Buying a new car or a used car is a major investment. The cost can easily run into five figures, six figures, or seven figures for luxury models. According to Kelly Blue Book, Americans paid an average of $40,472 for a new light vehicle. That’s a lot of money! Factor in insurance costs, and you’ll see the immediate need to keep your car sparkling clean.
Cleaning the exterior of your car is a great start to maintain its look. You can easily do it at the nearby car wash. But vacuuming the inside of your car regularly is also equally important. For example, I recently used a portable car vacuum to remove popcorn kernels from my back seat after a drive-in movie!
Vacuuming helps remove dirt, dust, and spilled liquids from the interior upholstery to ensure clean seats, surfaces, and carpets. And don’t just think it’s for the fun of it. If left to linger, dirt, spills, and food debris can build up, expedite wear and tear, and quickly damage the interior upholstery and paint. As a result, what was once a shiny status symbol becomes an uncomfortable eyesore.
The worst-case scenario can lead to mold growth and spark unwanted allergic reactions that can make you or your kids ill. It’s especially bad if you don’t change your cabin air filter. The resale value of your vehicle also suffers a great deal if you don’t keep the dirt, dust, and liquid spills at bay. Detailing a vehicle is like staging a home for resale!
Thus, vacuuming your car will not only ensure you have a clean and comfortable vehicle but also boost the life span of the interior upholstery, carpeting and increase its resale value. In addition, detailing a car makes it one of the easiest things to flip for a profit.
The good news is, there are service stations with vacuum cleaners that offer a convenient way to clean your vehicle on the go. That leads us to the big question:
Lee TambiénHow To Make Automotive Audio system Louder With out Amp?Where can you find gas stations with car vacuums near me?
Short Answer: Some major gas stations in the United States have vacuum cleaners at most locations. Arco, BP, Chevron, Citgo, Kwik Trip, 7-Eleven, and Phillips 66 are the best gas stations with car vacuums near me.
Again, most gas stations that have car washes are also more likely to have car vacuum cleaners. However, not all locations carry vacuum cleaners because most fuel stations are franchised and independently owned. So it’s good to call ahead of time to avoid making a futile trip.
Car vacuums at gas stations are usually coin-operated and run 24/7. So you should be able to vacuum your car at any time, even if there are no 24-hour gas stations in your area.
Simply deposit a few coins in the vacuum machine slot, which then allows you to vacuum your car for a preset period. Each location sets its own price and time limits, but you can expect to pay $1 to $2 for two to five minutes.
If your money runs out before you’re done, you can always add more money at the same rate. The vacuum machine has a digital timer mounted on it, so you’ll know the exact time before your money runs out.
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How To Discover My Husbands Iphone?The easiest way to find a gas station that offers vacuum cleaners is by using the store locator on your preferred gas station’s website for contact details. Also, most locators allow you to filter for car washes and other amenities.
You can also find smaller, individually owned gas stations with free vacuums. Simply plug the keyword “gas stations with free vacuums near me” on Google or enter your zip code on CarWashSeeker to find a suitable location.
Accepted payment methods at most gas stations include cash, debit, or credit card with a chip, Reliacard cash, and gift cards. Gas stations are also among the places that accept Venmo and other contactless payment methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Again, many gas stations accept EBT for approved food items at the convenience store but not to buy gas.
How Much Does it Cost to Vacuum a Car at a Gas Station?
If you can’t find gas stations with free vacuums nearby, you can expect to pay between 75 cents to $2. The price will vary depending on how long you use the vacuum, your geographic location, and the place you visit.
For instance, you’ll pay 75 cents to vacuum your car for two minutes at Phillips 66 and Arco, while Chevron, BP, Citgo, and KwikTrip charge around $1-$2 for 2-5 minutes. 7-Eleven is more expensive because you’ll need to deposit $1-$2 for two minutes of vacuuming.
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What’s the Wells Fargo Notary Service Charge? Make Notary Appointment?Therefore, it’s safe to say that the cost to vacuum a car varies by location because each gas station sets its own price and time limits. The good thing is, most vacuum machines have a digital timer attached so you can see the remaining time.
You can sidestep the cost of buying the best auto detailing carpet extractor. It costs over $100, which can be a good investment if you use it regularly on several vehicles. Alternatively, you can rent a carpet cleaner at Walmart to clean your car and your home carpets at the same time.
However, vacuum cleaners at gas stations have more power and can suction up large debris that most home vacuum cleaners can’t handle.
Related read: Sell used car batteries for cash.
What Gas Stations Have Car Vacuums Near Me?
We’ve researched and compiled a list of gas stations that offer coin-operated vacuum cleaners.
As you’ll see below, the machines run for up to five minutes, with some having shorter run times. The cost will vary from place to place, depending on how long you use the machine.
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¿Es posible transferir dinero de una tarjeta EDD a una cuenta corriente? Por supuesto1. ARCO
ARCO has more than 1,500 gas stations in 14 states in the upper Midwest, west coast, and Mexico. It offers various ways to pay for gas, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, prepaid gas card, fleet card, debit card, credit card, and cash.
