A regularly used car will quickly accumulate dirt and dust. You can keep your car looking pristine by using the best car vacuums to suction off the debris.
There are all sorts of car vacs; wet/dry, corded or cordless, battery-powered, or wall plug-ins. When shopping for a car vacuum cleaner, you want one that is compact enough to clean smaller spaces like your car’s interior. Plus, it should have enough suction and power to do the job right.
So, if you often ferry kids and pets, you might want a powerful car vacuum cleaner. For minor cleaning, a smaller and less expensive model will do. That said, of the many options in the market, which is the best one for you?
In this article, we have compiled the top 10 very best vacuums for car cleaning.
Take a quick look below at the top car vacuums below, then scroll down for in-depth reviews and helpful buying info.
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- Things to Consider
- Best Car Vacuums Review
- 1. Black+Decker Dustbuster Cordless Hand Vacuum
- 2. Armor All 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
- 3. Shop-Vac 5-Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vacuum
- 4. Vacmaster Wet/Dry Vacuum With Detachable Blower
- 5. Vacplus Wet/dry Handheld Car Vacuum
- 6. Hotor Handheld Car Vacuum Cleaner
- 7. Holife Handheld Vacuum Cordless Cleaner
- 8. Dyson V6 Car Boat Cordless Vacuum
- 9. Lolldeal Super Mini Car Vacuum Cleaner
- 10. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand and Car Vacuum
- How to Shop for the Best Car Vacuum Cleaner
Things to Consider
Corded or cordless vacuum:- Cordless vacuums have their batteries, so you don’t need a power outlet to use them. However, the batteries need to be charged every so often. Some corded car vacuums receive their power from your cars 12v cigarette lighter, or while others have to be plugged into the electrical outlet in your garage.
Suction Power :- This is measured in Pascals (Pa). A vacuum with more suction power cleans better and faster.
Dirt Tank Capacity. :- The more the gallons of dirt your vacuum can hold before you have to empty it, the better, especially if you have a big car or use your car often.
Extra features and accessories:- These are tools a vacuum offers to ease the cleaning. They include attachments for hard to reach corners of your car, brush attachment, or upholstery attachments.
Maintenance and warranty:- Pay close attention to how easy it is to pry apart and clean your vacuum. Also, check the warranty period given for the unit.
Best Car Vacuums Review
1. Black+Decker Dustbuster Cordless Hand Vacuum
This Amazon top seller makes tops our list of cordless, portable car vacuum cleaners. It comes with a great price tag and useful features, starting with its reliable lithium-ion battery that can hold a charge for up to 18 months.
Besides, its rotating nozzle and crevice tools come in handy for suctioning dust and debris in hard to reach places. Cleaning this model is super easy; the washable dust bowl is see-through so you can empty it when full.
Overall, this model from the trusted Black+Decker is a good choice for spot cleaning and general car maintenance. Keep in mind that it does not clean wet messes, but our next choice does.
Features
- Reliable lithium-ion battery
- Suction Power 15.2 AW
- Dustbowl Capacity: 20.6 ounces
- Uses 50% less energy due to its Smart Charge Technology
PROS/ 2 years limited warranty | Washable filters |Portable | Comes with attachments
CONS/ Not for wet messes | Average dust bowl capacity
2. Armor All 2.5 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
If you often have to clean up spills and wet messes in your car, you’ll need a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the job. A good option is the ArmorAll AA255model. This compact and inexpensive model packs handy accessories focused on your vehicle’s deep cleanse.
The accessories include multiple crevice tools to get into those awkward spots, a nozzle, and a brush for scrubbing off stubborn dirt. Plus, it converts easily to a blower that you can use to vacuum up debris on the exterior. We also like the onboard storage plan for the tools-so your garage will remain tidy.
Overall, this ArmorAll AA255 model works quite well and has handy tools for many scenarios. However, you do require a power outlet to work this shop vac.
Features
- 2.5 gallon storage tank
- a 6-foot hose, and a 10-foot power cord
- On-board accessory storage
- Wet/dry capability
- Two-year warranty
PROS/ Small and light for good portability | On-board accessory storage | Includes several useful accessories,
CONS/ Not cordless
3. Shop-Vac 5-Gallon Stainless Steel Wet/Dry Vacuum
Some scenarios, such as cleaning a large car, may require a vehicle-vacuuming device with a higher capacity. The Shop-Vac offers just that. It is powered by a 4.5 peak horsepower motor and has a holding capacity of up to 5 gallons of wet and dry debris.
Naturally, this not-so-light model is wheeled and glides smoothly through your car. You should be able to reach all corners of your car with the 6ft long power cable and 7ft long hose.
