The best motorhome vacuum cleaner can be an underrated yet crucial gadget when it comes to experiencing an enjoyable tour. After all, if you’re anything like us, chances are you’ll find it hard to relax when there’s dirt and debris around you.
After going to the trouble of using the best motorhome cleaner to ensure you have a sparkling exterior for your ‘van (not forgetting the motorhome roof cleaning process either), a good vacuum cleaner will ensure you can keep the interior clear of crumbs, dirt and dust. This could be particularly important if you’re an activity lover who will be bringing muddy gear inside or are touring with a canine companion who could inadvertently leave mucky paw prints or hair.
The most crucial factor here is going to be how you want to use it – and where you tour. An option with a rechargeable battery will typically be cordless and handheld, helpful for getting into the various nooks and crannies in your motorhome. However, for those who like to tour off-grid or who may not necessarily have access to mains hook-up, a 12V vacuum cleaner could be a better bet for your motorhome – or a rechargeable option with a long battery runtime.
Here, we’re sharing our picks for the best motorhome vacuum cleaner on the market, including both cordless and 12V options, featuring brands such as Gtech, Black+Decker and Shark. Make sure you also know how to clean a motorhome, to ensure your ‘van is back to its sparkling best for the touring season.
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The best vacuum cleaners for a motorhome:
Gtech Multi MK2 K9 Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Shark Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Shark WandVac 2.0 Cordless Handheld Vacuum
Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
The best 12v motorhome vacuum cleaners
BLACK+DECKER 12 V Flexi Auto Dustbuster
Hilka 12V Corded Wet and Dry Car Vacuum Cleaner
The best motorhome vacuum cleaners
Gtech Multi MK2 K9 Cordless Handheld Vacuum
- Run time: up to 20 minutes
- Charge time: 4 hours
- Weight: 1.5kg
Reason to buy:
- Comes with a useful LED headlight, only weights 1.5kg
Reason to avoid:
- Better run times available
Whether you’re looking for a lightweight option to take on tour with you or want to give your motorhome an end-of-season freshen-up, we think this vacuum cleaner from Gtech makes a great choice.
We like how it only takes four hours to charge, at which point it provides a run time of up to 20 minutes, with its LED display allowing you to keep track of how much charge remains.
Coming with a 22V lithium-ion battery, we’re fans of its weight of only 1.5kg, making it straightforward to get into those little corners any motorhome can have, with its LED headlight helping you ensure you vacuum everything up. It makes a good choice for dog owners too, as it has been strengthened with aluminium to improve its performance. Then, when it’s time to empty it, simply flip the latch and pour its 0.4-litre capacity into the bin.
We also like how it comes with a good selection of attachments, as it’s provided with a crevice tool, a dusting brush and a power head.
Shark Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Run time: 10 minutes
- Charge time: 4 hours
- Weight: 1.2kg
Reason to buy:
- Lightweight and ideal for pet hairs
Reason to avoid:
- Only 10 minute run time
If you’re looking for a handheld and cordless motorhome vacuum cleaner that will allow you to keep on top of dog hair or dirt while you’re on the road, this could be the model for you. Usefully, three attachments are provided with it, a crevice tool, a dusting brush and a motorised pet tool.
We should draw your attention to its runtime of 10 minutes though. This is half of what the Gtech offers off the same charge time of four hours – however, this is also a more budget-friendly option. Handily, it has a battery light too, so you can keep an eye on when it needs a recharge.
It’s also very lightweight, coming in at only 1.2kg. This means it’s very portable, and should be easy to get into all of those corners in our ‘vans.
BLACK+DECKER 12 V Flexi Auto Dustbuster
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 1.49kg
Reason to buy:
- Long 5m cable, runs on 12V
Reason to ask:
- Can’t be used cordless
For those who want the convenience of a 12V vacuum cleaner, we’d recommend this Black+Decker option.
We should point out it’s not a cordless option, but when you factor in the five-metre cable it comes with, that becomes less of a problem. For added convenience, the flexible hose is 1.5 metres long, so getting into the nooks and crannies of your motorhome should be no problem.
