Cars play an important role in our lives. If you have a long commute to work each day, you likely spend more time in your car than you do anywhere else. It makes sense, then that we would need to take special care of our cars. This is why you need one of the best vacuums for car detailing.
As today’s article will teach you, car detailing is hard to do without a great vacuum. If you want to keep your car looking like new, then the vacuum is an essential tool. Whether you’re new to the world of car detailing or just looking for a refresher, we have all of the information you need. Read on to learn more about car detailing, what to look for in a vacuum for car detailing 2018-2019, and receive a list of our top picks.
Contents
- What is Car Detailing?
- Does My Car Need Detailing?
- How do I Detail My Car?
- What to Look For In a Vacuum For Car Detailing
- Top Five Best Vacuum for Car Detailing 2022 - Comparison table
- Top 5 Best Vacuum for Car Detailing on The Market Reviews
- How To Use My Vacuum for Car Detailing?
- Tips and Tricks for Maintaining Your Vacuum for Car Detailing
- Final Words
What is Car Detailing?
Most importantly: what is car detailing and why should you do it? Non-car people are probably asking themselves this very important question right now. We don’t blame you.
Car detailing is the process of extensively cleaning your car. Car detailing can be done on any type of vehicle. If you have an SUV, sports car, or truck, you can still do car detailing. We will discuss the technique of car detailing below. But, suffice it to say that real car detailing is significantly different than car washing.
Car Detailing vs. Car Washing
The differences between car washing and car detailing are many. In general, car washing is used to describe the process of quickly cleaning and vacuuming your car. If you have ever run your car through a car wash or sprayed it quickly with a hose. If you have owned and used a portable car vacuum cleaner on your car but didn’t spend too much time on cleaning. These are all activities that make up a car wash.
Car detailing, on the other hand, involves a lot more attention to detail and tools. A person who is into car detailing has a number of tools and products to help them. You will find a vacuum for car detailing in their garage, along with a large amount of rags, small brushes and cotton balls, spray botted, canned air, upholstery cleaner, stain remover, all-purpose cleaner, and leather protector.
When you detail your car, you use all of these products one by one, and you take your time. The goal is to leave every surface and crevice of your vehicle clean and like new—or at least as new as you can make it. Obviously, this is extremely different than the quick “lick and a promise” of a normal car wash.
Does My Car Need Detailing?
Now, you may be wondering if you need to go through all of this trouble for every one of your vehicles. The answer is: it’s up to you. Traditionally, the people who detail their car are extremely into cars. But that does not have to be the case. Some people like the satisfaction that comes with a job well-done. That gratification is easy to come by with car detailing.
You will know if your car needs a good detailing if it is extremely dirty. Additionally, if you are planning on showing the car in a car show or around town, then you may want to consider detailing it. A vehicle that has been detailed will sparkle. If you want that look, then you need to invest the time and money into a good auto detailing vacuum kit.
How do I Detail My Car?
We’ve listed the products you will need to give your car a good detailing. There are also a number of steps that professional car detailers use in order to get their vehicles as clean as possible. The order of these is not as important as making sure you don’t forget a step.
- Clean the exterior of the vehicle, including the undercarriage and wheels.
- Clean all of the carpeted and upholstered surfaces thoroughly. This means using your vacuum for car detailing and an upholstery cleaner
- Clean all parts of the doors, including the door jambs.
- Use a glass or window cleaner to clean your windows. Make sure there aren’t any streaks.
- Clean the steering wheel.
- Clean every crevice of the dashboard.
When you’re done with detailing your vehicle, you should not see any dust, dirt, hair, or crumbs anywhere. Essentially, it should look and smell like it just came off of the production line.
What to Look For In a Vacuum For Car Detailing
So, you’ve decided to purchase a portable car vacuum. Now what? The first thing you need to decide is what you want and need out of your vacuum for car detailing. Use our list below to determine the type of vacuum for car interior you need for your car detailing project.
Cord Length
You can find cordless vacuums for car detailing, but they are much less common than corded models. Clearly, cordless vacuums for car detailing have their advantages. They are extremely portable and can be moved anywhere you need them immediately. Plus, they don’t have a chord for you to worry about tripping over.
Yet, corded vacuums for car detailing have their advantages too. Most importantly, they don’t run off batteries, so you don’t have to worry about plugging them in halfway through detailing your car. Also, the standard vacuum for car detailing chord length is 16 feet. This should be more than enough chord for you to reach every surface in every type of vehicle.
Check the type of cord the vacuum for car interior has on it. Many are 12-volt car vacuums. But this means that your vehicle has to have a 12-volt plug—some don’t. Or, the product may need to be plugged into a wall. The type of plug and how much power it draws is important information to have when choosing a vacuum for car detailing.
