What's Included in a Full Car Detail?

A full car detail is a complete reset of the vehicle inside and out — not a wash with extra steps. Outside, that means decontamination, clay treatment, machine polishing and a protective layer. Inside, extraction, shampooing, conditioning and sanitising of every surface.

Exterior

• Pre-rinse and hand wash using a two-bucket method, so grit is not dragged back across the paint.
• Wheels, tyres and wheel wells cleaned separately with dedicated tools — brake dust is the most corrosive thing on the car.
• Chemical decontamination to dissolve bonded iron particles and tar that washing leaves behind.
• Clay treatment to physically lift what remains. Paint that felt rough will feel like glass afterwards.
• Machine polish to remove swirl marks and light oxidation rather than fill them. This is where gloss comes from.
• Protection — a wax or sealant, or a ceramic coating as an upgrade.
• Glass, trim and exhaust tips finished individually.

Interior

• Full vacuum including under seats, seat rails and the boot.
• Hot water extraction or steam on carpets and cloth upholstery — this is what actually removes staining rather than moving it.
• Leather cleaned and conditioned so it stays supple instead of cracking at the bolsters.
• Hard surfaces cleaned and dressed to a matte finish. Glossy dashboards cause windscreen glare.
• Vents, cupholders, door pockets and seat belts — the touch points that never get cleaned.
• Interior glass done last, after everything that could fog it.
• Floor mats removed, cleaned and dried separately.

What is usually an add-on

Most detailers price these separately because they add real time: engine bay cleaning, headlight restoration, odour treatment, pet hair removal, heavy stain treatment, and ceramic coating or paint correction.

Pet hair in particular is worth asking about — it is the most common surprise line item, because removing it properly is slow manual work that no vacuum fully handles.

How it differs from a car wash

A wash cleans the surface. A detail decontaminates, corrects and protects it, and does the same inside. A wash takes fifteen minutes; a detail takes three to five hours. The gap is not effort for its own sake — it is the difference between removing what is on the paint and removing what has bonded into it.

What to ask before booking

Three questions separate a genuine full detail from a wash sold as one:

• Is the interior extracted or shampooed, or vacuumed and wiped?
• Is the paint decontaminated and clayed, or only washed?
• How long will it take? Under two hours means corners are being cut.

For what this costs, see our car detailing cost guide or pricing. Our own full interior and exterior detail starts at $249 for a sedan and is performed at your home or office.