Forget paper towels: this is how to clean cars with power tools

Dremel Versa Power Cleaner

In This Review:

The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner takes on the interior of our vehicle and then our kitchen.

Pros

Handheld & Light

Splash Guard Accessory

Good Assortment of Pads

Cons

Short Battery Life

90

AWESOME

Where to Buy

Recently, I received a tool from Dremel called the Versa Power Cleaner as part of their #ConquerTheCleanup campaign. The Versa is a handheld, high-speed cleaning device that can be used with spray, foam, gel, or liquid cleaners. Enthusiasts who refer to their car as “my baby” will appreciate the Versa Power Cleaner and wonder how they ever lived without one.

For example, it saves your wrists when it comes to polishing wheels and tires.

But it has a number of uses around the homestead as I found out: bathroom soap scum? Check. Grease on the backyard grill? Check. Dirty patio furniture after being in storage all winter? Check?

As part of the #ConquerTheCleanup campaign, I put the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner to the test: first on my vehicle and second in my kitchen.

Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Dremel as part of their #ConquerTheCleanup campaign, and the Versa Power Cleaner was sent to me at no charge. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Automoblog. For more information, please review our advertising guidelines.

What Is A Dremel Versa?

How To Assemble The Dremel Versa?

The Versa vs. Those Dirty Interior Panels

Locked & Loaded

The Versa vs. The Stovetop

Miracle Worker

Dremel Versa Power Cleaner Uses & Pad Suggestions:

How Much Is The Dremel Versa?

How Do I Replace The Pads For My Dremel Versa?

Dremel Versa Pro Tips

Fun Fact

What Is A Dremel Versa?

The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner offers 2,200 rpm of rechargeable power and four interchangeable cleaning pads. It comes with a plug-in adapter for charging and a special rubber guard to prevent water and cleaning solutions from being flung by the pads. The handheld Versa Power Cleaner can be used nearly anywhere, from the bathroom to the boardroom. For this review, we tested it on our office vehicle and then my stove at home, which was a disaster.

Here is what you get for cleaning pads:

White Foam Eraser Pad: Use this multi-purpose pad for harder surfaces like a counter top, glass, baseboards, and non-stainless steel appliances. This pad has micro-abrasive characteristics so using it on a softer surface could result in scratches – for example, it’s not recommended for wood, copper or stainless steel.

Brown Abrasive Heavy-Duty Pad: This pad is for that long-embedded grime and grit. It can handle a number of tough metal items from lawn furniture to uncoated cookware.

Blue Microfiber Non-Scratch Pad: This pad is the “go-to” for most things around the house. Pots, pans, kitchen appliances, outdoor tools and equipment – you name it, this pad can do it.

Black Nylon Bristle Brush: Like the brown pad, this is for those heavier jobs. For car enthusiasts, this is the attachment to use when cleaning tires. For anything that would take an excessive amount of elbow grease, this brush is the ticket.

How To Assemble The Dremel Versa?

Assembling the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner is really easy, and the individual pads attach with what appears to be very durable Velcro. The “backing pad” holds the cleaning pad in place, which attaches in just a few seconds to the Versa itself.

The nicest accessory is the rubber splash guard, which has two positions: extended and retracted. When extended, the splash guard will keep the spreading and spraying of water and/or cleaning solution to a minimum. If there is an area that is harder to reach, just pull the splash guard up to retract it. If necessary, the splash guard can be removed entirely.

Before going to work, I fully charged my Dremel Versa Power Cleaner. Dremel recommends having it charged each time before using it, and advises not to run it while plugged in.

I find it easier to clean the exterior of my vehicle versus the interior – meaning I tend to neglect the interior and, as a result, it keeps getting worse. By this point, paper towels and normal rags won’t do the trick.

The Versa vs. Those Dirty Interior Panels

I have plenty of applicator pads and soft towels for the exterior of my vehicle, but what I lack is a way to make my interior shine like the outside. This is where the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner really “shines” and where I found it to be the most useful.

For example, the lower panels directly inside my vehicle get hit with my shoes (and my passenger’s shoes) during exit and entry. It doesn’t take long for that part of the interior to get really dirty, especially during the series of rain storms we have experienced in Detroit recently.

Try an experiment: from the driver’s seat, look down and to the left. Just above the floor mats is an entire section of your interior that is likely to be covered with dirt and grime. Those areas can be neglected, especially if you quickly run your car through the wash because you don’t have time.

