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The Best Car Vacuums To Clean Your Car

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Rev up your cleaning game with the top car vacuums of 2024! In the fast-paced world of automotive hygiene, these gadgets are your pit crew, ensuring a spotless interior ride. Buckle up as we explore the sleek designs and powerful suction capabilities that make these vacuums stand out. 

Whether you're battling crumbs in the backseat or tackling pet hair on the upholstery, these vacuum champions are here to turn your car into a showroom on wheels. Get ready for a joyride through innovation and efficiency, because these car vacuums are more than just cleaning tools—they're your ticket to a pristine, clutter-free driving experience.

Buyer’s Guide for Finding a Car Vacuum

If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time in your car, whether you’re running errands, commuting to work, or dropping the kids off at soccer practice. With all this time spent, it’s no wonder the car gets dirty. And we all know that maintaining your car’s interior throughout the week, much like with living spaces, isn’t always easy. When you don’t have time to take your vehicle to a car wash to use their vacuums, portable vacuum cleaners are a fantastic option, ensuring your car’s interior remains in pristine condition. Buying an ideal model for your needs, though, can be frustrating. Here are some factors I found that you should consider when shopping for one.

Characteristics To Look For in a Car Vacuum

Weight

Always consider the weight of a portable car vacuum before making a purchase. I believe models should be lightweight, especially corded options without a rechargeable battery. This way, I don’t have to strain my back while using it.

Source of energy

Car vacuums are convenient since they can be plugged straight into the 12-volt socket in your vehicle, allowing them to be used while the car’s moving. Because they’re corded, these versions have a limited range of motion. Other options can be recharged via a USB connector. A cordless device’s battery life and charging method should be taken into account if you plan on purchasing one of these.

Accessories

For thorough cleaning, I would make sure the vacuum comes with the appropriate attachments. A crevice tool, an extension hose, and an upholstery brush are all necessary for cleaning inaccessible areas. Without these, I doubt you’d be able to get as clean a car as you want.

Efficiency

One of the most critical factors is whether or not your vacuum can remove all of the dirt and dust that has been collected in your car. The ideal vacuums have at least 15 air watts of battery with a voltage of 16 or greater, depending on the model. I wouldn’t suggest going any lower than these numbers.

Corded vs. cordless

Cordless vacuums, of course, make it easier to move in your car without needing to be plugged in. While they’re great for getting to those hard-to-reach areas in your car, they may need to be recharged more regularly to complete jobs, depending on how dirty your car is. I would buy one of these if I didn’t want to take my seats out of my car when vacuuming. On the other hand, because corded vacuums have to be constantly plugged into a power source, you’ll want to be sure you’re cleaning close to an electrical outlet. However, when working on your seats and floors, you will have an uninterrupted cleaning. You won’t have to bother charging after using them either, which is a bonus.

Capability

When purchasing car vacuums, tank capacity is often overlooked. If your car gets as messy as mine does, you’ll want a large tank. But a smaller tank capacity should work for you if you have a smaller car that generally stays cleaner.

Caring for a Car Vacuum

Buying a vehicle vacuum can be an expensive process, so you’ll want to take precautions towards keeping it in good working order. I recommend performing filter changes at least once a month or more if you vacuum regularly. You should check your exact product to see if it has a washable filter option. Even if there’s just a small quantity of dirt or debris in my vacuum canister, I empty it out after every cleaning. Cleaning an attachment with a brush or roll is also essential. If you use an extension with a hose vacuum, make sure that nothing is trapped inside after each cleaning.