What you get with this popular car vac model is excellent accessories like crevice tools, extension wands, gulper nozzle, and floor nozzle.
In addition to being a powerful vacuum, the Shop-Vac can be used as a blower. It is particularly helpful in cleaning out stubborn sand from your car.
Features
- Converts to a powerful blower
- 5 gallon dirt bucket
- 6ft long power cable & 7ft long hose
- Attachments include a crevice tool, 3 extension wands, floor nozzle, gulper nozzle
PROS/ Wheeled for easy movement/Cleans up wet and dry messes
CONS/ Needs power outlet /Large
4. Vacmaster Wet/Dry Vacuum With Detachable Blower
The Vacmaster is designed to handle heavy-duty cleaning tasks, including stubborn dirt, spillages, and pet hair. In terms of suction power, this 5-horsepower vac is powerful enough for the larger and messier vehicles.
Additionally, the Vacmaster’s 12 gallon bin means it can hold more dust and debris before you have to empty it. Fortunately, emptying the bin needs not to be chaotic- you can use the large drain port for this activity.
Among the tools included are a crevice tool, an eight-inch utility nozzle, car nozzle, blower nozzle, and an adapter for the blower wand.
The Vacmaster wet/dry shop vac is wheeled so you can easily move it around your car’s interior. Overall, a great investment for heavy vehicle users.
Features
- Package includes air/noise diffuser, a 7ft long hose, cartridge filter, car nozzle, extension wands, utility nozzle, crevice tool, concentrator nozzle, blower adapter, standard cartridge filter, and foam wet filter.
- doubles up as a powerful blower
- 2 year warranty
PROS/ Powerful for heavy-duty jobs/ wheeled for easy movement/
CONS// Pricey/Heavier than other models
5. Vacplus Wet/dry Handheld Car Vacuum
You can use this sleek wet/dry hand-held vacuum to clean up liquid spills, debris, and pet hair from your car. For power, plug it into a 12v power source, like your cigarette lighter, and it will generate 4500Pa of suction.
In addition, cleaning every nook and cranny is easy with the Vacplus Portable. It comes with a 16.4-foot-long power cord and attachments like the crevice tool that is perfect for reaching any awkward spots in your car.
Overall, a sleek, portable vac that handles most in-car cleaning tasks splendidly and will not break your bank.
Features
- Inbuilt LED light
- Weight 2.5 ounces
- Has stainless steel HEPA filter
PROS/ Portable lightweight design/ Extra filter/ Removable & washable filter
CONS/ Not cordless
6. Hotor Handheld Car Vacuum Cleaner
This model is a favorite among motorists, thanks to its affordability and extra features.
Naturally, the Hooter vac carries out its wet/dry vacuum functions effectively, aided by the strong 4500PA of suction power it generates. Also, it comes with attachments to reach into tight spaces and suck up all the debris, spillages, and pet hair. The attachments include a brush attachment, a crevice nozzle, and an extension hose.
Another great feature – especially for folks plagued with dust allergies- is the stainless steel HEPA filter that contains the dirt in the dust container. You can remove and wash both the filter and dust container, making the Hotor an easy-to-maintain vac.
Features
- Weighs 2.44 ounces
- Stainless steel HEPA filter
- Removable and washable filter and dust bin
PROS/ Affordable, lightweight/ cleans wet and dry messes
CONS/ Not cordless/ Needs a 12v power outlet
7. Holife Handheld Vacuum Cordless Cleaner
This inexpensive vacuum provides strong suction and can run continuously for 30 minutes, thanks to its powerful 2000mAh lithium-ion battery. With a suction of 4000-6000pa, the Holife is powerful enough to rid your car of dust, debris, and pet hair.
For liquid spillages, the liquid nozzle attachment sucks up to 100ml of spilled liquid in your car or living room. Other attachments include a crevice tool, a cleaning brush, and a charging base, which automatically shuts down once your battery is fully charged. Additionally, the dual-filtration system allows no dirt or dust to escape from the washable dirt container.
You have the option of the cheaper, compact Holife dry vacuum that comes with HEPA filter. But for slightly more money, you can get the more premium version with the wet/dry suction capabilities.
Features
- Dual filtration system
- Washable filters and dust bin
- Lightweight at 2.2 ounces
- Charges fully in 3-5 hours
PROS/ Super portable | Low noise output | Inexpensive
CONS/ 12 months warranty
8. Dyson V6 Car Boat Cordless Vacuum
If you don’t mind spending a little more for the ultimate quality car vacuum, then Dyson V6 is your best bet.
