A vacuum cleaner comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis. A motor-fan assembly is mounted in the housing and arranged to generate an airflow along an airflow path from a dirty air inlet to an air exhaust. A retractable nozzle defines the dirty air inlet and is moveably mounted on the housing. At least a portion of the retractable nozzle is arranged to move between a retracted configuration within the housing and a deployed configuration outside the housing. The portion of the retractable nozzle in the retracted configuration is aligned in a direction along the longitudinal axis and the portion of the retractable nozzle in the deployed configuration is aligned in a direction across the longitudinal axis.