How To Vacuum Your Car

Once you’ve decided on a vacuum for your car, it’s time to get to work. While vacuuming a car may seem simple, I suggest keeping these things in mind:
  • Before beginning any work, make sure that all of your vehicle’s doors are wide open, providing easy access to all areas inside and helping dissipate any dust that’s kicked up. Plus, you’ll be able to drag the vacuum’s hose directly into your car’s interior rather than around it
  • Before vacuuming, make sure all garbage and heavy objects have been removed. You won’t have to worry about your vacuum becoming caught on heavy debris, and you won’t have to worry about sucking small objects accidentally. And, although strings or hair won’t clog or damage your vacuum, connected brushes or rolls can become clogged over time
  • Remove any floor mats and trunk liners before cleaning your trunk. Hooks or eyelets keep floor mats in place in most modern cars
  • Use the brush attachment that comes with your vehicle vacuum. It’s possible to remove dirt and debris from your car’s carpet using just a brush attachment and suction
  • Vacuum your car’s floor thoroughly. I would do this several times to guarantee the carpet is clean and dust-free
  • Vacuum the upholstery if your seats are made of fabric. The front seats should be reclined, allowing you to fit between the seats and the backrest
  • You can use a crevice tool to get inside the seams and pockets of seats, consoles, and doors
  • I would run the vacuum along the dashboard, removing any remaining dust or dirt
  • Before cleaning the floor mats, remove them, shake them out, and use your shop vac to blast them off. After vacuuming, place each floor mat back on its hooks
  • Lastly, clean out the trunk. Maintaining this area is important since it is frequently used for storing bulky items
  • Make careful to clean your vacuum after you finish cleaning your car by emptying its canister and inspecting the hose and brush attachments for any debris

Top Picks

  • Compact And Lightweight: Varsk 4-In-1 Car Vacuum
  • Ideal For Detailing: Cheryloncar Portable Car Vacuum
  • Great For Easy-Cleaning: Valuta Car Vacuum Cleaner
  • Elite Design: Bissell Car Vacuum Cleaner
  • Most Compact: Taohorse Handheld Cordless Car Vacuum
  • Best Overall: Thisworx Car Vacuum Cleaner

Reviews

Compact and Lightweight
None

Varsk 4-In-1 Car Vacuum

Pros Cons
  • Affordable option
  • Digital LED display
  • Three extra nozzles
  • Cyclone suction technology
  • Relatively lower suction
Ideal for Detailing

Cheryloncar Portable Car Vacuum

Pros Cons
  • Handheld and portable
  • Lightweight and easy to use
  • Strong suction technology
  • Reusable double filters
  • Not compatible with big cars
Great for Easy-Cleaning

Valuta Car Vacuum Cleaner

Pros Cons
  • Metal HEPA filter
  • Low noise 
  • Easy to use and clean with
  • Portable and compact
  • Lack of advanced features
Elite Design

Bissell Car Vacuum Cleaner

Pros Cons
  • Compact, yet powerful
  • Slim aesthetic 
  • Chargeable through a USB port
  • Washable filter cartridges
  • Not the best for larger cars and messes 
  • Comes with only one accessory tool
Most Compact

Taohorse Handheld Cordless Car Vacuum

Pros Cons
  • Cordless with 30 minutes of battery life
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Bright LED lights
  • Easy to clean and store
  • Makes loud noise while cleaning
Best Overall

Thisworx Car Vacuum Cleaner

Pros Cons
  • Easy to use for car cleaning
  • Efficient in cleaning small spaces
  • Comes with useful attachments
  • Hose is awkwardly shaped
  • Frequent filter cleaning needed

FAQs

How do I choose a car vacuum?
Choosing a car vacuum should be based on cleaning time and the debris you usually get in your car (dirt, rocks, sand, crumbs, crayons, and hair). Cordless vacuums typically capture stones, crumbs, dust, pebbles, and hair. Handheld vacuums can't handle grime or huge clumps of hair. Several cordless handheld models without wet vacuums can still capture small quantities of liquid.
Is it safe to clean my car using a vacuum?
Using a 12-volt vacuum cleaner can deplete your car's battery, so, yes, there is a risk. However, depletion depends on your battery, how long your vacuum is, and how old or weak your car's battery is.
How can I clean my car's vacuum?
Consult your vacuum's owner's manual to learn if the filter can be cleaned or has to be replaced. The owner's manual should mention whether soap and water or a dust cloth should be used for cleaning the inside. Remember to let it dry fully before reassembling.
How do I clean in between the car seats?
To clean between seats, you'll need a crevice tool and an extension hose. Being able to drive microscopic particles out of even the smallest spaces makes compressed air a superb cleaning tool. However, removing your chairs and vacuuming the space around them is still the most efficient method.
Is a car vacuum better than a regular vacuum?
For cars, you should use a car vacuum instead as it's able to get in all those crevices that a regular vacuum cannot. Also, it often has stronger suction power.