Car detailing services: What’s included in each package

If you’re comparing packages, start with the dirt you actually have. Express works for a lightly dirty commuter. Exterior is for salt and road film. Interior is for spills, slush, crumbs, and fabric grime. Full detail is for the whole vehicle. Our posted starting prices for standard vehicles are $75, $89, $149, and $249.

What detailing usually includes

Most people don’t want to pay full-detail money for a wash-level result. Fair enough. They also don’t want to book the cheapest option and still leave with salt on the doors, stains in the seats, and crumbs living under the seats rent free.

We split detailing into four practical levels:

• Express detail: a general reset for a standard vehicle that is lightly dirty
• Exterior detail: focused on paint, glass, trim, and the outside finish
• Interior detail: focused on seats, mats, carpets, vents, trim, and interior surfaces
• Full detail: combines interior and exterior work in one visit

That structure matters because a basic wash and a detail are different jobs. A wash removes loose surface dirt. A detail takes more time, gets into tight areas, and uses tools that clean fabric, seams, floor mats, and the grime that builds up on lower panels.

All of this is done at the shop. If you’re comparing car wash detailing to a booked detail, the real choice is between a quick clean and a deeper one.

What express detailing covers

Express detailing starts from $75 for a standard vehicle. It’s the sensible choice when the car needs a reset, not rescue work.

For that starting price, express detail includes:

• hand wash
• wheels, tires, and wheel wells cleaned
• mats washed
• vacuuming
• interior wipe-down

On a standard vehicle in normal condition, express detail takes about 40 minutes.

This package fits cars with light dust, everyday crumbs, and the usual layer of commuter grime. Think of the car that gets used all week, parked all weekend, and suddenly looks tired on Monday.

An express job is usually the right starting point when you’re dealing with:

• light dust on dash and trim
• crumbs or small debris on seats and floors
• light road film outside
• floor mats that need a clean-up, not deep extraction

It’s usually too light for heavy pet hair, slush stains, sticky spills, or dirt worked deep into carpet and fabric. When the mess is packed in, you’ll save time by moving up a package instead of hoping the cheapest one will stretch.

For large SUVs, pickups, or unusually heavy condition, we confirm any scope change before work continues.

What exterior detailing covers

Exterior detailing starts from $89 for a standard vehicle. This is where the gap between a wash and a detail gets obvious.

For that starting price, exterior detail includes:

• hand wash
• sticker or decal removal
• wax or sealant
• tires cleaned and dressed
• trim cleaned and finished
• glass cleaned

Exterior detail usually takes 1–2 hours on a standard vehicle.

Around Etobicoke, west Toronto, and north Mississauga, winter leaves a calling card. Salt and grey film build up behind the wheels, along the lower doors, and on the panels closest to the road. A quick wash often knocks the loose dirt off and leaves the stubborn part behind.

Hand washing helps because it gives more control on the dirtiest sections. Wax or sealant adds short-term protection and can make the paint easier to clean next time. Tires, trim, and glass matter too, because they’re the parts that make a car still look half-done when they’re skipped.

That finishing step has limits. It can improve the look and add some protection. It won’t repair chipped paint or remove scratches.

Exterior detail is usually the better fit when:

• the inside is fine, but the body looks rough
• winter salt is stuck to lower panels
• the tires and trim still look tired after a quick wash
• you want the outside cleaned up before a sale or lease return

What interior detailing covers

Interior detailing starts from $149 for a standard vehicle. If the real mess is inside the cabin, this is usually the first package to compare.

For that starting price, interior detail includes:

• full vacuum
• shampoo and hot-water extraction
• steam cleaning
• pet-hair extraction
• leather conditioning
• odour neutralization

Interior detail usually takes 2–4 hours on a standard vehicle.

A proper interior clean goes past a wipe-down. The difference comes from the tools and the extra time spent on fabric, vents, seams, mats, and all the spots that collect dirt because nobody can reach them with a gas-station towel.

Steam helps in the small areas a wipe-down misses, like vent slats, trim edges, and cupholder corners. Hot-water extraction goes deeper into fabric and carpet. It sprays cleaning solution into the material, agitates the area, and pulls the dirty water back out. That’s why it matters for coffee spills, slush on mats, and ground-in dirt from boots.

