Do you need some car care and help clean your auto’s interior but are trying to save cash? You may wonder, “where can I find a place with a free car vacuum near me?” We can help you with that!
We tend to spend a lot of time behind the wheel. Thus, it would be uncomfortable if your car’s interior is untidy.
Car wash, detailing service and vacuuming your car comes at a cost. For instance, if you get the car vacuumed at a gas station, it may cost around 75 cents to $2 per 3 minutes or so. 7-Eleven charges around $2 for 2 minutes or more.
That being said, gas stations and car wash services offer car vacuuming services for free. In some car wash services, car vacuuming is part of the cleaning or is offered as a complimentary service.
How to Find a Free Car Vacuum Near Me
While most pay to get their car cleaned and vacuumed, take note that free car vacuum services are also available.
Continue reading this article to learn how to find these services.
Use Google Maps
Recently, local businesses have been pushed in Google search results, giving them more visibility and offering convenience to users. So, if you are unsure about which places in your area offer free car vacuum services in your vicinity, you can use Google for this purpose.
You can type “gas stations with free vacuum near me” or “car wash with free vacuum near me.” These search queries will show you the nearest car vacuum cleaning services near you.
However, if you want to look for services in a specific location, you may have to tweak the search terms to find out what you are looking for. If you want to search for such services in Maryland, you can modify the search terms to “free car vacuum near me Maryland,” and Google Maps will lead you to desired locations.
Search for Gas Stations With Free Car Vacuum Services
While not all gas stations offer free car vacuuming services, there are a few stations that do.
Many gas stations have attendants who do car vacuuming, but they offer it only alongside the car wash service. If you want a vacuum cleaning service, gas stations charge 75 cents to $2.
So, how do you find a gas station with a free vacuum?
Not all stations in your neighborhood will have free vacuum services, but small gas stations are a good starting point. Often, smaller stations use free services to compete with the bigger stations.
Look for a small, independently owned fuel station in your area and call them to ask if they offer a car vacuum facility for free. You can also search on Google or Yelp car wash directories to find gas stations in your neighborhood.
Search for Car Wash Services With Free Car Vacuum Facilities
Many full-service car wash facilities offer a vacuum cleaning service and free air for tires, but not all offer it for free. Sometimes, if you become a repeat customer, car washers may offer to vacuum your car for free.
Car wash services often require customers to come in for a car wash at least once or twice a month before they qualify for a free car vacuum cleaning. It is their way of customer retention.
Search for Convenience Stores With Gas Stations
Convenience stores with gas stations, such as Kwik Trip and 7-Eleven, also offer vacuum facilities.
Kwik Trip is a private company with branches off main highway exit points. These branches offer paid self-service vacuum facilities and charge around $2 to $3 for 5 minutes. They often offer free car vacuum cleaning services as a promotional activity.
Similarly, 7-Elevens also offers car vacuum service for $2 for 2 minutes, while franchised branches offer it free.
8 Car Washes With Free Vacuums Near Me
Again, you can use Google or Yelp to find such a car wash company in your area.
Some car wash companies that offer a free vacuum service:
- Wash N Go is a San Diego-based car wash service with 5 locations in San Diego. The company offers its repeat customers a free car vacuum facility in all 5 locations.
- Raceway Car Wash has around 33 facilities in Texas, California, Nevada, and Arizona and offers a free self-service facility for car vacuum cleaning.
- Quick Quack Car Wash has around 140 car washing facilities in Utah, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and California. Quick Quack requires customers to pay for the carwash to use the car vacuum equipment. Otherwise, customers are required to pay $1 separately for it.
- Go Car Wash offers customers free vacuum cleaning services throughout the country, including Missouri, Kansas, Texas, New York, Nevada, and Virginia.
- Flash Car Wash operates in Connecticut, Florida, and Rhode Island and offers free self-service car vacuum cleaning.