ARCO Vacuum Cost: 75 cents
Estimated Length of Time: Two minutes
Find a local ARCO car vacuum near me.
2. BP
BP has thousands of gas stations under the Amoco and BP brand across the US and over 1,000 ampm convenience stores on the west coast. In addition, it has hundreds of nearby gas stations open 24-hours with vacuums. BP also takes Apple Pay and Apple Watch inside its retail stores along with EBT.
BP Vacuum Cost: $1-$2
Estimated Length of Time: 2-5 minutes
Find a local BP with car vacuums near me.
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¿Acepta CVS Google Pay y Samsung Pay? Información completa3. Chevron
Chevron has over 7,800 Texaco and Chevron gas stations and convenience stores across the US. Several of its fuel stations offer car wash services, diesel fuel, auto service, mobile payments, and Tap To Pay. The Chevron app lets you pay for gas with PayPal, Venmo, Visa, Mastercard, Reliacard debit card, American Express, Discover, Texaco physical gift cards with pins, Texaco and Chevron electronic gift cards, and activated American Express gift cards.
Chevron Vacuum Cost: $1-$2
Estimated Length of Time: 3-5 minutes
Find a local Chevron with car vacuums near me.
4. Citgo
Citgo has around 5,000 gas stations in 30 states. Many of its convenience stores sell CITGO gift cards, lottery tickets, operate car washes, check cashing, money orders, money transfer, $40 cash back with debit cards only, and convenient ATMs. In addition, CITGO has late-night hours to refill with unleaded and sometimes diesel fuel.
CITGO Vacuum Cost: $1-$2
Estimated Length of Time: 3-5 minutes
Find a local CITGO with car vacuums near me.
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25 Concesionarios que pagan una congruencia desfavorable cerca de mí5. Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip has around 700 gas stations in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Its convenience stores are known for their fresh meats, vegetables, and fruit. Kwik Trip gas stations do cash back for up to $20 with a debit card, sell MoneyGram money orders for up to $500, gift cards, accept Apple Pay, and have fee-free ATMs.
Kwik Trip Vacuum Cost: $1-$2
Estimated Length of Time: 3-5 minutes
Find a local Kwik Trip car vacuum near me.
6. Phillips 66
Phillips 66 gas stations have more than 7,500 locations in over 47 states. It offers services including check to cash, ATM, get up to $50 cash back with a $3 minimum purchase using a debit card, and accept EBT payments in its convenience store.
Phillips 66 Vacuum Cost: 75 cents
Estimated Length of Time: Two minutes
Find a nearby Phillips 66 car vacuum near me that’s open 24 hours.
7. 7-Eleven
7-Eleven has around 14,000 gas stations and convenience stores in the US. It sells Western Union and MoneyGram money orders, $10 cash back with no fees, accepts Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, activated American Express gift cards, and 7-Eleven gift cards. In addition, many locations have 24-hour gas stations with car vacuums.
7-Eleven Vacuum Cost: $1-$2
Estimated Length of Time: 2 minutes
Find 7-Eleven car vacuums near me.
Related read: Get paid to advertise on your car.
Where to Find Gas Stations with Free Vacuums Near Me?
Why pay for it when you can get it for free! It’s a frugal living tip with a big impact on savings. For example, a gas station nearby that offers free vacuums is an excellent cost-savings. In addition, that $2 a week can be put towards other financial goals, like saving $10,000 in a year.
Gas stations with free vacuums near me are usually smaller and individually operated fuel centers. You can also find car washes that offer free vacuums as after-sale services.
The easiest way is to Google “gas stations with free vacuums near me.” You’ll get a list of independent fuel stations along with their contact details. You can also click our Yelp link to search for free vacuums nearby.
Related Read: How to become a pilot car driver.
How To Use a Self-Service Vacuum Near Me?
Many nearby independent car wash places have self-service vacuums on site.
Though they don’t sell fuel, you’re likely to find more locations with car vacuum services nearby.
Here’s a video showing an example of what a self-service machine looks like.
Here’s how to properly vacuum your car interior and recommended tools:
Related read: Get paid to deliver cars.
Gas Stations With Vacuums Near Me Summary
Keeping the interior of your car clean helps prevent wear and tear, unwanted allergies and considerably increases the resale value of your vehicle. In addition, it’s beneficial if you use your pickup truck for side jobs to make money, like dump dirt nearby, buy hay bales, sell recycled wood pallets for money, or paid to advertise on your car. To help you out, gas stations offer coin-operated vacuums that you can use on the go for pennies on the dollar.
Basically, you deposit some coins into the vacuum machine slot to vacuum your car for a set time. If your money runs out before you’re done, you can always deposit more coins to continue using the machine. So make sure you don’t exchange all the coins at the nearby coin counting machines. You may need some to use for vacuums.
Accepted payment methods include cash, debit card, credit card, gift card, and contactless payment methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay. You may even be able to use your debit card without a PIN.
In your area, you may get lucky to find a few independently operated gas stations that offer free vacuums. However, if you can’t find paid or free vacuums nearby, you can purchase your own home vacuum cleaner for about $100 or less.
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