Skip to main contentReport an accessibility problem
ASU for LifeASU for Life

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-7061.00United States

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

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$35,630

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+8.5%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

77.8% of the workforce

Employment
427.76K jobs

Growing to 464.14K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

Loading available locations…

Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

Loading related ASU learning

The work

What cleaners of vehicles and equipment do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Rinse objects and place them on drying racks or use cloth, squeegees, or air compressors to dry surfaces.
  • Clean and polish vehicle windows.
  • Apply paints, dyes, polishes, reconditioners, waxes, or masking materials to vehicles to preserve, protect, or restore color or condition.
  • Scrub, scrape, or spray machine parts, equipment, or vehicles, using scrapers, brushes, clothes, cleaners, disinfectants, insecticides, acid, abrasives, vacuums, or hoses.
  • Drive vehicles to or from workshops or customers' workplaces or homes.
  • Inspect parts, equipment, or vehicles for cleanliness, damage, and compliance with standards or regulations.
  • Mix cleaning solutions, abrasive compositions, or other compounds, according to formulas.
  • Maintain inventories of supplies.
  • Pre-soak or rinse machine parts, equipment, or vehicles by immersing objects in cleaning solutions or water, manually or using hoists.
  • Turn valves or handles on equipment to regulate pressure or flow of water, air, steam, or abrasives from sprayer nozzles.
  • Turn valves or disconnect hoses to eliminate water, cleaning solutions, or vapors from machinery or tanks.
  • Monitor operation of cleaning machines and stop machines or notify supervisors when malfunctions occur.
  • Sweep, shovel, or vacuum loose debris or salvageable scrap into containers and remove containers from work areas.
  • Press buttons to activate cleaning equipment or machines.
  • Connect hoses or lines to pumps or other equipment.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$25,834
25th percentile
$29,511
50th percentile
$35,630
75th percentile
$42,277
90th percentile
$52,428

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $35,630 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+8.5%faster than average
2025427,759 jobs
2035 projected464,139 jobs

36,380 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
77.8%
Some college
19.9%
Certificate
2.3%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Automotive Detailing
  • Good Driving Record
  • Vehicle Inspection
  • Windshield
  • Safety Standards
  • Polishing
  • Customer Data Management
  • Lifting Ability
  • Upholstery
  • Wax
  • Window Cleaning
  • Safety Procedures
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Manual Dexterity
  • Productivity Improvement
  • Textiles
  • Pressure Washer
  • Cleaning Products
  • Physical Stamina
  • Customer Inquiries

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Equipment Selection
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Automotive Detailers7,125 postings
  2. 02Car Wash Attendants5,044 postings
  3. 03Car Washers/Detailers4,150 postings
  4. 04Detailers2,505 postings
  5. 05Car Detailers2,160 postings
  6. 06Car Wash Detailers807 postings
  7. 07Vehicle Detailers594 postings
  8. 08Detail Technicians585 postings
  9. 09Car Wash Associates580 postings
  10. 10Rental Car Cleaners529 postings
  11. 11Car Washers436 postings
  12. 12Automotive Lot Attendants406 postings
  13. 13Boat Detailers369 postings
  14. 14Team Members260 postings
  15. 15Car Wash Managers214 postings
  16. 16Detail Specialists188 postings
  17. 17Car Cleaners186 postings
  18. 18Car Wash Technicians152 postings
  19. 19Crew Members134 postings
  20. 20RV Detailers127 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Enterprise Rent-A-Car2,246 postings
  2. 02Enterprise Mobility1,970 postings
  3. 03Caliber Holdings896 postings
  4. 04Teph Seal Auto Appearance794 postings
  5. 05Carvana784 postings
  6. 06Caliber683 postings
  7. 07Eds Solutions566 postings
  8. 08Tidal Wave Auto Spa512 postings
  9. 09Tidal Wave Management470 postings
  10. 10Avis Budget Group432 postings
  11. 11The Hertz Corporation378 postings
  12. 12Club Car Wash339 postings
  13. 13Chevrolet312 postings
  14. 14Crash Champions289 postings
  15. 15Whitewater Express Car Wash273 postings
  16. 16Mammoth Holdings265 postings
  17. 17Tesla244 postings
  18. 18Caliber Collision204 postings
  19. 19Super Star Car Wash188 postings
  20. 20Waterway Carwash184 postings

Keep looking

Related careers

Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Median pay
$82,771
Employment outlook
+11.6%

Air Traffic Controllers

Median pay
$148,075
Employment outlook
+4.8%

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

Median pay
$58,076
Employment outlook
+8.4%

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

Median pay
$79,397
Employment outlook
+5.9%