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The best car vacuum can help reduce your dust and pet allergy! Today, I’ll share 4 vacs that will put your mind at ease.
They are small, lightweight, easy to plug-in whether through a wall outlet or in a car adapter. The best car vacuums even have a HEPA filter to make sure the smallest allergens are captured, not blown around.
All of these vacuums are small enough to fit in the back of your car (or possibly in a glove box). Find one that suits your needs.
I’ve realized that these car vacuums make great gifts for new car owners. Consider it a “car-warming gift” and a way to keep it looking good!
Cars, Vacuums, and Allergies
For people who have dust mite allergy, a vehicle might not be the first place that comes to mind. Cars, however, can often be a dirty, dusty, and allergy-infested place.
This is especially true if you have a cloth covering on your seats that absorb aeroallergens such as pollen, mold, and dust mites, and also hide food and dirt.
Cloth material might be warm and cozy, however, they become full of dust within months. Over time, the seats can increase in weight (mostly due to dust mites, their feces, and other dirt that gets inside the seat.
If you or someone in your family has dust allergy symptoms, you should consider purchasing vehicles with leather or vinyl seat covers.
The smooth surfaces of leather and vinyl make cleaning easier and make it impossible for dust to hide. Leather and vinyl covering also makes cleaning easier. Just use a damp cloth and wipe it down.
Whether you have young children that drop their food, a long-haired dog that won’t stop shedding or you spend summer days at the beach rolling in sand and dirt, dust will make its way into our cars. If not cleaned regularly, car interiors can become a mess and cause dust allergy symptoms.
At the request of our readers, I’ve reviewed and ranked the best car vacuums for dust mites. Consideration was given to design and appearance, power output and power source, and positive and negative reviews about the products.
All but one of our recommendations use a DC connection to power the vacuums – using the power within the car makes so much sense!
Also, all of our recommendations use washable and reusable HEPA filters to ensure you get rid of dust. We hope these reviews help protect you and your family!
My Allergies and My Car
To this day, whenever I take road trips I always worry about being in the car. If I have the windows down, the air blowing in the car will make my eyes swell for days afterward. Needless to say, I can’t be in a car with windows down.
The tricky part is keeping the air conditioning or heating on with the windows up – that too causes problems for me because it stirs up dust mites and other dirt within the car. My symptoms after being in a car on a road trip were:
- Swollen eyes
- Itchy mouth and skin
- Eczema
- Fatigue
- Multiple days to recover
When I purchased my last car I did some research on vacuums and allergies. I wasn’t sure If I would be able to find a car vacuum with a HEPA filter but I was pleasantly surprised to find many.
Using my car vacuum with HEPA filter, I can keep my car looking clean and keep myself feeling well.
What I like about newer car vacuums is they plug into the car and an external plug isn’t needed. I hope this article helps you find the right vacuum for you!
No. 4 RETECK – DC 12v Portable Handheld Car Vacuum Wet Dry 3570PA
This Reteck car vacuum cleaner has got to be the most stylish car vacuum on our list. It’s small, measuring 15.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches, and lightweight at 2.5 pounds.
It packs a powerful punch with 140w! Even though it’s a small, handled car vac, it’s one of the larger vacuums on our list.
Highlights:
- 15.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches
- 2.5 lbs
- Fun, stylish colors
- AC adapter with 13-foot cord
- Wet and Dry options
- HEPA filter
- Affordable price point
Its appearance is a smooth ergonomic design with blue and clear coloring. There are a few different color choices that give it an advantage over the other vacuums.
It plugs into the car’s 12v cigarette lighter and utilizes a long cord that allows it to easily reach all corners of an SUV (13ft reach).
>> click to check price on Amazon
In addition to vacuuming dry matter, this Reteck car vacuum also has a wet vac option, meaning it also picks up liquids, and a snake-like extension piece!
The HEPA filter makes it a great choice for people who suffer from allergy symptoms. At an affordable price point, this compact car vacuum is perfect to keep in the trunk of your car!
No. 3 Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum, 47R51 
This is a quality compact vacuum from a reputable company. In fact, it’s the only brand on our list that has stood the test of time. Many of you might have an upright or canister Bissell vacuum for the house.
The Bissell Cleanview isn’t strictly for the car and can be used indoors and out.