The ease of emptying the dust bowl is another appealing trait we think – simply pour the side door into the bin. Its 500ml capacity is a good size too, with its portable 1.49kg weight making it easy to lift.
Another feature we like is the storage bag it’s provided with, a handy way of keeping everything in one place til you next need it.
Shark WandVac 2.0 Cordless Handheld Vacuum
- Runtime: 15 minutes
- Charge time: 3.5 hours
- Weight: 650g
Reason to buy:
- Incredibly lightweight, respectable charge time
Reason to avoid:
- Better run times are available
We think this lightweight and portable option from Shark looks like an attractive choice for ‘van owners who are after a cordless motorhome vacuum cleaner that can be used around the home and on the go. Its runtime is 50% longer than the other Shark in our guide, extending to use for up to 15 minutes, giving you time to freshen up your tourer from the dirt that can accumulate when you’re pitched up.
Dog owners will appreciate the multi-surface pet tool that it comes with too, helping you get rid of dog hair, while the crevice tool will allow you to get into the various nooks and crannies of a motorhome. It weighs less than 1kg and will take around 3.5 hours to reach a full charge. We also like the ‘boost’ power mode, ideal for dealing with any extra stubborn bits of dirt.
Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: 40 minutes
- Charge time: 5 hours
- Weight: 2.5kg
Reason to buy:
- Has an excellent runtime, can be used as a cordless or as a conventional option
Reason to avoid:
- Expensive
We think if you’re looking for an option that can be used domestically and in your ‘van, this could be the best motorhome vacuum cleaner.
The versatility it offers is something we’re particularly fans of. This Dyson can be used as a cordless option, with an impressive 40-minute runtime from a five hour charge, as well as offering both handheld or upright vacuum usage. Usefully, it comes with a combination tool and a crevice tool, making the corners of your ‘van easier to reach.
As it spins at up to 110,000rpm, we like how it can be relied upon to effectively clean your motorhome. The Dyson’s de-tangling technology will be handy for vacuuming up dog hairs if a canine companion is a member of your touring party.
Okay, we know it’s the most expensive option in our guide, but for charge time, versatility and performance, we think it’s well worth considering.
Hilka 12V Corded Wet and Dry Car Vacuum Cleaner
- Runtime: N/A
- Charge time: N/A
- Weight: 977g
Reason to buy:
- 12v option which weighs less than 1kg
Reason to avoid:
- Can’t be used as a cordless option, 2.8m lead makes it better suited to smaller ‘vans
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option to give your motorhome a quick clean when you’re pitched up, before a more thorough clean is done when you’re back home, this 12V vacuum could be the product for you.
We’d say it’s best suited to smaller ‘vans though, due to a lead of only 2.8m. However, we really like how it can be used on small wet spillages, as well as on dirt, providing some helpful peace of mind should you inadvertently spill a drink.
It also comes with a good 500ml capacity.
How to choose the best motorhome vacuum cleaner
The most important factor here will be where and when you intend to use your motorhome vacuum cleaner. Will it be at the start and end of your tours when you’re at home or do you want an option that you can use when you’re on-site?
If you’re intending to use it when you’re pitched up, a small, lightweight option will be preferable, as you’re going to want a vacuum cleaner that is easy to store and won’t take up much space when you’re packing your motorhome. A 12V option will also give you the most flexibility, as while it may need to be used with a cord, it will be easier to power if you’ve gone off-grid or are camping at a festival, for instance.
If you’re only intending to use it when you’re back home, however, the size and means of powering it will be less of an issue, so long as you’re still able to manoeuvre it into all of the crevices of your ‘van.
The battery life could be a factor to think about if you opt for a non-12V option too – you’ll want to make sure it gives you enough time to give your motorhome a clean while you’re on tour. This will also apply to a lesser extent when you’re at home. While it will be easier to charge, it will not make the cleaning process the easiest if you have to run in and recharge it every few minutes.
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