Dad’s short answer: Yes, and it's one of the best uses for one. Car seats, floor mats and carpet all clean up well. Two cautions: don't over-wet a car interior, and check whether your seats are leather or fabric before you start.

Why cars suit these machines

A car interior is exactly the kind of small, awkward, fabric-covered space a spot cleaner is designed for. Seats, floor carpet, mats and the trunk all respond well, and the results on a neglected footwell are dramatic.

Cordless comes into its own here, since there's no outlet in a driveway. That's the one situation where I'd take cordless over corded in this category without hesitating — otherwise you're running an extension cord out the garage.

A long hose and a narrow tool help. Car seams and the gap between seat back and base are where the worst of it hides.

The two cautions

Over-wetting. A car doesn't breathe like a room does. Water that soaks into a seat cushion or under the carpet has nowhere to go, and a closed car in warm weather turns that into a musty smell within days. Use less solution than you think, make extra dry passes, and leave the doors open to air out afterward.

Leather. A carpet cleaner is for fabric. Don't put an extraction tool on a leather seat, and be careful with mixed interiors where the bolsters are leather and the centers are cloth.

Also worth knowing: some interior fabrics are treated with a stain repellent, and aggressive scrubbing can strip it. Work gently, test somewhere hidden like under a seat first, and build up rather than going in hard.

Dad’s Take: Best use for a spot cleaner there is, but go light on the water. A car can't dry out the way a room can.