How to become a vehicle valeter or cleaner

Official title: Vehicle valeters and cleaners

Also called: Cleaner, Valeter, Bus cleaner, Cab cleaner, Car cleaner, Car valeter, Boat cleaner, Coach cleaner, Motor cleaner, Ship's cleaner, Vehicle cleaner, Vehicle valeter

Vehicle valeters and cleaners clean, wash and polish the interiors and exteriors of ships, aircraft, trains and road vehicles.

Main tasks

• Vacuums, brushes and washes vehicle upholstery and interior surfaces
• Empties waste bins and removes rubbish
• Reports any damage or vandalism to the fabric of the vehicle interior
• Washes, cleans and polishes as appropriate the exterior surfaces of vehicles

How to become one

No academic qualifications are required. On-the-job training may be provided. Vocational qualifications in relevant areas are available at levels 1 and 2.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £26,598 a year The middle half earn £24,110 to £30,383.
• About 21,100 people work in this job now, and about 20,400 are projected by 2035. (-3.7%)

Related jobs

• Window cleaners
• Street cleaners
• Cleaners and domestics
• Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers
• Refuse and salvage occupations

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Questions people ask

How do I become a vehicle valeter or cleaner?

No academic qualifications are required. On-the-job training may be provided. Vocational qualifications in relevant areas are available at levels 1 and 2.

How much does a vehicle valeter or cleaner earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £26,598 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £24,110 to £30,383.

Is a vehicle valeter or cleaner a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 4% by 2035, from about 21,100 to about 20,400 people (Department for Education).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03