusters are soft and unlikely to mark up a surface area. Soft microfiber dusters with tendrils are particularly effective because they can trap more particles than a flat cloth. They are also more easy to move into small corners of the vehicle.

Cotton

Some dusters are made of waxed cotton, including the California car cleaner. There is little difference between a California car duster vs. microfiber. They generally resemble microfiber fingers, but they are made of a slightly different material. They both remove dust and debris from a surface area by trapping it. Waxed cotton dusters cannot be washed. 

Lambswool

The priciest dusters on the market tend to be made of lambswool. Historically, many people used this type of material to remove dust; however, it is generally not as effective as more modern fabrics such as microfiber and cotton. Lambswool has an inherent magnetic charge. Lambswool dusters may not work as well in tiny spaces as their counterparts. 

Compressed Air

Compressed air dusters are intended for areas of your home, office, or car that are very hard to reach using a traditional duster. They are useful for electronic devices, such as keyboards, and other tech items. In a car, they are handy for cleaning the areas around knobs and buttons. They are useful but aren’t an equal replacement for a microfiber or cotton duster. 

Top Brands of Car Dusters

The Original California Car Duster

The Original California Car Duster is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and was founded in 1989 by Jim and Loraine DeFrank. The company is still family-owned and operated. Its products are sold online and by specialty retailers/auto parts stores around the world. One top product is the Original California Car Duster created out of durable cotton fibers.

Carrand Companies

Headquartered in Carson, California, Carrand Companies was founded in 1982. It produces over 200 different cleaning tools for cars and at home. One of its top products is the 93007 Pacific Coast Car Duster.

SENHAI Technology Co., Ltd.

Senhai was founded in 2012, and its major parts factory is located in China. The company focuses on electronic products research, manufacturing, and marketing. One of its popular products is the Mini Duster for Car Air Vent.

Car Duster Pricing

• Less than $10: Car dusters that are this inexpensive tend to be lower quality and less effective than pricier products. However, some are sufficient and intended for specific areas such as air vents.
• $10-$20: It is possible to find a decent-quality duster in this price range. They typically do the job well.
• $20 and up: Many good-quality car dusters cost anywhere between $20 and $30. They are usually very effective at removing dust and pollen from a vehicle's interior and exterior surfaces.

Key Features

Telescopic, Extendable Handle

If you have a large truck/SUV or have trouble bending/moving due to a physical ailment, you may want a duster with a telescoping handle. It will allow you to reach several areas of the vehicle much more easily. Telescopic handles are also effective on tall cars with high roofs. Plastic and metal are common materials instead of a more traditional wooden handle.

Removable or Disposable Head

A few dusters come with a detachable or removable dusting head. This allows you to clean or replace the mop head once it wears out from use. This type of duster is typically used for the home rather than for a vehicle.  

Other Considerations

• Performance: Ideally, a car dusting mop will remove the dust with one swipe over a particular surface area. You don't want a product that simply moves the dust from one spot to another or just releases it into the air. The best car duster will trap the dust until it is shaken off or washed.
• Durability: A car dust remover should be made of materials that ensure its longevity. In addition, it should be manufactured in a way that prevents it from falling apart. If you purchase a duster that isn’t made well, it's more likely to fail, requiring you to purchase an additional duster.
• Versatility: The best car duster brush can also be used for other purposes. If you like keeping your home dust free, for example, a good car duster can help. The best car interior duster can also clean kitchen counters, dining room tables, coffee tables, dressers, and other areas in your house that are prone to collecting dust.
• Size: Car dusters come in a variety of sizes, from small to extra large. Tinier dusters are useful for detailing a vehicle's interior. Larger dusters are more suited for removing particles from the exterior surface area. Make sure to look at the dimensions of the duster before ordering it online.
• Shape: Dusters come in a variety of shapes, from long and narrow to round, square, or cylindrical. Long, narrow dusters enable you to access hard-to-reach spots. On the other hand, it may take you longer to clean an area of your car's interior using a square or rounded duster.

Best Car Dusters: Reviews & Recommendations 2019

Best Car Duster Overall: Ultimate Car Duster by Relentless Drive

The Ultimate Car Duster has a 16-inch-by-6-inch, 360-degree electrostatic microfiber dusting surface that clings to dirt and dust. It's one of the larger dusting products on the market and includes a plastic case for storage. The company has a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee, and you can return it if you're unhappy with the product.

