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Vehicle cleaner

Also called car cleaner, van valeter, van cleaner

Vehicle cleaners clean and polish surfaces of external parts and interiors of vehicles.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects15 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Cleaners and helpersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €800 (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Cleaners and helpersWhat do I need to study?Basic schooling5 in 10 have basic schooling only. 7 in 10 train through vocational routes.Cleaners and helpersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Vehicle cleaners · ILO

What you'd do

Vehicle cleaners · ILO
  • Cleaning, washing and polishing cars and other vehicles, by hand or using hand-held power tools
  • Vacuuming vehicle interiors and dry-cleaning carpets and upholstery
  • Applying cleaning agents to remove stains from vehicle exteriors and interiors
  • Washing tyres and wheel arches and blackening tyres
  • Washing and polishing vehicle windows
  • Emptying and cleaning compartments in vehicles
Handle chemical cleaning agentsEnsure vehicle preparation for pick-upTreat vehicle fabricsClean vehicle engineFollow procedures to control substances hazardous to health+ 7 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as cleaners and helpers in the EU
9.29m8.92m8.3m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
1,998,000 replacing leavers 640,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Cleaners and helpers15
All jobs29
Right now
8 of 27 countries report a shortage of vehicle cleaners, 6 a surplus.
Vehicle cleaners · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €800 a month (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among elementary occupations in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Elementary occupations · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Basic schooling

Most people start with basic schooling and learn on the job.

Highest qualification of cleaners and helpers (EU, 2025)
Degree 7%Vocational 32%General secondary 11%Basic schooling 49%
Fields that teach it
Domestic services · Transport services · Motor vehicles, ships and aircraft
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.09 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 6 tasks
Applying cleaning agents to remove stains from vehicle exteriors and interiors0.10
Washing and polishing vehicle windows0.10
Emptying and cleaning compartments in vehicles0.10
Vacuuming vehicle interiors and dry-cleaning carpets and upholstery0.09
Cleaning, washing and polishing cars and other vehicles, by hand or using hand-held power tools0.08
Washing tyres and wheel arches and blackening tyres0.08

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for vehicle cleaners. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).