What Is a Car Vacuum?

With daily driving back and forth, it can be hard to keep the inside of a car clean. This is especially true for people who eat in their cars or have children. Crumbs and spills can render a car's carpet virtually unrecognizable in time. Even those who do not eat on the go may end up with bits of paper and other debris littering their vehicles. Since sweeping a car or picking up dirt and debris by hand is not practical, many people turn to car vacuums to keep their cars clean.

Often, a person can find a high-powered car vacuum at a gas station or car wash. Typically, these vacuums require a coin deposit for use. For example, a person may put a few coins into a car vacuum slot and do a few minutes of high-powered vacuuming of his carpet. These vacuums typically have a long hose attached that the person can use to reach even in the hardest-to-get-to spots in his car. Many of these vacuums even pick up larger debris that home vacuums might have difficulty with.

Since going to a for-pay car vacuum isn't always convenient or within the budget, some people prefer to buy their own car vacuums for use at home or buy them as gifts for a new car owner. This type of car vacuum makes it possible to keep a car clean without traveling anywhere or putting money in a machine. A person can vacuum his car while it is parked right outside his door or in his driveway.

One of the most popular types of car vacuum is a cordless option. This type of car vacuum allows a person to clean his car out without worrying about cords and electricity. He can simply carry a car vacuum out to his vehicle and vacuum up the debris. These vacuums are portable, making them easy to carry along on trips. Typically, they run on battery power that is charged either on a home charging base or using the car's power and an adapter.

There are also corded car vacuums that are often described as more powerful than their cordless counterparts, although this is not always the case. Depending on the model, they may plug into a car's cigarette lighter for power and offer lengthy cords for getting to all parts of the car. Additionally, there are some canister models that come with a range of attachments for keeping a car clean. Some of them require access to electricity.