Material Moving Workers

How to become a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment

Official title: Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Also called: Aircraft Cleaner, Automotive Detailer (Auto Detailer), Bus Cleaner, Car Detailer, Car Washer, Cleaner, Detail Technician (Detail Tech), Detailer, Reconditioner, Sanitation Truck Cleaner

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

Main tasks

Rinse objects and place them on drying racks or use cloth, squeegees, or air compressors to dry surfaces.
Apply paints, dyes, polishes, reconditioners, waxes, or masking materials to vehicles to preserve, protect, or restore color or condition.
Clean and polish vehicle windows.
Drive vehicles to or from workshops or customers' workplaces or homes.
Scrub, scrape, or spray machine parts, equipment, or vehicles, using scrapers, brushes, clothes, cleaners, disinfectants, insecticides, acid, abrasives, vacuums, or hoses.
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.

How to become one

There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Hydro Blaster/Vacuum Technician.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $35,830 a year The middle half earn $30,420 to $41,040.
About 419,500 people work in this job now, and about 435,800 are projected by 2035. (+3.9%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment?

There are usually no formal educational requirements to become a hand laborer or material mover. They typically learn through on-the-job training that lasts 1 month or less.

How much does a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $35,830 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $30,420 to $41,040.

Is a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 419,500 to about 435,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment?

Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Hydro Blaster/Vacuum Technician.

Will AI change the work of a Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.