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There’s no doubt that our cars are one of the most important possessions we own, and when we think about how much energy and money we put in choosing the right one, it makes sense that we do what we can to care for them.
The popularity of the car vacuum has exploded in recent years as more and more people realize the benefits of this simple appliance and look for ways to make their lives easier in the process.
Our cars pick up just about anything and everything around them, whether it’s the dirt and mud that comes in from our shoes or the various bits of food that our children leave in the back seat.
Some people carry their pets in the car and have a problem with shedding hair and others seem to make a lot of mess themselves. Whatever the reason, it seems that our cars need a good vacuuming every week or two just to stay clean.
The car vacuum is a simple device but one that holds a lot of power, and they come in a number of different sizes and styles to suit you and your car. The purpose of a car vacuum is to make it easier for you to keep your car clean without the bulkiness and cords associated with a standard domestic vacuum cleaner, and this is achieved in the simplicity of their design.
When you’re working with the best car vacuum to suit you and your vehicle, you can benefit from everything from cleaner air to extended value on your car. Not only can it give your car an instant boost and help it look and feel its best, but there are countless other ways that you’ll be helping your vehicle out by using your car vacuum regularly.
In This Article You Will Learn... Why Do You Need A Car Vacuum?ComfortSaves MoneyEasy To UsePortabilityCar Value IncreasesCar Vacuum Cleaner Vs Regular CleanerSizePower SourceWeightAttachments PowerThe Different Types Of Car VacuumsCar PoweredBattery PoweredCorded HandheldWet/DryHow To Properly Vacuum Your CarTips And Tricks For Cleaning Your CarCaring For Your Car VacuumA Simple But Effective ApplianceWhy Do You Need A Car Vacuum?
For anyone who’s never owned a car vacuum, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about.
Many people think it’s easiest just to use their regular household vacuum but this is nothing but an annoyance when you’re dealing with long cords that must connect to power and large devices that won’t fit in your car when you’re trying to move about. Here are a few benefits to owning a car vacuum for your vehicle:
Comfort
We all know the feeling of driving around in a dirty or grimy car, and it can be instantly off-putting to step into someone else’s vehicle and see how much stuff they have laying around. Having a car vacuum means you’re more likely to spend time cleaning your car, even if it’s just a 5 minute job, and you’ll benefit from a more comfortable and fresh feeling car.
Saves Money
Although you might not consider purchasing a whole new appliance a way to save money, investing in a car vacuum can actually save you quite a bit. Firstly, they’re far cheaper than a standard vacuum to buy and secondly, there’ll be no need to have your car professionally cleaned each week or month.
According to the United States Bureau of Statistics, Americans spent around $5.8billion a year at car wash facilities. Owning a car vacuum makes it easy to do and takes just minutes, so it can save you a lot of money over the year.
Easy To Use
Because the car vacuum has been designed to get into the smaller spaces of our cars, they’re a lot easier to maneuver than a standard vacuum.
They usually come with just one mode and are switched on with a button, meaning they’re actually somewhat enjoyable to operate.
Portability
One of the biggest benefits of using a car vacuum is that they’re completely portable so you can work wherever you need. Some car vacuums are powered by your car so you can even keep a vacuum in your car for trips to the beach or hiking, and others can be powered by batteries which means you can use them virtually anywhere you need to.
Car Value Increases
By keeping our car cleaned regularly, we’re ensuring that we keep it in the very best quality. When we don’t vacuum our cars it leaves dirt and grime to build up in the small crevices and electronic equipment which can do long-term and serious damage.
Spending just a few minutes a week vacuuming your car means you’ll keep its value for a lot longer and if you plan on selling it in the future you’ll get a much greater amount for it.
Car Vacuum Cleaner Vs Regular Cleaner
When people hear about car vacuum cleaners, their first thought is to wonder why you can’t just use your regular vacuum and get the job done? While it’s true that many of us still vacuum our cars with a domestic size device, we probably also dread the thought of doing this job and often put it off completely.
Investing in a car vacuum cleaner can give you all of the benefits we mentioned above, but the best thing about it is that it motivates you to put more effort into keeping your car clean because it simply takes you less time and energy. Here are a few ways that a car vacuum differs from a standard vacuum cleaner:
Size
Most household vacuums are quite large in size and come with a base, hose, and other attachments. They can be rolled around the house on wheels but stay connected to a power source at all times. Most car vacuums, on the other hand, are handheld and usually small, but this also means that their bagless capacity is a lot smaller too.
