A vehicle and equipment cleaner washes and maintains cars, trucks, and machinery at dealerships, rental facilities, and service centers. It is hands-on, in demand, and you can start with a high school diploma. Here is what the work involves and how to get in.
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You clean and wash vehicles and equipment using water, soap, brushes, and cleaning solutions. You inspect equipment for damage or wear, handle and move objects, and communicate with supervisors about what needs attention. You make decisions about which cleaning methods work best for different surfaces and materials. You follow safety procedures and may work in various weather conditions. The job requires attention to detail and the ability to work efficiently to keep vehicles and equipment in good condition.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment earn a median of $35,830 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is steady. Employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average for all occupations, with about 56,200 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You need a high school diploma or equivalent. Most employers provide on-the-job training to teach you their specific cleaning procedures, equipment, and safety standards. Some positions may require a driver's license. The preparation level is moderate, meaning you will learn some skills before starting but do not need formal certification or specialized education beyond high school. Starting in this role gives you hands-on experience in the transportation and maintenance field.
Most people enter this career directly from high school or through entry-level hiring at dealerships and service centers. If you are exploring whether this fits your timeline and interests, Pathly can map the cleaner of vehicles and equipment path that fits you and work through it with your counselor to build a clear next step.
You are practical and hands-on, comfortable working with tools and machinery, and detail-oriented about maintaining equipment in good working order.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).