Detailing & Car Wash
Car detailing near you
Car detailing with hand wash, clay bar and wax or sealant outside and a deep vacuum and surface clean inside, for cars, SUVs, vans and trailers.
- Time at the shop
- 4 h
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- 3
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
3 shops in Canada do this
Detailing & Car Wash
What car detailing is
A detail is a wash taken as far as it will go. Outside, the vehicle is washed by hand, then treated with iron remover, tar remover and a clay bar to lift the bonded brake dust, grit and tar that a normal wash leaves behind, and finished with wax or a synthetic sealant so it sheds water and dirt. Inside, every surface is vacuumed, brushed, wiped and cleaned, from the seat rails to the vents and door jambs.
Drivers book one in spring to clear away winter road salt, in fall to put protection on before the next salt season, before selling a vehicle or returning a lease, or after a season of kids, pets and coffee. Machine polishing for swirl marks, and treatment of heavy stains, pet hair and odours, are normally add-ons or separate services. Plan on three to five hours for a car, and longer for a large or heavily soiled vehicle.
- For cars, EVs, vans, trucks, RVs and trailers
- Takes about 4 h
- Can be done at your address
What does car detailing cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
3 shops across Canada do car detailing.
What to expect
Car detailing, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Wheels scrubbed inside and out with dedicated brushes, then wheel wells and tires cleaned
- Hand wash and dry, with the door jambs, fuel door and trunk edges cleaned
- Iron and tar remover, then clay bar treatment to strip bonded grit from the paint
- Wax or synthetic sealant applied and buffed off, with trim and tires dressed
- Interior vacuumed under the seats, in the trunk and along the carpet edges
- Dash, console, door panels, vents and cup holders cleaned with brushes and detailing swabs
- Seats cleaned to suit the material: fabric spot-treated, leather cleaned and conditioned
- Floor mats cleaned and glass finished inside and out, then a walk-around under work lights
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Ask exactly what is included; seat shampooing, engine bay cleaning and headlight polishing are add-ons at many shops, and some skip the clay bar
- 02Flag heavy pet hair, smoke, mould, spills or a child seat when you book; each one adds time and can change the price
- 03Ask whether the paint gets wax or a sealant and roughly how long it lasts; wax fades in weeks to months
- 04Swirl marks and light scratches need machine polishing; ask if the shop offers it as a separate service
- 05Mobile visit: confirm the crew brings its own water and power, and check your condo’s rules on washing
- 06Trailer or camper: give the length, because it is priced by size, and ask if roof and awning cleaning are included
Signs
When you need it
- Salt film on the paint, wheels and door sills after a long Canadian winter
- A sale, trade-in or lease return coming up, when the vehicle needs to present well
- Crumbs, pet hair, sticky spills or stale smells building up in the interior
- Paint that feels rough after washing, or water that no longer beads on it
- Bird droppings, tree sap or bug splatter baked onto the finish
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get car detailing done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
Paint correction
Paint correction that machine-polishes swirl marks, light scratches, water spots and oxidation out of the clear coat, then seals the finish.
Ceramic coating
A liquid ceramic coating cured onto polished paint to form a hard, glossy, water-repelling layer that helps salt, sap and grime rinse off.
Headlight restoration
Headlight restoration that wet-sands, polishes and UV-seals yellowed, cloudy lenses, so the beam is clear again at night, in about an hour.
Engine bay cleaning
Engine bay cleaning that degreases, rinses and dresses the bay with electrical parts covered, so leaks show up and the hood opens on a clean engine.
Leather seat restoration
Cracked, faded and worn leather seats cleaned, repaired, colour-matched and sealed, so bolsters and seat faces look and feel supple again.
Questions
Questions about car detailing
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
How is a full detail different from a car wash?
A wash takes surface dirt off; a detail goes into every seam, cleans the interior and puts protection on the paint. A wash is over in under an hour. A detail is slow, hands-on work: decontaminating the paint, protecting it with wax or sealant, and cleaning the interior into the seams, vents and door jambs. Think of the wash as routine upkeep and the detail as the yearly overhaul that a wash cannot replace.
How long does a full detail take?
Three to five hours for a car, and five to eight for a large SUV, a van or a vehicle that needs heavy interior work. Shops that also polish or coat the paint may keep it a day or more. A mobile crew usually finishes in one visit, though wind, rain or freezing weather can move the outdoor part to another day.
Is a detail worth it before selling a car?
Usually, for a private sale. Buyers judge condition quickly, and a clean, fresh-smelling vehicle looks well cared for. A dealer’s trade-in appraisal leans more on mechanical condition and market value, so spend less there. A detail will not hide mechanical problems, so match the spend to the vehicle: on an older car, an interior clean and a hand wash with wax often do the job, and polishing is worth adding only if swirls are obvious.
Should I get a detail in spring or fall?
Both help, for different reasons: fall protects the paint ahead of the salt, and spring cleans up after it. A fall detail puts wax or a sealant on the paint so winter road film rinses off more easily, while a spring detail clears salt and grime from the paint, wheels and carpets. If you get only one, pick the season that matches your goal, and rinse the underbody during winter thaws either way.
Can a detailer come to my home or workplace?
Yes, many detailers are mobile and bring water, power and supplies. A shaded driveway or a garage with room to open every door works well. Underground condo garages often ban washing, and freezing temperatures rule out outdoor washing in winter, so a shop bay or an interior-only detail is the practical choice from December to March.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
Ready when you areTell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
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