When you use your car every day, you will notice that dirt is quickly formed. And not just on the car mats: dust can also quickly accumulate on the dashboard. It is advisable to regularly vacuum your car to keep it a healthy environment.
It is smart to delve into a suitable vacuum cleaner for the car. Not every vacuum cleaner is suitable for vacuuming crevices and vulnerable surfaces. Do you want to vacuum your car well without scratching it? And do you want to be able to reach all the cracks to get your car completely clean again?
Then you've come to the right place! In this article I'll tell you everything you need to know about vacuuming a car and what you need to do it. Vacuum your car like a car detailer? Then read on quickly!
Why vacuuming a car can be tricky
Vacuuming a car is very different from vacuuming the house. First of all, there are many small surfaces and cracks in a car. Think, for example, between the car seats and the compartment under the dashboard. In addition, the interior of the car is often vulnerable. This way, the dashboard can quickly get scratched if you don't use a soft brush when vacuuming.
And, since hardly anyone takes off their shoes before getting in the car, the car mats are often extremely dirty. A vacuum cleaner with little suction power will not be able to cope with this.
Difficult locations to vacuum in your car
If you have ever dropped a coin in the car, you will have noticed that it is difficult to find. And if you see him lying between the chairs, it's almost an impossible mission to get him.
A number of these ‘hard to reach' places can be found in a car, which makes vacuuming a challenge. The following places are difficult to vacuum:
- Between the car seats
- Boxes in the car door
- Behind the wheel
Vulnerable surfaces in the car
The interior of a car is usually made of plastic. Scratches and streaks can quickly form on this. To prevent damage, it is therefore smart to pay extra attention to the use of a soft dusting brush.
The following locations in the car are (in many cases) vulnerable and can be damaged quickly:
- Dashboard
- Handles
- Fans
These locations in the car are often extremely dirty
I mentioned it just now: hardly anyone takes off their shoes when they enter the car. And of course you come from outside when you get into your car. The floor of the car and fabric upholstery in particular can therefore quickly become full of sand and other dirt from outside. The following locations in the car are often extra dirty:
- Car mats
- Upholstery car seats
- Trunk
Yes, also the trunk. In many cases we place something on the ground, so that we can open the trunk, after which we put it in the car. It is therefore often unavoidable that dirt from the ground is taken into the trunk of the car.
This dirt is difficult to remove from the car
Apart from the locations in the car itself, it is also often difficult to remove the type of dirt in a car. Do you ever take your dog in the car? Then it will undoubtedly be full of dog hair. But not only that: dust can also ‘stick' to the dashboard, because plastic attracts dust.
The following dirt is often difficult to remove in combination with car parts:
- Pet hair/dog hair on the upholstery
- Sand in the car mats
- Dust on your dashboard
You need these vacuum cleaner attachments
Regardless of the type of vacuum cleaner you use, it is important to use the right attachments. Vacuum cleaner brands such as Dyson offer a huge number of parts. I previously published a complete guide to all Dyson parts.
Let's list which vacuum cleaner parts you need and why.
Crevice tool for between the car seats
The crevice tool is an indispensable attachment for vacuuming a car. As I just mentioned, there are many hard-to-reach places in a car. If you want to vacuum between the car seats – where a lot of dirt can often be found – then this attachment is a must-have.
Dusting brush to prevent damage
To prevent scratches on the dashboard and other car parts made of plastic, it is recommended to use a dusting brush. This is often equipped with soft bristles, so that you can vacuum sensitive objects with confidence.
There are special attachments with an extendable dusting brush. This is great: here you can vacuum in hard-to-reach and vulnerable locations without scratching.
Extension for difficult places
When you get started vacuuming the car, you will find that you have to be a bit acrobatic to reach everything. To avoid having to hold your body in impossible positions, the use of an extension is recommended.
With an extension – often extendable – you can reach hard-to-reach places more easily and you don't have to use your body to reach something. This can also be very interesting if you use a somewhat larger vacuum cleaner and you cannot get to small spots with it.
Turbo brush for upholstery
Finally, the turbo brush is also a necessary tool when vacuuming a car. Preferably a motorized turbo brush, which, for example, makes removing animal hair a lot easier.
A turbo brush is equipped with a rotating roller brush, with which nested hairs in upholstery are easily pulled along. You will be shocked how much hair comes off the upholstery when you use this attachment. All the way to the headrests.