Highlights:
- 5 lbs
- Blocky, compact design
- 10 x 5 x 8 inches
- HEPA filter
- Great rating on amazon
- 1-year warranty
- 1 color scheme, orange and black
It measures 10 x 5 x 8 inches and weighs 5 lbs. 2 things are noticeable right away: 1) it has a unique design, square-like and is slightly longer than its width, 2) it should be plugged into an outlet (18 feet cord).
It also comes with a HEPA allergy-protecting washable filter and a variety of attachments including a hose extension, making its reach easier in tight places.
>> click to check price on Amazon
Its price runs higher than others on our list, making it the most expensive vacuum on our rankings, but it has a strong suction using 4Amps and a 1 year limited warranty to keep your mind at ease!
With a 4.5 rating on Amazon and over 700 reviews, this is a great option for the car and the home. Just remember, you’ll need a plug outlet!
No. 2 Lolldeal – 12V 75W Black car vacuum cleaner, super mini portable hand-held with carrying bag
As its title suggests, this is a powerful (75w), yet “supermini” car vacuum. Similar to our No. 4 vacuum, Lolldeal made this item specifically for the car.
It is compact, measuring 9.8 x 3 x 3 inches and weighs 11.8 ounces. It plugs into the cigarette lighter (12v). Lolldeal’s cord reaches 14.8 feet – easily reaching the back seats.
Highlights:
- 75 w
- 9.8 x 3 x 3 (small!)
- 11.8 ounces
- 1 color scheme, black
- Long cord – 14.8 feet
- #1 seller on amazon
- Great to keep in the back seat
It comes with a nifty carrying case that makes it perfect for carrying in the trunk. One HEPA filter is included with the vacuum as is one extension tool and brush tool.
This is a well-reviewed vacuum, perfect for your vehicle. The pricing is affordable – in the lower range of our recommendations.
>> click to check price on Amazon
Lolldeal also has a satisfied customer base on amazon. With over 1,000 reviews, customers rate it 4.3/5.
Most customers mention it is better than they expected and actually a good size to keep in the car. Any time it’s needed, just pull it out and plug into the AC adapter for a quick clean up. Others said it was great for sand and crumbs.
No. 1 Hikeren DC 12-volt, wet & dry handheld, with 2 HEPA filters, carry bag
Hikeren is our best-reviewed dust mite car vacuum cleaner! It comes in 1 color scheme; black, clear, and yellow. Over 500 reviewers give it great reviews. For such a small device, it comes with lots of power (106w).
Similar to the other vacuums this vac is both wet and dry, and comes with not 1 but 2 HEPA filters, and a carrying case. Additional accessories are a long mouth, brush, and soft long tube.
Highlights:
- 106 W
- 2.3 lbs
- 14.5 x 5.2 x 5 inches
- 16.5 feet cord
- AC adapter
- 1 color scheme
- 3 accessories
- Best Seller on Amazon
It plugs into the car cigarette lighter and has the longest cord on our list at 16.5 feet. Hikeren’s extension hose is flexible and longer than some of the others on our list so you know it can reach those hard-to-get places.
We’ve read a lot of positive comments on this vacuum, from happy taxi drivers to soccer moms. From dirt to dog hair, customers seem pleased with this product’s quality.
Its price point is a few dollars more than its competitors, but a few bucks are worth it because of its power, an additional filter, and a longer cord! Check out the video review below to see a customer’s experience with the Hikeren 12-volt!
Conclusion
When looking for the best car vacuums consider the following factors:
1) What will you need it to pick up
Maybe you have children and they create messes with food. Maybe you travel to the beach often and need a car vacuum strong enough to pick up sand.
Maybe you’re like me and allergic to dust and pollen. In any case, make sure you find a car vacuum that will suit your needs. The above car vacuums all have HEPA filters which are best for allergies.
2) Where will you use the car vacuum
Obviously, you’ll be using it in your car, but will the car be in the garage or outside. Will you have access to a wall outlet or do you need the car’s AC adapter?
If you will only use it in your garage, then a wall outlet is fine, however, if you want something portable that you can use in any situation, try the vacs we mentioned with an AC adapter.
They are usually smaller and lightweight, perfect for storing in your vehicle or glovebox.
I chose a vacuum on our list that fit my needs and I feel better in my car. Occasionally I’ll visit a commercial car wash to get super-suction power, however, on a week-to-week basis, these car vacs are all you need to keep your car looking good and you feeling well.
We hope this article helps in your search for the best car vacuum for dust and pet allergies. Feel free to visit our site to read more recommendations and tips to improve allergies.