Keeping your van clean is one of the most vital parts of maintaining an enjoyable and healthy Van Life! If you neglect to clean up your van, especially if you make a mess or have pets along for the ride, it can turn your dream home into a nightmare. We’ve put together a list of some of the best vacuums and tools that fit right into your van without much-added bulk. Everyone’s van life is different, so one vacuum may suit you better than another. It’s important to be vigilant and pick one that will fulfill all your cleaning needs!

#1 – Full Circle Dust Whisperer Washable Microfiber Duster

One of the simplest tools in your arsenal of cleaning your van is probably also the most overlooked and underrated. Nothing quite beats the simplicity and effectiveness of a duster brush. The Full Circle Dust Whisperer is a tool that has a replaceable head on it, so you don’t have to worry about trying to clean off the dust that is stubborn and won’t come off of it after a few uses. No matter what your living arrangement is, dust will always be a struggle to manage and take care of on a consistent basis. It’s important not to let it get too out of hand though, because it can lead to some people having allergic reactions and can make for unhealthy breathing conditions inside your van! You want your van to be as healthy, welcoming and comfortable as possible, so be sure you dust often enough that you won’t have to deal with too much build up. This duster has the benefit of being extraordinarily cheap, but just as effective as any other duster with the added benefit that the head can be replaced if ruined or dirty from overuse. The handle is flexible, making it great for reaching into hard to get to spaces inside your van. You won’t need a duster with a super long handle, as those are cumbersome and unnecessary in a van space. This particular duster is a perfect size and fit for your van life.

#2 – Dust-Off Falcon Professional Electronics Compressed Air

Sometimes a feather duster just won’t do the trick, especially if you’re dealing with very small spaces or cracks such as your keyboard or divots in your wood tables. A can of compressed air can go a long way in everyone’s life, even those living the van life. Not only is it good for small electronics with hard to reach places that collect dust, but also any kinds of blinds you may have in your van, or even the air vents in the dashboard! It’s also important to make sure any heaters you have inside your van are dust free to help reduce risk of fires starting inside! Same can go for any fans or air conditioning units, although those are important to clean not for fire risks, but for health reasons. If a fan is full of dust, then you’re blowing that dust around your van and then breathing it in later! These particular cans contain no harmful gases, so you can feel safe using them inside your van if needed. Although it’s recommended that you take any items outside before you blow them off with these cans. If you use them indoors, it will only serve to blow the dust around your cabin, where it will fall back down and undo all your dusting work! Also, as a safety precaution, do not turn these cans upside down before spraying. In some cases, doing this will make the agents inside the can come out in the next burst of air and can cause damage to your appliances.

#3 – Woolite Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner Stain Remover

Sometimes you will have accidents and end up with a big spill inside your van. It happens, but what’s important is to have a method of getting rid of any stains afterwards! The Woolite Carpet Cleaner is a great tool for making sure your home remains spotless and stain free! This particular version comes in a 4 pack and may seem costly at first, but these should really only be used for stains that set into carpet or upholstery, so you shouldn’t need to use too much of it that often. This can will clean, refresh carpets, eliminate odors and discourage some pets from having an accident in the same place in the future. With that being said, these make for very handy tools for pet owners living the van life with their furry friend! The cans come with a brush attachment that help to scrub out any stains, making this a super efficient way to clean carpets and any fabrics that get stained. These are good for old stains as well as new ones, so you can use it on older appliances and see a difference after the first use. You may need to leave the cleaner on the surface for a few minutes to help it get in and fight the stain. In some cases, you may need to leave it in for a couple of hours to get the best results and use paper towels beforehand to not rub the stain further into the carpet. Read the instructions carefully before use and this will be a very handy tool in your cleaning arsenal!

#4 – Method All Purpose Cleaner

There are many different cleaners out there for taking care of your appliances. But which one is the right choice for your van’s interior? A lot of sprays on the market cause a very powerful odor and will harm the materials of the surfaces you clean. That’s why the Method All Purpose Cleaner is a great choice, as it is a natural cleaner that is all purpose. You don’t need to have a whole pantry full of different kinds of spray cleaners, as this one bottle can kind most if not all of the hard surfaces in your van. These sprays are made without harming any animals, are hypoallergenic, paraben free and are made with biodegradable, non-toxic ingredients. These are not harmful to the environment and will not cause you to have to deal with overpowering odors like many other cleaning products would. This spray is good on counters, tile, stone, wood and glass. It also comes in 4 different scents, so you don’t have to settle with one that you don’t like. An 8 pack of these are not too expensive and will last you a good long while, so there really are no downsides to picking some up and having them around your van just in case!

