How Long Does It Take to Detail a Car?

Car detailing is a meticulous process that helps restore a vehicle to its original condition or as close as possible. Unlike a simple car wash that provides a quick clean of a vehicle’s exterior, professional car detailing involves in-depth cleaning, polishing, and protection designed to enhance and preserve the interior and exterior appearance of a vehicle.

The comprehensive nature of car detailing means the time it takes to detail a car can vary on numerous factors, including the size and condition of the vehicle being detailed, the detailing service you choose, and whether you opt for a DIY or professional car detailing service.

Learn how long it takes to detail a car and what factors can affect the time and cost. We also share some tips to help reduce the time it takes.

Estimated Timings for Different Car Detailing Services

The type of detailing you choose affects the length of time. A quick interior detail may take a couple of hours, while a full detail, including the exterior, can take twice as long. Additional services like ceramic coating or paint correction add more time.

• Full car detail

  A full detail, which includes comprehensive interior and exterior detailing, will typically take between three to four hours. This service involves a thorough cleaning to enhance every aspect of your vehicle and ensure it looks pristine.

• Ceramic coating

  Ceramic coating is a durable, hydrophobic, and scratch-resistant barrier that can protect a car’s paintwork from environmental contaminants, UV rays, and minor abrasions. The application process for ceramic coating varies depending on the level of correction needed and the desired duration of protection.

  For example, applying light correction and a three-year coating typically takes between five to six hours. Heavy correction and a 10-year coating will take significantly longer, generally around two to three days.

• Paint correction

  The time it takes for paint protection services depends on the extent of paint imperfections and the desired level of restoration you wish to achieve.

  Generally, minor paint corrections can be completed in around eight hours, while major corrections can take more than 8+ hours.

• Additional car detailing services

  Additional car detailing services like headlight restoration and interior car cleaning options can impact the overall time it takes to detail your vehicle.

Factors That Affect the Time It Takes to Detail a Car

Multiple factors can affect the exact time it will take to detail a car, including:

The condition of the car – A heavily soiled or neglected car requires more time and effort to detail and restore to pristine condition.

Professional car detailing services – Although it’s possible to detail your car yourself, it will likely take you longer than a professional car detailing service. That’s because experienced car detailers have the expert knowledge and equipment to efficiently and effectively restore your vehicle to showroom condition.

How well you care for your vehicle – If you neglect routine maintenance and cleaning of your vehicle, it will take longer to detail.

The number/type of passengers – More passengers generally mean more mess, increasing the time needed for detailing. Children and pets also typically create more interior mess than adults.

The condition of wheels and tyres – Heavily soiled wheels and tyres will require additional time and attention to get fully clean.

How Does the Time it Takes to Detail a Car Affect the Cost?

Generally, the longer it takes to detail your car, the more it will cost, as you are paying for an expert’s time to lovingly restore your vehicle to its original pristine condition.

However, the total cost of car detailing can also vary depending on :

• The types of car detailing service you choose – opting for a full detailing service is more expensive than an interior or exterior detail.
• The size of your vehicle – larger vehicles cost more to detail due to the increased surface area and additional time required.
• Condition of the vehicle – cars in poor condition that are not regularly washed or cleaned will require more intensive cleaning and restoration so will cost more.

What Are the Stages of Car Detailing?

A thorough exterior wash and full interior clean are the foundations of any successful car detailing service.

Routine wash

The first step in any car detailing service should be a routine wash of your vehicle. Typically, this will consist of three steps :

1. 1. Pre-wash: A pre-wash cleaner is applied to the exterior of the vehicle to help loosen dirt or grime.
   2. Main wash: The car’s exterior is thoroughly cleaned using warm water and car wash soap with wash mitts or a microfibre cloth. Particular attention is paid to all the nooks and crannies where grime can build up. Wheels and tyres are cleaned using separate cloths or mitts to avoid spreading dirt or grime that could scratch the car’s paintwork.
   3. Final rinse: A thorough rinse ensures that any car soap residue and grime are removed before the car is dried using microfibre towels to eliminate watermarks and achieve a streak-free finish.

Many professional car services may offer additional treatments to ensure a spotless exterior finish. These can include clay bar treatments to remove surface contaminants, like tar and bugs, scratch and swirl mark reduction to revitalise paint colour and shine, and protective wax finishes.

Interior cleaning process

The interior cleaning process is just as important as the exterior and will generally follow the steps below :

1. 1. Remove any clutter and dispose of any rubbish
   2. Vacuum the interior to remove dirt and dust
   3. Remove and clean carpet floor mats using a specific carpet cleaning product
   4. Clean windows
   5. Wipe down all interior surfaces

As with exterior detailing, many professional detailing providers also offer a range of premium treatments, such as leather seat cleaning and conditioning.

Car Detailing Time Saving Tips

If you want to make the most of professional car detailing services and ensure you get a more efficient experience, follow our tips :

• Declutter your vehicle – Before you take your car to the detailers, make sure you tidy it, remove any unnecessary items, and dispose of any rubbish. This will save an expert detailer time and allow them to spend more time refining your vehicle’s finish.
• Use rubber floor mats – Rubber floor mats can help safeguard your car’s interior from dirt, debris and spills.
• Use car seat covers – Protective seat covers can help prevent stains or dirt from building up on your seats and make it easier to remove pet hair.
• Add exterior protection – Using car wax after washing your car or having professional paint protection or ceramic coating applied to your vehicle can add a layer of protection against contaminants and reduce the adherence of dirt, which can help keep your car looking at its best for longer and mean future car detailing takes less time.
• Avoid parking under trees – During sap season, it’s important to avoid parking under or near sap trees, which can leave stubborn, sticky stains on your car.
• Avoid eating, drinking, and smoking in your car. This will help reduce the chance of spills, crumbs, and unpleasant odours building up in your vehicle.

Have Your Car Professionally Detailed

DIY professional detailing is possible, but it requires considerable time and effort to achieve the same spotless finish you would get from professional car detailers like Star Car Wash.

Since 2003, we have provided customers with a comprehensive range of car detailing services, from interior and full detailing to paint protection services.

As Australia’s leading 100% hand car wash and detailing provider, you can be confident that our expert team will restore your vehicle to like-new condition. Plus, with locations in all major shopping centres across Australia, you can use the time it takes to detail your car to go shopping, meet friends or even watch a movie.

Book online today or visit your nearest Star Car Wash branch.

Contact Us

Contact any participating Star Car Wash today and experience the difference a professional detailing makes.