Interior vs Exterior Detailing: What's Included in Each?
Exterior Detailing: What's Typically Included
A basic exterior detail includes: hand wash (two-bucket method or foam pre-soak), wheel and tire cleaning (wheels scrubbed with brushes and wheel cleaner, tire dressing applied), door jamb cleaning, exterior glass cleaning, and a paint protection application (wax, sealant, or spray coating).
A full exterior detail adds: iron decontamination spray, clay bar treatment, machine polish (single or two-stage depending on paint condition), headlight restoration if needed, trim restoration, and exhaust tip polishing. This is the service you want before applying ceramic coating or when the paint has visible defects.
Interior Detailing: What's Typically Included
A basic interior detail includes: thorough vacuum of all surfaces (seats, carpets, mats, trunk), dashboard and trim wipe-down, window cleaning inside, and door panel cleaning.
A full interior detail adds: steam cleaning of hard-to-reach areas and vents, carpet and upholstery shampooing (extraction cleaning for embedded stains), leather cleaning and conditioning, odour treatment, fabric/leather protection spray application, and detailing of smaller areas (cup holders, centre console, seat rails). A full interior on a heavily soiled vehicle can take 4–6 hours alone.
Full Detail: Both Together
A full detail combines comprehensive interior and exterior work into one appointment. On a mid-size vehicle in good condition, this typically takes 5–8 hours. On a heavily neglected vehicle requiring significant interior work and paint correction, a full day or even two days is not unusual for a premium detail.
Ask your detailer specifically what's included in each package when getting quotes. Terms like "full detail" vary between shops — some include machine polish, some do not. Clarify whether machine polishing, clay bar, and steam cleaning are included or add-ons.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Basic exterior: hand wash, wheels, glass, wax. Full exterior adds clay, machine polish, and correction
- ✓Basic interior: vacuum, wipe-down, glass. Full interior adds shampoo, steam, leather conditioning, odour treatment
- ✓Ask specifically what's included — "full detail" definitions vary between shops
- ✓Paint correction (machine polish) is often an add-on, not standard in base packages
- ✓A full detail on a larger vehicle or one with significant correction needs can take a full day