Why a special car detailing vacuum cleaner can be interesting
As I mentioned earlier in my article, not every vacuum cleaner is suitable for vacuuming your car. For example, not all vacuum cleaners are compact enough to be able to vacuum comfortably.
Fortunately, there are special car detailing vacuum cleaners that meet the following conditions:
- The right attachments included
- Often compact and light
- And wireless or long cord
In addition, there are of course also vacuum cleaners that are sold with the right parts, so that you can also use it as a car vacuum cleaner. A good example is the Dyson V15 Absolute. This vacuum cleaner is wireless, has a long battery life, is not heavy and is equipped with the right attachments.
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute
Would you like to learn more about car vacuum cleaners? Take a look at my extensive research into the best car vacuum cleaner.
Tip: universal car detailing kit
If you already have a good vacuum cleaner, it can also be interesting to take a look at ‘car detailing kits‘. With such a package you get a set of interesting attachments that can be useful for vacuuming your car. Almost every vacuum cleaner brand has an extension set for the car. Discover the right car detailing kit in the overview below.
| Vacuum cleaner brand | Car detailing kit |
|---|---|
| Dyson | View Dyson car detailing kit |
| Shark | View Shark car detailing kit |
| Eureka | View Shark car detailing kit |
| Kärcher | View Kärcher car detailing kit |
| Miele | View Miele car detailing kit |
| Hoover | View Hoover detailing kit |
Is the brand of your vacuum cleaner not listed or are you in doubt? Then there are also universal extension sets. Pay close attention to the tube diameter: check whether they are suitable for your vacuum cleaner.
Universal Car Detailing kits
Step-by-step plan: vacuum your car like a car detailer
When you have a suitable vacuum cleaner with the right attachments at home, you don't have to go to a professional car detailer to get your car clean. I have made a complete and ultimate step-by-step plan to vacuum your car like a car detailer.
Vacuum your car like a professional car detailer? Follow the steps below!
- Open all the doors of the car
Open all car doors so that the car can ventilate well while vacuuming.
- Take out all the car mats
Remove all car mats from the vacuum cleaner and place them next to the car. That way they can't get mixed up.
- Vacuum the dashboard and interior parts
Vacuum the dashboard with a soft dusting brush. Start at the top and work your way down. Also vacuum the interior parts. Think of the panels on the door and perhaps fans between the front seats.
- Vacuum the car seats and upholstery
Vacuum the car seats. Here too, work from top to bottom: start with the headrests. Use a crevice tool to vacuum between the seat covers. Parts with leather? Then do not slide the crevice tool, but lift it up and down carefully to prevent damage.
- Vacuum the bottom of the car
Vacuum the coarse dirt from the bottom of the car. Use a loose brush or paint brush to remove dirt from the edges. Then vacuum the bottom of the car again to remove the last dirt.
- Vacuum car trunk
Empty the trunk of the car and vacuum the bottom. Work from back to front.
- Vacuuming car mats
Carefully shake out the car mats. Do not knock them out against the wall as this may result in cracks. Then place the car mats on the floor and vacuum them with a turbo brush.
- Optional: use dashboard cleaner
Done with vacuuming? Then you can optionally treat the dashboard with cockpit spray. Good cockpit spray contains antistatic agents to prevent dust build-up.
Watch all the steps in the video below!
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Tips for vacuuming your car less often
As you can see, it takes quite some time and effort to thoroughly vacuum a car – like a professional car detailer. However, it is a lot less work if you keep your car a bit cleaner. This doesn't have to be a lot of effort. Check out a few tips below so that you don't have to vacuum your car as often:
- Put rugs on the back seat and shake them out regularly
- Do not eat or drink in the car
- Preferably transport pets in a crate
- Use cockpit spray, so that dust cannot adhere
- Ventilate the car regularly
And if you are really careful with your car, it can be really smart to take off your shoes before getting in the car. Are you not waiting for this? In any case, knock off the shoes before you get in.
Robbert Tigchelaar
Robbert Tigchelaar is the founder of Vacuumtester.com and is a true vacuum cleaner guru. With more than 10 years of experience in the world of electronic devices, he knows better than anyone what is important in a vacuum cleaner. When a new vacuum cleaner appears, he is eager to test it extensively.