- Tidal Wave Auto Spa is known for its lightning-fast express wash. With over 113 locations across the 17 U.S. states, including Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, and North Carolina, Tidal Wave prides itself on being environmentally friendly with its built-in technology that recycles water to minimize waste, only using 32 gallons of water out of the usual 93.
- Car Wash USA Express has 50 locations in Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, Colorado, Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee. If you get your car washed from this place, you can use their car vacuum facilities.
- Use the online directory of CarWashSeeker. To find locations to wash your car with a free vacuum near you, enter your zip code or use the map on this website.
Why Use a Car Vacuum?
Like most people, you may focus only on the car’s exterior and keeping it clean. However, if you ignore your car’s interior for a long time, it will create problems in the long run.
The dust and dirt or food particles that accumulate under the carpets or the car seat’s surface not only cause excessive wear and tear to the car’s upholstery and interior; it may also cause allergies and increase the risk of mold growth.
Another factor that most people are unaware of is that a clean car enhances fuel efficiency. A dirty car causes excess friction and reduces car mileage. So, if you want to keep your car in excellent condition and maintain its value, keeping it clean and tidy is best.
How to DIY Vacuum Your Car?
Suppose you are a novice at car cleaning and are at a self-service car vacuum facility, or perhaps you do not have any such facility in your area. In these cases, you may have to vacuum your car on your own. Consider these helpful tips to ensure your car’s interior is cleaned thoroughly.
- Before you start, clear out the clutter, bigger objects, or garbage pieces from your car. Remove the floor mats and give them a good shake to remove dust.
- Use compressed air to spray in the areas that are hard to get to with a vacuum tip. The high pressure will help loosen up the dust and remove it from the crevices.
- Use a cloth to scrape stubborn grime if the car’s hard surfaces are covered with dust. It will be easier to use a vacuum on the loose particles.
- Start vacuuming from the dashboard area and move to the seats to clean the upholstery. Now vacuum the floor and clean the mats once the interior is done.
Your car is now thoroughly clean from the inside!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Free Car Vacuum Near Me
How Much Does it Cost to Vacuum a Car?
Different places charge differently for vacuuming a car. If you get the car vacuumed at a gas station, it may cost around 75 cents to $2 per 3 minutes or so. 7-Eleven charges around $2 for 2 minutes.
Can You Use a Normal Vacuum to Clean a Car?
Normal vacuum cleaners used for house cleaning do not have the force, reach, or flexibility to remove dust and dirt from the car crevices that are hard to get to otherwise. It would be best if you have a high-powered machine to do a thorough cleaning job.
Is a Car Vacuum Service Worth It?
Gas stations use industrial-grade vacuum cleaners, designed and built to deep clean cars, including the seats, floor, mats, etc. therefore, they provide a way better job than normal vacuum cleaners.
Conclusion – Free Car Vacuum Near Me
Most of the places listed above offer car vacuuming at a price, especially big gas stations with their coin-operated vacuums. A free car vacuum service is usually included when you pay for a car wash. You can also get it as a freebie in small, independently-owned gas stations.
But if you want the best and least expensive option for vacuuming your car whenever possible, you can buy a car vacuum. Invest in car maintenance to keep your car clean and tidy inside and out.
For more interesting reads:
Founder of Spark Nomad, Radical FIRE, Journalist
- Expertise: Personal finance and travel content
- Education: Bachelor of Economics at Radboud University, Master in Finance at Radboud University, Minor in Economics at Chapman University.
- Over 200 articles, essays, and short stories published across the web.
Experience: Marjolein Dilven is a journalist and founder of Spark Nomad, a travel platform, and Radical FIRE, a personal finance platform. Marjolein has a finance and economics background with a master’s in Finance. She has quit her job to travel the world, documenting her travels on Spark Nomad to help people plan their travels. Marjolein Dilven has written for publications like MSN, Associated Press, CNBC, Town News syndicate, and more.