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Best Car Vacuums

Going to the car wash is great to keep your vehicle shiny on the outside, but what about the interior? These car vacuums will make cleaning out the inside of your car a breeze, no matter the mess.
We’ve all been there — you’re driving and someone pulls out in front of you, causing you to hit the brakes and send your food, drink, or personal belongings flying through the car. Or maybe your backseat is covered in dirty paw prints and fur from your four-legged traveling companion. Thankfully, there are vacuums made specifically for the car to make our lives easier when it comes to cleaning up these messes.

Best In-Car Powered Vacuum

4.5/5
Car Vacuum Cleaner High Power, HOTOR Vacuum Cleaner for Car
✔Why HOTOR: Fast and easy work in a corded handheld car vacuum with lasting and high power, no worry about the issue of continuation, you can use it whenever and wherever you want for your car, a great helper for vacation.
# of Reviews: 17618+

Best Car Vacuum for Pets

4.7/5
BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Lithium Ion Cordless Hand Vacuum
Buy Bissell, save pets; Bissell will donate 5 dollars for each pet hair eraser Li Ion purchase, upon activation
# of Reviews: 17200+

Best Detailing Car Vacuum

4.1/5
ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner – Portable, High Power, Handheld Vacuums w/ 3 Attachments
Practical: A mini vacuum for car or truck that is compact, lightweight (2.4 lbs), and easy to use. The large dust bin capacity is ready for ash, dust, or drive-thru food spills. A fully loaded interior car detailing kit housed in an ergonomic design.
# of Reviews: 181000+

What makes a great car vacuum?

Size

The size and weight of a car vacuum is an important feature to take into consideration. There are pros and cons to each — a smaller model is easier to operate and easier to transport, but they tend to be less powerful. Larger models can be clunkier and more difficult to use or move around, but they usually come with a more powerful motor. Ultimately, you’ll just need to decide which you prefer based on personal preferences.

You will also want to think about the size of the vacuum’s receptacle (the container that holds the trash and debris that’s been sucked up). If you plan on vacuuming a larger car, like a truck or SUV, you may want to find a car vacuum with a larger receptacle so you won’t need to empty it multiple times as you clean.

Attachments

Vacuum cleaners that come with handy attachments make cleaning those hard-to-reach spaces and car seats easy. Attachments range from additional nozzles of all shapes and uses, extra lights to help see and clean under the seats, and even water filters that give you the ability to vacuum up liquids. It all depends on the model type — at a minimum, you’ll want a car vacuum with a tool to clean in crevices, a brush attachment to help with the car seats, and an extension piece to reach under the seats.

Power

It’s important to think about the vacuum’s power source and how much umph its suction has. Vacuums can plug into a wall, plug into your car, or be battery powered. Ones that plug into the wall are great if your car is in the garage, models with a 12-volt plug are convenient for cleaning when away from home, and battery-powered devices don’t need a cord at all but may not be as powerful.

A vacuum’s suction power usually depends on the motor power, but there are exceptions. You can certainly find models nowadays that have smaller motors, but still offer excellent suction power. If you aren’t sure on a vacuum’s suction, your best bet is to go with one with a higher motor power — this usually means they’ll have a more powerful suction, too.

Types of car vacuums

Dry only vs. wet/dry

A big difference between vacuum models is what they can clean. Every vacuum can suction up dry debris like dirt and sand, but some vacuums have an added ability to clean liquid messes, too. If you frequently have drinks that could spill or you live in a rainy or snowy climate, having that liquid clean-up add-on would definitely come in handy.

Shop vac

A typical shop vacuum has a large base container that sits on the ground and holds debris and an industrial hose to vacuum with. They’re typically found in automotive shops and garages and come with specific capabilities that set them apart from regular vacuums. Most are wet/dry, the bases have wheels for easy transportation, and there are drains on the bottom so you can quickly empty any liquids.

Handheld

When it comes to car vacuums, handheld models are easily one of the most convenient options. They come both battery-powered or corded, whether that be plugged into a wall outlet or your car’s 12-volt plugin. There’s a wide variety of models and features for these, including various hose attachments, some with wet/dry capabilities, different sizes, etc.

Best In-Car Powered Vacuum

This powerful car vacuum by Hotor comes with everything you need to keep your car’s interior in like-new condition, including three hose attachments and a crevice tool for those hard-to-reach places. It also includes an LED light on the end to help you see under the seats and in the darkest corners of your car. Simply plug the vacuum into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet and get to work. The 16-foot power cord allows you to reach your entire cab space and the spacious dust container prevents you from having to stop and empty it multiple times as you clean. When finished, pack it up into its convenient vacuum bag for easy storage.

