Interior and exterior car detailing: what is included and how long

Interior and exterior car detailing cleans the whole car in one visit: the paint, wheels, tyres and glass outside, plus the carpets, seats, trim and surfaces inside. At Preema it takes between two and six hours depending on the package you choose, and prices start at $245.

The four tiers differ mostly in time, which translates into how many extra steps and how much hands-on attention the car gets. A lightly used car may only need the first tier, while a neglected family wagon will benefit from the longer packages. Our Geelong interior and exterior page lists the exact inclusions for each.

What interior and exterior car detailing covers

A combined detail is two jobs done properly, back to back, by the same team. Doing both at once also means dirt is not carried from the outside back in while the cabin is being cleaned.

The order matters too. Door jambs, sills and the outside of the glass are linked to both halves of the job, and a team doing everything in one visit can plan the work so nothing gets missed or dirtied twice.

On the outside

• A snow foam pre-wash to lift loose grit before the paint is touched
• A careful hand wash of the body, door jambs and fuel cap area
• Wheels, tyres and arches cleaned with dedicated tools
• Iron decontamination on higher tiers to dissolve embedded brake dust and fallout
• Glass cleaned inside and out for clear, streak-free visibility, which makes a real difference driving into low winter sun

On the inside

• A thorough vacuum of carpets, seats, mats, rails and the boot
• Steam cleaning of vents, cup holders, seams and textured trim
• Leather cleaned and cared for, and plastics wiped down without a greasy finish
• Stain treatment on fabric seats and carpet
• Door cards, pockets and consoles cleaned out and wiped

How long each package takes

Here are our four combined packages, with approximate times and starting prices:

• Sapphire: two to three hours, from $245
• Emerald: three to four hours, from $325
• Diamond: four to five hours, from $395
• Signature: five to six hours, from $495

These times are for a typical car in average condition. A large SUV, a seven-seater or a car with heavy pet hair can take longer, and we will tell you before we start if that applies.

You do not need to be around for the whole booking. Many customers hand over the keys in the morning and come back to a finished car at lunchtime or after work. If you need the car by a set time, mention it when you book so we can plan around it.

How the tiers differ

Think of the tiers as a scale of depth rather than a list of separate products. Sapphire is a solid refresh for a car that is looked after regularly, and a good choice between deeper details. It cleans everything that needs cleaning, inside and out, without the extended time spent on stubborn problems.

Emerald and Diamond add more time for the jobs that make a visible difference, such as decontamination of the paint, deeper attention to stained fabric and more detailed work on trim, vents and seams. Signature gives the longest booking, suited to a car that has not been detailed in a long time or an owner who wants every corner attended to.

None of the tiers involves cutting corners. A shorter booking simply suits a car that needs less work, and the same products and care are used across all four.

The tier you need depends on the car's condition more than its value. A well-kept luxury car may only need Sapphire, while an older hatchback that has done years of school runs may need Diamond or Signature to reach the same standard.

The longer tiers also leave more room for the jobs that usually get squeezed on a short booking, such as working stubborn grime out of air vent slats, cleaning the stitching on leather seats properly or taking extra time over the wheels. That is often where the difference between a clean car and a properly detailed one shows.

What affects the time on the day

Even within a package, a few things can stretch or shorten the job:

• Vehicle size, especially third-row seating and large boots
• Pet hair woven into carpet and fabric
• Sand from beach trips on the Bellarine and the Surf Coast, which hides deep in seat rails
• Child seats that need removing and cleaning around
• Spilled drinks or food that have soaked into the seats
• Heavy tar or road film on the lower panels after winter

Sending a few photos when you ask for a quote helps us recommend the right tier and give a fair price. Clear shots of the seats, carpet, wheels and any marked panels tell us far more than a description. Prices are always "from" and are confirmed before work starts.

Choosing the right tier for your car

A quick guide to where most cars land:

• Regularly maintained, garaged or low-mileage: Sapphire
• Daily driver, detailed once or twice a year: Emerald
• Family car with kids, sport gear or a dog: Diamond
• First detail in years, or preparing for something special: Signature

If you are not sure, start with the tier that matches how the car is used rather than how it looks from the driveway. Cars often look tidier from outside than they turn out to be once the seats are moved and the boot is emptied.

If you are selling, our pre-sale detailing packages cover similar work and include 40+ professional photos for your listing.

Combined or separate visits

Sometimes only one half of the car needs attention. Exterior packages start at $145 and interior packages at $195, so booking one side makes sense when the other is in good shape.

When both sides need work, a combined package is usually the better choice. As a rough guide, booking an Interior Emerald and an Exterior Emerald separately adds up to $440, while combined packages run from $245 to $495. You also only need to set aside one block of time, and the car comes back finished inside and out on the same day. If the interior is the main concern, our article on car interior detailing explains what a professional cabin clean involves.

Getting ready for your appointment

A little preparation helps the day run smoothly. Remove valuables, loose papers and anything you do not want moved. Take out child seats if you are comfortable doing so, or let us know they are there. Empty the boot of shopping bags, sports gear and anything else that would need to be moved to clean underneath. Tell us about access, height limits or parking when you book.

We come to your home or workplace, so you can carry on with your day while we work. If you are wondering how often to repeat a full detail, our guide on how often to book car detailing in Geelong suggests a realistic schedule.

Book a full detail

Tell us about your car and pick a time that suits. We will recommend a tier, confirm the price before starting, and do the work at your place anywhere across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast. Ask for a free quote and we will come to you.