How long does it take to detail a car?

The time required to detail a car can vary depending on several factors, including the size and condition of the vehicle, the level of detail you desire, and the expertise and efficiency of the person performing the detailing. Generally, a basic car detailing that includes a thorough cleaning of the interior and exterior can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.

Most Important Factors

#1 Service you select

The service you select will be the most important factor when trying to find out how long a detail will take. The service you select should be based on your budget, expectations, and condition of the vehicle. Below I list the approximate times each service takes.

A basic vacuum and wipe down with compressed air to blow out the crevices should take about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete on a sedan and midsize vehicle.

However, if you opt for a more comprehensive detailing service, such as a deep interior cleaning, engine bay cleaning, paint correction, or ceramic coating application, the time needed can increase significantly. These extensive detailing processes may take anywhere from 4 to 10 hours or even longer, depending on the size and condition of the vehicle.

Approximate times based on the service:

• Vacuum/wipe down = 1 to 1.5 hours

• Engine Bay Detail = 30 minutes

• Exterior hand wash with wheel cleaning/tire shine = 30 minutes to 1.25 hours

• Exterior hand wash with touchless wheel cleaning = 20 to 40 minutes

• Exterior wash and wax = 1 to 2 hours

• Exterior wash and wax with basic interior cleaning = 2 to 3 hours

• Maintenance Detail (cleaning + coating of interior/exterior) = 2.5 to 3.5 hours

• Exterior detail (clay, polish, and wax) = 2 to 3 hours

• Interior detail (cleaning + shampoo/steam) = 2 to 3 hours

• Level 1 Paint Correction (1 step compound with 8 pass throughs per panel) = 4 to 6 hours

• Level 2 Paint Correction (2 step compound/polish with 16-24 pass throughs per panel) = 6 to 12 hours

• Ceramic Coating with Paint Correction 8 to 16 hours

#2 Size of the Vehicle

The size of the vehicle is the second most important factor. Essentially it changes how much square footage the detailer is cleaning or polishing. Because it is detailed work, every bit of extra square footage can significantly increase the time to detail the vehicle.

Here is the approximate ratio scale of how long each vehicle takes for each service depending on the size relative to detailing a sedan for 1 unit = 1 hour of labor.

1:1.25 sedan to mid size vehicle (2 rows)

1:1.5 sedan to full size vehicle (3 rows)

1:1.75 sedan to minivan

Essentially what this means is that if a service for a sedan takes 2 hours it will take 2.5 hours for a mid size truck or SUV.

Another way to look at it is if it takes 2 hours to complete an interior detail for a sedan, it will take 3.5 hours for a minivan. This is because a minivan has 75% more surface area to clean inside compared to a sedan.

#3 Expertise and efficiency of the detailer

A well experienced detailer with the right tools can be up to 50% faster than a beginner with the right tools. It’s all in the procedures taken to complete a task. Often when I’m detailing now with over 6 years experience, I will use both my hands at the same time to be either focusing on getting pet hair out twice as fast with compressed air and a vacuum at the same time or a vacuum and pet hair removal tool. If I’m washing, I’m using 2 mitts, one in each hand. And when doing work, I keep bottles hanging off my back pocket and towels stuffed in for easy access. All of these factors help optimize completion time. One of the best tips for cleaning wheels more easily is to know and utilize chemistry. I will spray pH level 1 or 2 acid on clear coated wheels (I wrote a whole guide on what type wheels you can use acid on here) and then immediately follow it up with a 13 pH level degreaser that neutralizes the acid. This now allows all the heavy brake dust to be power washed off quickly and safely. It actually in many cases is less harmful to wheels to use this method rather than scratching the wheels with abrasive brushes.

It's important to note that these time estimates are approximate and can vary based on the factors mentioned earlier. Additionally, professional detailers may work in teams or use specialized equipment and techniques to expedite the process while maintaining high-quality results.