RR Rating:
4.5/5
# of Reviews: 17618+
◘ ✔Why HOTOR: Fast and easy work in a corded handheld car vacuum with lasting and high power, no worry about the issue of continuation, you can use it whenever and wherever you want for your car, a great helper for vacation.
◘ ✔Remarkable LED Light: Mini vacuum with a super bright LED light, great for car interiors, and ensure your work both in brightness and darkness.
◘ ✔Double Filtration: The filter of this vacuum for car is covered with a filter wrap. It is designed to keep stable suction, extend the use life of the filter and avoid the clog of the filter sooner.

Best Car Vacuum for Pets

The cordless Bissel pet hair car vacuum easily removes embedded dirt and pet hair, running on 4 lithium batteries for powerful suction and mobility. Its large dirt container is easy to empty and includes triple-level filtration, helping to improve the overall cleaning performance. This car vacuum comes with a variety of tools and attachments specifically aimed toward pets, including a motorized brush tool for deeply embedded dirt and hair, an upholstery tool for seats and other soft surfaces, and a crevice tool for hard-to-reach spaces. In addition to the optimal cleaning ability, Bissel also donates $5 to shelters and rescues for each pet vacuum purchased.

RR Rating:
4.7/5
# of Reviews: 17200+
◘ Large, easy to empty dirt bin to help get rid of pet hair easily. Triple level filtration to help improve cleaning performance
◘ Set of specialized pet tools includes: Motorized brush tool, upholstery tool, and crevice tool
◘ Buy Bissell, save pets; Bissell will donate 5 dollars for each pet hair eraser Li Ion purchase, upon activation
◘ Remove more embedded dirt and pet hair with a motorized brush tool and lithium ion battery
◘ 14V lithium ion battery for lithium powered cleaning; Dirt cup capacity: 0.7 Litres

Best Detailing Car Vacuum

This compact car vacuum by ThisWorx is ideal for cleaning and detailing the interior of your car. It’s lightweight and easy to use with a large dust container so you don’t have to frequently stop and empty the bin while you clean. The cleaning kit comes with 3 attachments (a flathead nozzle, extendable hose, and brush nozzle), plus a storage bag, a filter brush, and a spare HEPA filter. Just plug this vacuum into your car’s 12-volt outlet for powerful suction and you can easily reach both the front and back seats or the trunk for a perfect detailing.

RR Rating:
4.1/5
# of Reviews: 181000+
◘ Practical: A mini vacuum for car or truck that is compact, lightweight (2.4 lbs), and easy to use. The large dust bin capacity is ready for ash, dust, or drive-thru food spills. A fully loaded interior car detailing kit housed in an ergonomic design.
◘ Effective: Made for on-the-go use and to solve out-of-reach problems. A very sandy day at the beach? A coat of dog hair? The portable vacuum cleaner for car is designed to solve problems.
◘ Powerful: The cyclonic force and strong suction of the 106w motor will terminate any dirt or debris; say goodbye to hard-to-reach crumbs stuck under the driver’s seat. Our mini car vacuum even has a top of the line washable HEPA filter.

FAQs about Car Vacuums

How much suction power should a car vacuum have?

Suction power is measured in volts for cordless vacuum models, while suction power in corded vacuums is measured in amps. Cordless car vacuums should have at least 15 to 20 volts and corded car vacuums should have at least 5 to 7 amps.

Why do I need a car vacuum?

Your initial thought may be to just use your household vacuum to clean out your car’s interior. While it may do an okay job depending on the vacuum, it’s likely not very handy to use in the tight spaces of your car. They can be clunky and can easily tip over when their hose attachments are stretched too far, making the entire task that much more difficult. A car vacuum is designed with these specific details in mind — they are much more portable and offer attachments that will help you easily clean floor mats, car seats, and all the nooks and crannies in the cabin of your car.

What other ways can I help keep my car clean?

Here are a few helpful tips to keep your car clean between vacuumings:

  • Keep a trashcan in the car. Whether it’s a travel trash container or just a plastic bag, having a designated place for trash will help eliminate the amount of trash that’ll end up on your floorboards or spread throughout your car later on.
  • Buy cup holder liners. Drips and spills from cups can make your cup holders sticky. You can find liners specifically made for your car’s cup holders that can easily be removed and cleaned rather than having to try to clean out the cup holder itself.
  • Use car seat covers. These help protect your seats, whether they’re upholstery or leather. They prevent stains and they’re a lot easier to clean than the seat’s original material.
  • Add seat gap fillers. These fit snugly between your center console and your seat to prevent items and debris from falling into that blackhole-of-a-crevice.

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