This powerful handheld vacuum is said to have twice the suction power of other cordless vacs. The lithium-ion battery provides 20+ minutes of continuous vacuuming activity, fewer minutes if you use the max power mode for the more stubborn jobs. The battery comes with a car charger too.
The tools included are an extension hose, a combination brush tool, and a motorized brush tool- all to aid the removal of pet hair, stubborn or embedded dirt and fine dust.
Dyson vacuums have a two-year warranty period. Overall, the powerful Dyson Cordless Vacuum is not only perfect for your car’s cleaning tasks, it can also double up as your home’s and boat’s cleaner.
Features
- Powerful V6 motor
- Has a Boost Mode for more suction power for stubborn debris
- Efficient filtration through its Two-Tier Radial cyclones
- 20 minutes run time
- Weighs just 3.11 pounds
PROS/ Easy to use design | Lightweight and portable | One touch bin emptying method
CONS/ Slightly pricier than other models
9. Lolldeal Super Mini Car Vacuum Cleaner
If all you need is some light cleaning tasks around your car, there is no reason to go for expensive multi-featured vacuuming units. The Lolldeal, though a budget vac, will give you plenty of suction and maneuverability to keep your car clean.
Small enough to fit in your glove compartment, this unit packs 3200Pa suction power and has a slim pivoting nozzle to suction dirt from hard to reach areas of your car. Another great feature is the removable and washable HEPA filter, designed to trap very fine particles
Features
- Weighs only 11.9 ounces
- 1-year guarantee
- 14.8 ft long power
PROS/ Inexpensive | Super light and portable
CONS/ For home use, needs a Universal AC-DC power socket adapter converter.
10. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand and Car Vacuum
If your dogs or cats are regular passengers in your car, then you know how quickly pet hair accumulates in the car. So, you need a special vacuum that is designed to clean out troublesome pet hair.
Bisell Pet Hair Eraser tops our list of the best car vacuums for pet hair. It comes with tools like upholstery tool and crevice tool, both of which are specialized in sucking up hairs that are stuck in your car’s interior. If you want a deeper cleanse, use the motorized tool that you can buy separately.
Bissell says the Pet Hair Eraser can last up to 15 minutes on a single charge, while recharge time is around five hours. The vacuum features a two-stage filtration system that is designed to help extend the life of the filter while providing easy cleaning.
Overall, this vacuum specializes in picking up pet hair and is a good option for pet owners.
Features
- Easy-to-empty dirt bin
- Two-stage filtration system
- Dirt bin capacity: 0.7 L
- One-year limited warranty
- Motorized brush head provides powerful suction
PROS/ Lightweight and cordless | Specialized pet hair tools
CONS/ You may have to buy some attachments separately | Average dirt bin capacity
How to Shop for the Best Car Vacuum Cleaner
You may be tempted to use your household vacuum cleaner to clean your car. Although it could work on the larger surfaces of your car, there are many hard-to-reach places that only a car vacuum can clean.
So, whether you want to suction off a spillage, or do a general deep cleanse of your car, a car vacuum is a handy tool to have. Learn here which features you should be looking for before choosing your car vac.
How to Vacuum Your Car
Before you start vacuuming your car, here are a few pointers to ease your task.
- Open your car’s doors and windows
Not only is it more pleasant to work in a well-ventilated car, but it is also easier to handle the vacuum’s power cord and hose through the open doors.
- Clean out visible trash before starting to vacuum
This will make your task go faster. You don’t want to have to vacuum large trash or items that can harm your vacuum, such as sharp objects.
- Remove car accessories
To better access all areas of your car’s interior, it is a good idea to remove your floor mats, dashboard covers, seat covers, and trunk liners, which you can clean separately.
- Use of your vacuum’s utility tools
The best car vacuums come with handy attachments to both help you clean stubborn dirt and reach tight spaces. They may include brush attachments and long nozzles. Be sure to learn how to effectively use each tool.
- Thoroughly vacuum your car
Whether you start from the trunk or the front cabin area, be sure to systematically go through every inch of your car. Slide the seats back or forward when vacuuming and do not forget the floorboards.
- Care for your vacuum
Now that you have finished your task, it is time to empty the dirt bin. This should be done each time you vacuum, more so if the mess was wet. If your car vac has a filter, it is a good idea to change it regularly. Some vacuums come with a removable and washable filter with instructions on how
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this guide has helped you choose a car vacuum to suit your needs. Whether you prefer the best portable vacuum for cars or the best handheld vacuum for cars, you are sure to find a solid choice among our list of the best car vacuums in the market.
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