#5 – Armor All Car Interior Cleaner Wipes

You’re not going to be able to clean everything in your car with paper towels and water, so a small pack of cleaner wipes can go a long way! Armor all Car Interior Cleaner Wipes are great as an all-purpose wipe for your van’s inside surfaces. These are very affordable wipes and are great for virtually everything inside your home. They are lint free, so they won’t leave behind any bits of paper towel or small hair like fibers. They don’t damage your vehicles inside and are great for the dashboard, fabrics, carpets, consoles, vinyl and leather. These wipes are great for virtually all messes or dusty surfaces, however you need to dispose of them after use, so be prepared to have more trash to get rid of. Other than that, these are perfect for van living, as they are super affordable and fit into most compartments in your van with ease. Plus, they’re easy to restock on and stay good for a long time due to the moisture lock lid that keeps the wipes fresh and ready to use at a moment’s notice.

#6 – BLACK+DECKER Flex Car Vacuum

Nothing truly beats the power and convenience of a vacuum. Why shouldn’t you be able to take this with you on the road during your time spent in your van? With the Black and Decker Flex Car Vacuum, you can have it powered right from your van itself! This vacuum lets you use your cigarette lighter plug in your vans console to power the vacuum. The vacuum is compact too, meaning it won’t be hard to find a nice place for it in your vans storage for when you need it. The wire is 16 feet long, and the actual hose on the vacuum stretches to be 4 feet. It also comes with a brush wide nozzle tool and a long crevice tool for those hard to reach areas. It’s a reasonable price too, so it won’t break the bank and is pretty lightweight! Of course, you’ll need to be sure your van is running so it doesn’t kill your car’s battery if left on for too long. The waste storage tank is easy to empty and clean, and the whole thing is very effective for keeping your van free of crumps and messes that you otherwise may not be able to clean. Regardless of whether you’re on the road or not, no one should have to live without access to the same cleaning tools as a household.

#7 – JEHONN Spray Window Squeegee Cleaner with Scrubber

The need for clean windows doesn’t stop at just your windshield! If you have windows in your van on the back doors or the sides, then why not give them the same cleaning treatment that you would any other window in a home? The Jehonn Spray Window Squeegee is perfect for van life. It comes with a long pole just in case you can’t reach one of your windows, but can be detached in favor of a smaller and less clunky version. This window cleaner can spray out a cleaner or even just water if you want to just give the windows a quick wipe down. The rubber blade on the device is perfect for getting all the streaks and prints off of the window, while also keeping it clean from dirt. The cleaning pad on the end of the stick can be detached and cleaned separately. Alternatively, you can buy replacements and get a fresh new pad every time you clean your windows. The pole is made of aluminum, it’s rust-resistant and durable, meaning you can be sure that this product will last a while without breaking down on you. The only downside to this product is the need to replace and clean the pads and refill the cleaner solution. Of course, you could always just use water to make it a less costly task, but if you want the best clean you can get with this device, then it may be worth spending the extra money for the cleaning solution and extra pads.

Wrapping things up…

We’ve laid out a long list of vacuums and cleaning tools to help you keep you living your best van life! Be sure you are taking proper care of your van and cleaning it frequently. As we mentioned before, if you have pets along with you, cleaning is an absolute must! The longer you wait to clean up your van, the harder it will be to do one big cleanup later on. The faster you can get to a spill or dirty area in your van, the less of a problem it will be to clean it up and get you back to enjoying your best van life! Make sure that you know exactly what kind of cleaning products you’re using every time you go to clean the inside of your van. If you’re unsure if the chemical you’re using is harmful to breathe in, then take precautions and leave a window open while you clean. To be extra safe, don’t use the product until you know for sure what the safety procedures are! It’s better to put off cleaning for a day if it means you avoid putting yourself at risk! Keep up healthy habits and vacuum often, that way the job is easier to manage and becomes less of a daunting task. Stay healthy and enjoy your van life!

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