Interior detail makes more sense than express when you’re dealing with:

• coffee or juice spilled on fabric
• winter slush marks on mats
• dust packed into vents
• crumbs under seats
• dirt worked into carpet
• grime that keeps the cabin looking dull even after a vacuum

Cleaning helps a lot, but it has limits. Worn fabric stays worn. Torn upholstery stays torn. A stain that has permanently changed the material may fade without disappearing.

What full detailing adds

Full detailing starts from $249 for a standard vehicle. It combines interior and exterior work, so it makes sense when the whole vehicle needs attention.

At that starting price, full detail includes the interior and exterior work above, plus:

• engine-bay cleaning
• door jamb cleaning
• trunk cleaning

Full detail takes about half a day on a standard vehicle.

This is usually the practical choice for end-of-winter cleanup, resale prep, or the family vehicle that has taken a season’s worth of abuse inside and out. If the body has salt film and the cabin has stained mats, booking only one side of the job usually leaves you halfway there.

Full detail is commonly the right starting point for:

• seasonal cleanups after winter
• used vehicles you want cleaned properly after purchase
• family cars with exterior grime and interior buildup
• vehicles being cleaned up before sale
• drivers who want the inside and outside handled in one visit

Large SUVs, pickups, heavy stains, pet hair, packed-in sand, and salt buildup can all extend the job.

What detailing will not fix

Detailing has limits. It cleans the vehicle and can improve the look. It does not repair damage.

A detail may improve:

• light surface marks
• dull-looking paint caused by road film
• minor scuffs sitting on the surface
• stained areas that mainly need proper cleaning

A detail will not fix:

• scratches through the clear coat
• chipped paint
• dents
• rust
• torn upholstery
• cracked trim
• paint damage that needs correction or refinishing

If the scratch goes through the clear coat, cleaning will not repair it. That needs paint or body work, not a detailing package.

How to choose the right package

Pick the package by the mess, the same way you’d pick a shovel for snow. The small one works until it really doesn’t.

A few quick rules make the choice easier.

Choose express for light upkeep

Book express when the vehicle is used regularly but isn’t heavily soiled. It resets a standard car. It does not chase every stain or every patch of embedded dirt.

Choose exterior after winter

If the main problem is outside, spend the money there. Salt on lower panels, road film around the wheel arches, and tired trim are classic exterior-detail territory in Toronto-area winters.

Choose interior for cabin mess

Go straight to interior detail when the seats, carpets, mats, and vents are the reason you’re booking. If the problem is inside the car, an exterior-focused package won’t solve it.

Choose full when both sides are rough

Full detail is simpler when both the cabin and exterior need work. One booking. One drop-off. Less back and forth.

Also keep timing in mind. Express takes about 40 minutes. Exterior is usually 1–2 hours. Interior is usually 2–4 hours. Full detail is about half a day. Most detailing jobs are completed the same day, but larger vehicles or unusually heavy condition can change the time needed. Detailing should be booked ahead rather than treated like a guaranteed walk-in job.

FAQ

Is car detailing the same as a car wash?

No. A car wash usually removes loose surface dirt, while detailing goes deeper into the interior, lower body panels, fabric, seams, and finishing steps matched to the package.

How much do car detailing services cost?

For standard vehicles, the posted starting prices are $75 for express, $89 for exterior, $149 for interior, and $249 for full detail. Large SUVs, pickups, and unusually heavy overall condition can change the scope, and we confirm that before continuing.

Can interior car detailing remove stains?

It can remove or reduce many dirt-based and spill-based stains, especially when extraction is used on fabric and carpet. If the material is worn, torn, or permanently discoloured, cleaning may improve it without fully removing the mark.

How long does car detailing take?

Express detail is about 40 minutes, exterior detail is usually 1–2 hours, interior detail is usually 2–4 hours, and full detail is about half a day for a standard vehicle. Large SUVs, pickups, and unusually heavy dirt, salt, sand, stains, or pet hair can add time.

Book the right package

If you’re not sure which package fits, tell us what the vehicle actually looks like. Salt outside, stained seats, a lightly dusty commuter, or the whole thing. We’ll point you to the sensible option and confirm any change before work starts.

You can book a slot and drive in or drop off at Rexdale Auto Detailing, 2082 Kipling Ave Unit #1, Etobicoke, ON M9W 4J9. Call or text 416-856-4295 during shop hours, Monday to Friday 8:00–6:00, Saturday 8:00–3:00, and Sunday 12:00–3:00. Rickey answers the phone, and most detailing jobs are done the same day.