Bin Size
As with any vacuum purchase, the size of the dirt collection bin is important. The larger the bin, the more time you have to vacuum without emptying. Most of the dirt collection bins on the products we list below are clear or have lines to indicate when they need to be emptied. This makes your job easy. Just keep an eye on their indicator, and you will never overfill your vacuum for car detailing.
While this may not seem that important, it is essential. Often people feel like detailing their car is meditative. Who wants to destroy their calming afternoon detailing their car because they have to keep running to the trash to empty their 12-volt car vacuum or cordless vacuum for car detailing.
Weight
Along with the size of the dirt collection bin comes the weight of entire vacuum for car detailing. This category is related to the bin size because the bigger the dirt collection bin, the heavier the portable car vacuum. Even if you are a strong person, a heavy vacuum for car interior can become a major problem.
No one wants to be stuck pushing around a product that is getting heavier by the minute. This is why it is important to buy a vacuum for car detailing that is appropriate for your strength and endurance levels. The common weight of these products is between 2-5 lbs. Obviously, for most people lighter will be better.
Storage
If you purchase a vacuum for car detailing, you are going to need to store it somewhere. You may be the lucky person with infinite garage space. If so, congratulations. The rest of us have to be keep in mind the size of the appliances we buy. It doesn’t do you any good to have an appliance that you can’t store.
Many portable car vacuums keep storage considerations in mind. You will find products that fold up or that are light and small enough to be stored anywhere. If space is an important consideration for you, you will want to pay special attention to the storage options of the vacuum for car detailing.
Warranty
You will want to make sure that the product you purchase comes with a warranty. This is true for any appliance and doesn’t change just because a portable car vacuum is usually small.
A one to three-year warranty would also be acceptable as long as your purchase is fully covered against defects or other problems. Often you will be able to purchase an additional warranty for your vacuum for car detailing. This is something that you may want to consider when making your purchase.
Accessories
You should definitely purchase a vacuum for car interiors that comes with many accessories. This is how you will know that a product is top of the line. There should be a few (three to five) different types of nozzles. The more nozzle attachments, the better, since this allows you to clean more thoroughly.
Some brands also include items like carrying bags or extra filters with the purchase of their vacuums for car detailing. The extra filters are great to have because they save you another purchase. We recommend pursuing the accessories options for your chosen vacuum for car interior as you are comparing products.
Price
We hate to put this one on here, but price will be a decision maker for most people. You need to buy a vacuum for car interior that will work in your budget. An expensive option may have all of the bells and whistles that you want. But if you can’t afford it, it won’t be able to help you.
Bear in mind that these products often last for a while. So, in the long run they may save you money. Still, the price of the vacuum for car detailing should be considered before you hit the “purchase” button.
Top Five Best Vacuum for Car Detailing 2022 - Comparison table
| Image | Product | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Editor’s ChoiceEditor’s Choice HOTOR Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Rank: #2Rank: #2 ThisWorx for TWC-01 Car Vacuum |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Rank: #3Rank: #3 Black Plus Decker Flex Car Vacuum |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Rank: #4Rank: #4 FORTEM THE EXTRA MILE Silver Car Vacuum Cleaner |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Rank: #5Rank: #5 Lozayi Car Vacuum |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Top 5 Best Vacuum for Car Detailing on The Market Reviews
#1 HOTOR Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner
HOTOR’s Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner is a 12-volt car vacuum. It is our top pick because it has everything you could want for your car detailing. First, it come with an LED light so that you can see what you are vacuuming. Second, it is a wet/vac. It doesn’t matter what type of mess is in your vehicle, the HOTOR Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner can remove it.
HOTOR also included many important features in their vacuum for car interiors. It comes with a 16.4-ft. cord, which helps you reach anywhere you need to clean. Plus, it has the most attachments on our list. The Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner comes with HOTOR amazing warranty. And, finally, it is lightweight (2.5 lbs.) and has a slim design. You will never struggle to store or use the HOTOR Corded Car Vacuum Cleaner.
#2 ThisWorx for TWC-01 Car Vacuum
ThisWorx’s TWC-01 Car Vacuum may as well be a professional car vacuum. It has all of the features you would find in a commercial shop. For example, it is made with a metal turbine that creates more suction power. Suction power is important because the more you have, the easier it is to get rid of all of the dirt in your vehicle. Additionally, the TWC-01 Car Vacuum has an extended reach with its 16.4 ft. cord, elastic hose and nozzle set.
Like HOTOR, ThisWorx provides a number of extras with the purchase of the TWC-01 Car Vacuum. You will also receive their 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the product, contact This Worx and you will get your money back. As a final positive, the TWC-01 Car Vacuum is designed so that no dirt or dust gets back into your vehicle. It has a protective lid and transparent dirt collection bin to prevent overfilling.