The duster removes particles without leaving lint behind. It does not leave streaks like some competitor products do or scratch the surface or leave behind a waxy residue. The high-quality, padded handle makes it more comfortable to use, and the extendable, telescoping handle is strong. It works well on black vehicles, which often show every speck of dust.

The duster has been known to unravel or fall apart after a couple of months of use. Its performance cleaning small debris also leaves something to be desired since it just pushes dust around as opposed to removing it. 

Best Value Car Duster: AutoSpa 97372AS Interior Car Detail Duster

The AutoSpa Duster is about 12 inches long, including the handle. The microfiber part is about 6 inches long by 3 inches wide, making it ideal for small areas such as cup holders and the side pockets of doors. It features long chenille microfiber fabric and a molded handle for a comfortable grip.

The product is very soft, and the microfiber sleeve comes off for easy cleaning. Its size makes it easy to store in the glove box or door pocket, and it's useful for those hard-to-reach places in your vehicle. It's also lightweight. The AutoSpa Duster picks up and traps every speck of dust, sand, and dirt from your vehicle's interior and exterior.

The duster is smaller than some competitors’ products. There have been complaints that it leaves lint on the surface areas and moves dust around, and its shape may prohibit you from cleaning the area between the windshield and dashboard. 

Best Car Duster Honorable Mention: California Car Duster 62442 Standard Car Duster with Wooden Handle

When used on the exterior, this duster does not smear, streak, or damage the paint. It removes dust as opposed to moving it around and works better the more you use it. It easily wipes away dust and pollen from black vehicles and on wind-borne dust or rain-splatter dust. It's perfect for a quick dusting between washes.

The nontoxic California Car Duster won't scratch your vehicle's finish. Spray waxes and other cleaning fluids are not required. The duster weighs about 1.5 pounds and is 25 inches by 7 inches by 3 inches wide. A storage bag is also included.

The duster requires a break-in period. It may leave a wax film or tiny red fibers on your vehicle if you don't follow the instructions about using it for the first time. If you're cleaning your entire car inside and out, your hand may ache because the wooden handle isn't very comfortable.

Tips & Advice for Car Dusters

• A cheap car duster of inferior quality could actually damage your vehicle when used either in the interior or on the exterior paintwork. Consider spending a little more for a better product.
• If a car duster is made of second-rate materials, it may not effectively do the job. Avoid paying extra for a second car duster by purchasing a well-made one in the first place.
• Use gentle sweeping movements on glass surfaces in order to avoid scratching or damaging the area. In addition, make sure the glass is dry before using the duster to avoid streaks.
• If you use the duster on the mirrors in your vehicle, make sure they are properly adjusted after you are done dusting. They may move while you are cleaning them.
• Before each use, twist and shake the duster so any lint, particles, or excess pieces of fabric are released. Then you can expect a smoother, dust-free experience.
• Cotton wax dusters often require some prep before using them for the first time. Consider sitting it on cardboard or on newspaper to absorb the excess paraffin wax before dusting your vehicle.

FAQs

Q: Can I use a car duster on glass?

A: A car duster that is made of a soft material can be used on glass surfaces, such as the windshield, rearview mirrors, or side mirrors.

Q: Do I need to use a cleaning solution with the duster?

A: Most car dusters do not require cleaning solutions or detergent to work effectively. Using a cleaning solution may actually scratch or damage the surface area.

Q: How do I clean a car duster?

A: Some car dusters, including those made of microfiber or waxed cotton, can be cleaned by simply shaking them outside the vehicle or into a garbage can. Others can be cleaned in a washing machine. Some have heads that you can remove and replace with new ones.

Q: How do I avoid streaks?

A: Moisture trapped in the car duster or on the surface area you are cleaning may result in streaks. Both the duster and the surface must be completely dry before you attempt to clean the area.

Q: Will a car duster pick up dog hair?

A: Most car dusters are not equipped to pick up dog hair due to how they’re made. It's better to use a handheld vacuum, dryer sheets, or use a rubber glove on the surface area to remove dog hair.

Final Thoughts

Our top pick for the best car duster is the Ultimate Car Duster by Relentless Drive. It is soft, well-built, and picks up dirt, dust, and pollen in one swipe. It also features a telescoping handle.

If you're looking for something a little less pricey, consider the AutoSpa 97372AS Interior Car Detail Duster.