Power Source
The power source is a key difference in car vacuums and standard vacuums, with almost every standard vacuum running from an electrical socket.
However, using a car vacuum cleaner means it’s usually operating from battery power, plugged directly into your car, and the least likely option of being powered by electricity running from a long extension lead.
Weight
The weight of a car vacuum has a lot to do with how easily it operates, as we all know how trying to clean with a standard vacuum can be hard work. These usually weight just a few pounds or less and can be easily moved around the car without any fatigue or strain to the user.
Attachments
The attachments that come with a car vacuum have been more specifically designed to meet the areas of your car. These attachments can include upholstery cleaning brushes, small tools to get into the cracks and crevices, and even pet removal brushes. Usually, using a standard vacuum’s main attachment will be far too big for a car and unable to get adequate suction.
Power
One area where the car vacuum can’t offer as much as a standard sized vacuum is with its suction power, and this is due to its size. When working with a smaller space like your car it’s not generally required to have anything too powerful, but this all depends on the personal preference of the car owner and the types of mess they clean up.
The Different Types Of Car Vacuums
The world of car vacuums is just as varied as it is for other household cleaning equipment, so choosing one might be a little more involved than you thought. There are a few different types of car vacuums to consider and each has their own benefits to the user and the vehicle.
Car Powered
These are handy for the car owner who wants to keep their vacuum with them at all times and prevent a lot of mess from getting in the vehicle. They connect to your car, usually through the cigarette lighter socket, and get their power from the car’s battery to operate.
The bonus of this is that it never runs low on power and it’s always there when you need it, like straight after a trip to the beach when there’s plenty of sand to go around.
Battery Powered
These are the most popular type of cordless car vacuum and the easiest to move around your vehicle with. Most use a lithium-ion battery that can be easily recharged, and you can expect to get around 15 minutes of power on average from one charge.
While they do make it easy to clean your car and reach all the tight spaces, you’re in a race against the clock to get the job done before the battery runs out.
Corded
Although not as popular as the corded types, there are still many who prefer to use their car vacuum operating on electricity. These usually come with quite a long extension lead that allows you to reach well outside of the house and the upside is that you don’t have to worry about them running out of power and they’re usually quite good in terms of suction.
However, you are somewhat restricted to how far you can go depending on where the socket is.
Handheld
Most car vacuums are handheld which means they operate like a dust buster. Being able to use these with just one hand means you can work quickly and easily, picking up other trash around the car as you go. Other styles feature pivoting heads or even a large barrel that can be carried around with the hose.
Wet/Dry
To really tackle all types of mess in your car, you can invest in a wet/dry car vacuum. These can adjust to pick up either dry dirt and debris or wet spills like drinks and other liquid.
These are ideal for people with children who often find food and drink mess in their car, and they give you a whole new range of possibilities for what you can achieve with a simple car vacuum.
How To Properly Vacuum Your Car
To get your car looking like it was cleaned at a professional car wash, there are a few simple steps to follow. Obviously, it helps to have a good car vacuum working with you to make the job easier and help you reach those tough spots, so consider that before you get the job started.
Open all of the doors in your car, including the boot, and leave them open for the process.
Make your way around the car and pick up any trash you find, putting it in a plastic bag. Check thoroughly under seats and between upholstery to make sure you have it all.
Remove all of the car mats and make it a point to clean them separately. Bang them against a wall outside to first get the dirt off, and then vacuum them thoroughly. If needed, you might want to wash them with a specialized car shampoo that can bring them back to life.
Begin with the vacuum’s brush attachment and work your way through the car, starting with the seats. The brush will help to stir up dirt that you might not otherwise get and will give a deeper clean. Recline the seats so you can get into the cracks and use the crevice tool to get into the smaller spaces.
Next, focus on the floorboards of your car and continue to use the brush attachment. Move it in different directions and make a few passes over it so you can be sure it’s completely clean.
Attach a smaller brush or crevice tool so that you can now focus on the difficult areas of the car. Move your way through the dashboard to clean out all of this area and the electronics, making small brushing movements to get the trapped dust and dirt.
