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Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment. Use such materials as water, cleaning agents, brushes, cloths, and hoses.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,830 Median per year · $17.23/hr Most earn $27,380–$47,610

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Clean the plastic work inside cars, using paintbrushes.
  • Turn valves or disconnect hoses to eliminate water, cleaning solutions, or vapors from machinery or tanks.
  • Pre-soak or rinse machine parts, equipment, or vehicles by immersing objects in cleaning solutions or water, manually or using hoists.
  • Pre-soak or rinse machine parts, equipment, or vehicles by immersing objects in cleaning solutions or water, manually or using hoists.
  • Press buttons to activate cleaning equipment or machines.
  • Drive vehicles to or from workshops or customers' workplaces or homes.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 51,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Other automotive repair and maintenance34.4%
  • Automobile dealers18.0%
  • Self-employed (their own business)7.9%
  • Automotive equipment rental and leasing5.7%
  • Automotive body, paint, interior, and glass repair2.9%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 3 to 6 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the work on the job, usually in about 3 to 6 months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most employers ask for, and the reading, math, and safety skills you need to handle cleaning products and equipment.

  2. Vehicle or Equipment Cleaner (on-the-job training)

    3-6 months

    You learn safe use of cleaning chemicals, brushes, and pressure washers while working with an experienced cleaner, which prepares you for this job.

  3. Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment

    Ongoing

    You wash and clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment on your own, following the shop's safety and quality standards.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Cleaner

    1-3 years of experience first

    You take on more responsibility, such as training new cleaners, checking work quality, and keeping supplies organized.

  2. Maintenance Worker, Machinery

    1-2 years of experience first

    After gaining experience with equipment, you can move into keeping machines running, which usually requires a certificate or apprenticeship in addition to on-the-job learning.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop or auto classesHands-on classes teach you how vehicles and machines are built, which helps you understand the equipment you will clean.
  • Get a part-time job at a car wash or auto shopWorking in a real cleaning or service environment builds the work habits and experience employers look for.
  • Learn basic workplace safetyMany schools offer safety training or first-aid courses, and knowing how to handle chemicals and tools safely is important in this job.
  • Build reliability and teamworkJoin a school club or sports team, since showing up on time and working well with others matters in any cleaning crew.

In college

  • Take courses in mechanics or equipment operationBasic knowledge of how machines work helps you clean them properly and opens the door to maintenance roles later.
  • Work a campus job in facilities or maintenanceCampus facilities crews often handle cleaning and equipment care, giving you hands-on experience.
  • Look for a seasonal job at a car wash, fleet, or equipment yardShort-term work in these places builds practical experience and can lead to a regular position.
  • Earn a safety or chemical handling certificate if offeredMany colleges and local programs offer short safety courses that show employers you take the job seriously.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask about on-the-job training when you apply, since most cleaning jobs teach you the work and you do not need experience first.
  • Learn basic safety habits now, such as reading product labels and wearing protective gear, because employers value reliable and careful workers.
  • Pay attention to how machines and vehicles work, since that knowledge helps if you later want to move into equipment maintenance.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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