Keeping your car’s interior clean is much easier than it used to be, thanks to massive developments in vacuum cleaner technology. Previously, it was a case of choosing between a pathetic 12V dustbuster or lugging a corded vac onto the driveway. Nowadays, things are thankfully better, and you can get some very good vacuums for car care.
Your car is hiding all manner of detritus. Dust on the dashboard, crud on the carpets, French fries in the footwell, goop in the glovebox, and dregs in the door pockets. We haven’t even mentioned the dog hair in the boot. The fact is, you need the best car vacuum cleaner available.
Even in the relatively small world of car vacuuming, there is a lot of variation available. From easily portable handheld vacuums that lack the raw suction power to tackle big debris right up to enormous wet & dry vacuum cleaners that could refresh a car that had recently been pulled from a lake – but needs plugging in, you’ll need to weigh up your needs before buying anything. To save you time, we’ve been hard at work testing the best car vacuum cleaners and have listed our top picks below.
The best car vacuum cleaner at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Gtech Multi Mk2 K9 – Buy now from Gtech
Best corded vacuum cleaner for car care: Henry HVR160 Vacuum Cleaner – Buy now from Currys
Best wet and dry vacuum cleaner: Henry George Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best car carpet cleaner: Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro – Buy now from Amazon UK
The best vacuum cleaners for car care
Editor's pick
Read our full Gtech Multi MK2 Handheld Vacuum Cleaner review.
Pros
- Perfectly suited to car use
- Multiple attachments and an LED light for convenience
Cons
- Heavier than other examples
| Weight: | 1.5kg |
| Dimensions: | 250 x 136 x 386 mm |
| Capacity (litres): | 0.4 |
| Power: | 22V |
| Operating radius: | Cordless (20-minute runtime) |
| Attachments: | Extension tube, dusting brush, crevice tool, powerhead tool |
Best corded vacuum cleaner for car care
Read our full Henry HVR160 and CarKit review.
Pros
- Dependable and rugged build
- Packed with attachments
Cons
- The body will get snagged as you manoeuvre the vacuum
| Weight: | 7.5kg |
| Dimensions: | 320 x 340 x 345mm |
| Bin capacity: | Six litres |
| Power: | 620W |
| Operating radius: | 25.7 metres |
| Attachments: | Floor tool, crevice tool, soft dusting brush, upholstery nozzle, slide-on brush for upholstery tool |
Best wet and dry vacuum cleaner
Read our full George Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner review.
Pros
- Very capable fabric cleaner and vacuum
- Bank-vault construction
Cons
- A complex bit of kit
| Weight: | 14.68kg |
| Dimensions: | 355 x 510 x 355 mm |
| Capacity (litres): | 15L, 9L wet, 6L extraction |
| Power: | 1060W |
| Operating radius: | 26.8 metres |
| Attachments: | Floor tool, crevice tool, upholstery tool, dusting tool, carpet extractor, spot extractor, dual scrub brush |
Best budget wet and dry vacuum cleaner
Rrp: £67.99
Rrp: £67.99
Read our full Kärcher Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner WD 2 Plus review.
Pros
- Powerful motor
- Solid construction
Cons
- Short power cord
| Weight: | 4.25kg |
| Dimensions: | 137 x 129 x 148 mm |
| Capacity (litres): | 12L |
| Power: | 1000W |
| Operating radius: | 4 metres |
| Attachments: | Floor tool, crevice tool |
Best handheld vacuum cleaner on a budget
Rrp: £68.00
Rrp: £68.00
Read our full Bosch UniversalVac 18 review.
Pros
- Decent suction power
- Very well made
Cons
- Battery is sold separately
| Weight: | 1.3kg |
| Dimensions: | 384 x 211 x 149mm |
| Bin capacity: | 0.5 litres |
| Power: | 620W |
| Operating radius: | Cordless (20-minute runtime) |
| Attachments: | Brush, floor tool, crevice tool |
Best car carpet cleaner
Rrp: £189.99
Rrp: £189.99
Read our full BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro review.
Pros
- Ergonomic design
- Excellent stain-removing abilities
Cons
- Big and bulky for a portable unit
| Dimensions: | 25 x 36 x 35.6 cm |
| Water tank capacity: | 2.8 litres |
| Motor: | 750W |
| Hose length: | 1.5 metres |
| Cord length: 6.5 metres | 6.5 metres |
| Weight: 5.8kg | 5.8kg |
Rrp: £129.99
Rrp: £129.99
Read our full Vax SpotWash review here.
Pros
- Affordable and mostly effective
- Self-cleaning feature
Cons
- Not the most powerful
What to consider when choosing a car vacuum cleaner:
Which car vacuum cleaner should you buy?
The household vacuum cleaner under your stairs would do a good job, but do you really want to lug it outside to your car? Upright vacuum cleaners are designed for household carpets, rugs and stairways, not for squeezing through a car door.
That’s where one of our top vacuum cleaners comes in. We’re well acquainted with the chore of vacuuming a car using an upright and don’t want you to suffer the same miserable fate of banged knuckles and weightlifting bulky vacuums onto the back seats of a car.
We’ve found countless vacuums that’ll serve various needs with ease, from heavy-duty wet and dry vacuum cleaners that could quite easily suck up a swamp to tiny handheld vacuums for the lightest of cleaning chores. Don’t forget either that the vast majority of these vacuum cleaners could quite easily be used to clean your car too. Even better, vacuum cleaners regularly get discounted, so keep an eye out for some stellar deals.
The different types of vacuum cleaners
Wet and dry vacuum cleaners – Wet and dry vacuums are designed to be tougher and more robust, meaning you’ll be able to tackle larger jobs with no worry at all. Not to mention, it can be used on spillages safely, too, hence the ‘wet’ in the name. Owning one makes sense if your car gets partially muddy on the inside, as a good wet and dry vacuum cleaner will be more effective on the mud while keeping your regular vacuum cleaner in working order.
Handheld vacuum cleaners – Handheld vacuum cleaners are streamlined models that have done away with all the size and weight of regular vacs, making them lighter and easier to wield. As you’d expect, they’re designed for single-hand use, allowing them to reach some of the deepest, tightest areas of any car for an easier yet superior job. A handheld vacuum cleaner will be really easy to manoeuvre, freeing you up with easier movement to improve efficiency and results.
Spot cleaner – A spot cleaner works like a regular handheld vacuum cleaner but also injects cleaning product into the fabric to shampoo and deep clean the surface. Even the world’s best vacuum cleaner won’t be any good against a tough, embedded stain. For these particularly horrible tasks, one of our favourite spot cleaners will make light work of the task, breaking down the stain. For restoring tired upholstery, the localised suction power is perfect for pulling dirt out of fabrics and restoring lost piles.
What is the best car vacuum cleaner on the market?
Unfortunately, there’s no simple or straightforward answer to that question as it really depends on your circumstances and what you are looking for. Hopefully our selection above has given you an idea of what’s available and how it might suit your needs.
What vacuum do car detailers use?
There are many car vacuum cleaners available, some of which are aimed solely at the motor trade for heavy-duty use. Most professional detailers will opt for the power of a mains-operated machine but with enough flexibility to get into awkward or tight spaces. They are also likely to use separate machines for washing and drying, too. The pros will also be looking for durability as they are likely to be using their machines multiple times a day, most days of the week. Even the most ardent amateur detailer shouldn’t need that kind of robustness.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tool Editor for Parkers and CAR, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. He also contributes to What’s The Best.
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