If you find that it’s not getting all of the dirt out, you can use compressed air to blow it out or attach the hose to the vacuum’s outlet port and blow air into them instead.
Finally, move to the trunk and remove any trunk liners or mats you might have there. Use your large brush attachment to sweep back and forth with the vacuum and get any dislodged dirt out. Bang the trunk liner and mat against a wall and vacuum it thoroughly before returning.
These steps will help you to completely detail your car just like a professional would, but there’s no need to do such a deep clean every single time.
The added bonus of having a car vacuum cleaner means you can easily spend just a few minutes on the weekend giving it a quick clean and it will have amazing results, saving these more detailed cleans for when you have the time. You’ll find that eventually, the deep cleans require less effort thanks to your ongoing commitment to vacuuming the car.
Tips And Tricks For Cleaning Your Car
By far the best tip we can give you is to choose a quality car vacuum that will make the job a lot easier for you, but there are a few other tricks you can use to make cleaning your car more efficient and enjoyable.
Before applying any upholstery cleaner or wiping down your dash, ensure that you’ve thoroughly vacuumed away any dirt. Failure to do so will cause the dust to cake onto your car and it will be harder to clean.
If you’re cleaning your car and washing the outside too, you should never do this in the sun. Find a shaded area to get the job done so that you prevent it from reacting with the car wash detergent and leaving permanent marks on your car.
Always open all the doors to your car before you get started and have the necessary equipment ready in a basket or bucket. This means you’ll spend less time going back and forth inside to get cleaning equipment so you can get the job done quicker.
To get the seats extra clean after a vacuum, run a lint roller over them to pick up any stuck on lint that might be stubborn. If you use car seat covers that get washed regularly, this can be particularly useful in helping to stop pilling.
Caring For Your Car Vacuum
Studies have shown that the average car can host a number of different bacteria, including E Coli, and so it’s essential to clean it just once a week. However, it’s not just important to keep our cars clean but we should also keep the vacuums clean as well.
Therefore, spending just a few minutes on maintenance and cleaning your vacuum means it will be far better equipped to keep your family car healthy and hygienic.
After each use, make a point of cleaning out the dirt collector, whether this is a bag or a bowl. Once all the dirt has been emptied and the dust removed, you can wash them under the tap or even use a mild detergent if you wish. Ensure that it’s completely dried before you attempt to put it back into the vacuum otherwise you could cause permanent damage.
Next, focus on the brushes and other attachments to keep them working their best. You should lightly tap them against a concrete wall or the driveway to get all remnants of dust off, and if you feel that they need further treatment you might choose to hand wash them. Sometimes, all they need is a simple brush to remove the dirt and keep them clean enough to use.
Finally, the filter should be cleaned after each use as well. Many car vacuum cleaners now come with HEPA filters which do an amazing job of keeping allergens and pollutants out of the air that the vacuum exhausts, so they need to be cared for accordingly.
When a filter isn’t clean, the vacuum has to work extra hard, so it’s the most important part of care by far. Take the filter outside and bang it somewhere to get rid of the dust, and rinse it if needed. You should replace the filter every six months or as required, depending on how much use you get out of it.
Likewise, if a battery begins to fail it’s quite easy to replace these and give added years of life to your vacuum without having to replace the entire device.
A Simple But Effective Appliance
Behind our homes, our cars are by far the most important investment we’ll ever make in life. They take us from place to place, keep our families safe and protected, and make life, in general, a whole lot easier to live. This is why the car care industry is a booming one, and an important thing for your to consider in order to maintain the life of your beloved vehicle.
While it’s probably nobody’s favorite job to keep their car clean, the sense of satisfaction you feel once it’s done makes the job well worth it. Having something as simple as a car vacuum is one way you can lessen the burden of cleaning your car and make it something enjoyable and satisfying all in one.
Investing a little bit of money today in a car vacuum is a purchase that will continue to pay off for years to come, especially when you choose a quality brand that’s fitted to your vehicle.
No longer will you need to throw away hundreds at the car wash each year or sit in a filthy car on your way to work just because you couldn’t get up the energy over the weekend to clean your car.
The car vacuum has certainly evolved over the years, and with each new invention, it seems they are getting easier to operate and more powerful than ever. To treat your car to the respect and attention it deserves, and keep your most prized possession in the best possible condition, a car vacuum is a simple but effective appliance that no home should be without.