As you can see from the gallery below, my lower interior panels were looking pretty gross (top photos) but the Dremel Versa made short work of the weather stains and blemishes (bottom photos).

Locked & Loaded

With the White Foam Eraser Pad and a few sprays of traditional interior cleaner, I was able to nix the excess dirt and grime that builds up on those lower interior panels in a hurry. Normally, I would have to scrub with a towel but it is much easier letting the Versa do the work – I just guided it up and around the curves of the panel. From there, I did the passenger side interior panels, dashboard, and center console.

On my driver’s side door panel, I had a particular spot of dirt (who knows how it got there) too ingrained for regular towels. Like I did with the lower panels, I hit the area with a few spays of interior cleaner and simply guided the Dremel tool over the surface. It easily removed the dirt stain within a few seconds.

The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner works well on harder, plastic surfaces. In this case, with the White Foam Eraser Pad, I was able to remove a stubborn spot of dirt on my door panel. However, say you spill coffee or soda on your center console? This handy tool would make short order of any nasty stains left over from a cold brew.

The Versa vs. The Stovetop

After my vehicle’s interior, I decided to tackle another area I often overlook: my stove. I figured what else could I power-buff to shininess that I have been ignoring? My nasty stove immediately popped into my head.

The burners on my stove have (or should say had) these caked-on brownish rings around them. At this point, they are so far into the surface that scrubbing by hand is honestly a waste of time. That won’t work. And so the extent of my stove cleaning is to simply run a soapy rag over it, removing any immediate residue and calling it a day.

This is where I felt sorry for the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner because my stove was horrendous! But it’s for these types of dirty jobs that the Versa Power Cleaner was designed for.

If there was ever a cleanup for the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner to conquer, my stove was it. Nasty!

Miracle Worker

I started with the Blue Microfiber Non-Scratch Pad which removed about 70 percent of the grit. But my stove proved harder than my vehicle, so to eliminate the rest of the grime, I actually switched to the Brown Abrasive Heavy-Duty Pad. Sometimes, you have to bring out the heavy equipment.

With both pads, I went slowly with the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner, even holding it over the troublesome spots for a moment to really let the pad work. The slower you go, the more effective it is on something like a neglected stove.

And when I say my stove was neglected, I mean my stove was neglected!

I used Bar Keeper’s Friend but regardless of what cleaning solution you pick, definitely use the splash guard in the extended position. Otherwise, you will launch the solution across your kitchen!

I wiped the residue off my stove and tossed the Versa back on the charger. Total time to clean my stove: five minutes. And I don’t think it was even this clean when I moved in.

Dremel Versa Power Cleaner Uses & Pad Suggestions:

Grill Exterior (Non-Scratch)

Car Wheel Hub (Bristle Brush)

Stove and Countertops (Eraser)

Inside the Oven (Non-Scratch)

Pots/Pans (Heavy Duty) (Eraser)

Shower Glass Door and Tubs (Eraser)

Shower Tile Grout and Sink Faucets (Bristle Brush)

Metal Patio Furniture – Rust Removal (Heavy Duty)

How Much Is The Dremel Versa?

The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner Kit can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, Menards or on Amazon for an MSRP of $49.97. More information on the Versa Power Cleaner is available through Dremel’s website.

How Do I Replace The Pads For My Dremel Versa?

A new set of the four pads that come with the unit are $9.99 (as of this writing) through Dremel’s website.

Dremel Versa Pro Tips

Carefully wipe down and dry the unit after each use.

Go slowly with the Versa and resist the temptation to “push” hard on the unit, which will actually cause it to turn off.

When dealing with stubborn spots and stains, apply light pressure and keep the Dremel Versa positioned directly on the area. The pads will eventually do their job.

When fully charged, the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner runs for about 15 to 20 minutes, which should be long enough to do most jobs.

Extended use will require additional charging time. A full charge, according to the owner’s manual, takes about two hours.

Fun Fact

To save your sense of fashion, it can even shine your shoes. Use the Eraser pad.

Carl Anthony studied mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the board of the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a member historian of the Midwest Automotive Media Association and the Automotive Association. Before returning to school, he also held product development and experiential marketing roles in the automotive industry. Carl is also a loyal fan of the Detroit Lions.