#3 Black + Decker Flex Car Vacuum
Black + Decker is such a huge name in the vacuum industry that it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t include their Flex Car Vacuum on our top five list. Everything about this portable car vacuum screams the high-quality of all Black + Decker’s products. The most interesting of its features is the patented “motor in the filter” technology. The motor and the filter of the Flex Car Vacuum are in the same location, which makes this vacuum for car detailing extremely compact and easy to store.
The motor on Black + Decker’s Flex Car Vacuum uses cyclonic action. This state-of-the-art technology is far more powerful than traditional designs. Also, the long flexible hose on the Flex Car Vacuum means that you can clean any hard to reach location in your vehicle with ease.
#4 FORTEM THE EXTRA MILE Silver Car Vacuum Cleaner
FORTEM’s The Extra Mile Silver Car Vacuum Cleaner is one of the most modern looking vacuums for car detailing on our list. It is all in silver—as the name implies—and has a streamlined design. The Extra Mile Silver Car Vacuum Cleaner is made to fit comfortably in your hand and only weighs 1.76 lbs.
It, like the others listed here, is a 12-volt car vacuum. It comes with three different nozzles and is backed by FORTEM’s 100% satisfaction guarantee. But, you will likely not need to use their one-year warranty, as most who use this product give it rave reviews.
#5 Lozayi Car Vacuum
Lozayi’s Car Vacuum is designed specifically for car detailing. It comes with a few nozzles and an extension hose, which allows you to clean any part of your car. It also has a long 16.4 ft. power cord. Therefore, detailing your car has never been easier.
The Lozayi Car Vacuum comes with many other features that make it a great bet. First, your purchase also includes a carry bag. Now you can store all of the components of your car vacuum easily. Second, the 300 ML dirt collection bin is large enough so that you do not have to constantly empty it out. Finally, the filter is HEPA certified and stainless steel, so it will be durable and clean the air as you clean your car.
How To Use My Vacuum for Car Detailing?
Thankfully, using a vacuum for car detailing is quite easy. All you have to do it plug it, turn it on, and get to vacuuming your vehicle. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using your portable car vacuum.
- If you have a 12-volt car vacuum, you will need to plug the appliance into the 12-volt outlet in your vehicle. If your car is older and does not have a 12-volt outlet (or cigarette lighter), then you will not be able to use this type of vacuum for car detailing.
- If you have a cordless vacuum for car detailing, ensure that it is fully charged. You don’t want it running out of battery before you’re done cleaning.
- When you are ready to use the vacuum for car detailing, make sure to attach the correct nozzle. Some products also have stiff or flexible attachable hoses that you may want to use for a particular job. It is much easier to change the attachments before turning on the vacuum.
- Always unplug your vacuum for car interior when it is not in use. These are not necessarily dangerous products. But unplugging a machine not in use is always a good habit to be in.
Tips and Tricks for Maintaining Your Vacuum for Car Detailing
You care for your vacuum for car detailing just like you would any other type of vacuum. Below we’ve listed the top tips and tricks for keeping your portable car vacuum like new.
- Always put your portable car vacuum away with all of its attachments when you are finished using it. This keeps all of the parts together and saves you from losing anything. It doesn’t make sense to spend money on this product and then lose have of the components. So, have a storage location for the 12-volt car vacuum and always put it there when you are done.
- Change the filter—if the product has one—on time.
- Never overfill the dirt collection bin. You don’t want the machine to overflow and spill dirt all over your nice clean car.
- Keep your vacuum for car interior clean. This may mean wiping it down after a particularly intense use. If there is dust or dirt on the outside of your portable car vacuum, that material will likely get into your vehicle, making it even more dirty.
Final Words
Vehicles play a very important role in our lives, and so they deserve extra special treatment. Car detailing is an important part of a good vehicle maintenance program. In addition to keeping up with the vehicle’s mechanics, you need to keep it looking nice and shiny. The best product you can get for your car detailing project is one of the best vacuums for car detailing that you can find.
Luckily for you, we’ve listed the top portable car vacuums that we can find. We’ve also listed everything you need to know to find yourself an amazing vacuum for car detailing. Try out one of our suggestions today and see of much of a difference maker this appliance is today.
Jennifer is a work-from-home freelance writer, editor, and dog mom. So, like Angela, she understands how important it is to keep her floors clean. Jennifer currently lives in a home with carpet and tile floors. Therefore, she is an expert in cleaning those specific types of floors.
When you don’t find Jennifer at her computer writing and editing, you will see her with a vacuum in hand. She greatly appreciates the chance to provide content for this website with Angela and looks enjoys spreading her floor cleaning knowledge with the world.