Moving from a permanent home into an RV can be an exciting experience, whether you’re in it for the long haul as a full-timer or just taking summer camping trips. The anticipation of seeing the country from the road and leaving those monotonous chores from daily life behind can be an exhilarating feeling. However, a few of those housekeeping tasks must follow you to the RV if you are to keep your rig clean and functional while in use. And one of those duties is vacuuming. But selecting the best RV corded vacuum for your rig can shorten the time spent in that drudgery. So let’s take a look at how to spot a great vacuum for RV use.
Why You Need a Great RV Corded Vacuum
Vacuum cleaners are frustrating appliances to add to your RV list. They are usually large and bulky, making them hard to store in tight areas.
It’s difficult to justify the space used for a vacuum, especially when you have other more interesting items you’d rather bring along on a camping trip. (You know, like a kayak, a grill, or a bicycle!)
But bring, you must! The virtual nature of camping carries the outdoors inside. As you hike, fish, or just sit around the campfire, you then transfer dirt, sand, and leaves into your home-on-wheels.
And if you have a pet, the accumulation of dust and hair adds up even quicker. So a great vacuum that can handle all of that and do so quickly, will be well worth the storage space you afford it.
How to Choose the Best RV Corded Vacuum
Keeping in mind that the most powerful vacuum cleaners are usually corded, here are several other features to look for in your quest for dependable cleaning equipment:
- Suction – this is usually measured in Air Watts, but sometimes manufacturers don’t list that figure. A hand-held vacuum should have at least 100 air watts to ”really suck.”
- Size – many stick vacuums are lightweight and skinny, making them easier to lift and move, but canister vacs have much more suction power and weight. They are, however, big and bulky, which makes them difficult to use or store in an RV setting.
- Handling – most vacuums with a wand have some element of steering, making them very easy to maneuver in corners and around furniture. Be sure to look for an appliance that can reach under beds or tables easily when you consider its handling features.
- Capacity – this refers to how much dirt and dust the bag or storage cup in the vacuum can hold before requiring dumping. Many stick vacuums hold at least one half to one full quart of debris.
- Type of carpet or flooring – always check to see if the vacuum can be used efficiently on both carpeted and wood or laminate flooring for best results. Many units also have lights on the front to help you see in dim corners and under furniture.
- Attachments – because an RV has a wide variety of surfaces to clean, select a vacuum that comes with pertinent attachments that will handle window valances, stairs, blinds, and corners. Many offer crevice tools, dusting brushes, and pet multi-tools.
Best RV Corded Vacuums
Here are three of our favorite corded vacuums to help you get started in shopping:
Top Pick
- Converts into a handheld vacuum for versatile floor-to-ceiling cleaning
- Extra tools allows you to reach tight spaces, tackle pet hair and much more for a whole-home clean
This corded vacuum comes in at just over 8 pounds, with swivel steering and a bagless design. The dust cup holds just under one-half quart before needing emptying. It has a 25-foot cord, so you should be able to maneuver through most of your rig without having to unplug and move it.
The Shark Rocket comes with a crevice tool, a precision duster, and a pet multi-tool. It handles well on both carpeted and wood/laminate flooring. The vacuum has a hand-held section that can be used separately for short jobs and for storage.
Best for Pet Owners with Storage Space
- Strongest suction of any vacuum; Even more power for tough tasks
- Self-adjusting cleaner head seals in suction across carpet, wood, vinyl, and tile floors
Weighing in at 17 pounds, this corded vacuum steers on a unique ball suspension, making it very maneuverable. It also has a bagless design with a hygienic dust bin that empties at the touch of a button.
The wand can be separated from the floor unit for easy valance cleaning. It comes with a combination tool, a tangle-free tool, brush, and crevice tool and has a suction rating of 100 air watts.
It does a great job of cleaning both carpeted and wood/laminate floors with some of the strongest suction of any vacuum.
Budget Pick
- 3-in-1 design with onboard crevice tool allows you to customize your vacuum for your needs. At only 4 pounds, you can...
- Eureka's signature swivels steering improves maneuverability and cleaning efficiency when compared to standard stick...
This stick vacuum has an extendable handle for use as a shorter vacuum or to sweep under furniture or on stairs, etc.
It weighs 4 pounds and has a large dust cup for debris collection with washable filters included. The cord is 18 feet long and the unit has swivel steering.
It also comes with a crevice tool for easy cleaning in tight corners and on fabrics.
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to clean up. Find the vacuum that best suits your needs (and storage space). Then you can hit the road with confidence in knowing your rig will always look great with a clean sweep!
Last update on 2021-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
We’ve had the green and grey Shark stick vac going on four years. It’s a daily user with three dogs and a cat. We have lots of dirt and sand in our permanent spot and lots of shedding hair all year in Louisiana. The Shark stick is a machine!
So happy to have an internal vacuum in my IBEX. I have no carpet so I can just sweep it right to the dust pan and it sucks it up! I can get additional attachments if needed. 😁
I installed a “Dirt Devil CV 1500” in our 2014 Keystone Cougar and we love it. The hose attaches in the lower step of the steps to the upper bed area and the hose and attachments are stowed under the bench seats of the dining booth.
I have a cordless Dyson Animal V7, I mounted the charging unit in the bedroom laundry closet. Works great with the low setting on the hard surfaces and high on the carpet. Actually, we use the same thing in the house, threw out the corded Vacs.
I’m looking for a new vacuum cleaner. How did you know. What’s your recommendations
Dyson V11 animal from CostCo. Mounted/plugged into our Reflection 337 closet, along with the attachments neatly hung on the charger. We have two Maine Coons, so we needed something powerful but I didn’t want to drag around a cord. This checked all the boxes for us. Can also see easily when it needs to be emptied – but, let’s face it, with Maine Coons that is happening mid-vacuuming and at the end of vacuuming. I love it!
I have a built in central vacuum. Works not bad but not as good as my home Dyson
I have the rigs built in vacuum that works pretty well though I wish that the brush was powered. I also have a portable Ryobi 3 gallon vac for outside work or wet pickup.
Roomba from my stick n bricks is also on a schedule to roam around the lower deck every other day at 10am.
I love my, light weight bissell. The handle stick comes off and it become a small hand held dust buster style.
It’s perfect for picking up all the random sawdust that appears after a travel day and the sand plus dirt the family tracks in.
Hi – we do have a vacuum, which I love, but it is a cordless Dyson vacuum. It works Great!! We have in on its charge stand always ready to go. Can’t imagine not having a vacuum, it also works great in the car too.
Happy New Year 🎈🎊
Hey Jason & Rae,
We have 2 in our HR 40′ Class A. The central vacuum that was an option when new. Although it works great its cumbersome. We also use a dyson stick V8 that is our dailey “go-to”. We also keep a small Black and Decker cordless blower for door area just outside to help manage and reduce tracked in dirt.
Happy New Year.
Pete & Lindsay Orioles
My new RV has a central vac which I love! Previously we had a Shark cordless vac which worked great!