Short answer
A mobile detail takes about 1.5 to 3 hours for an exterior, 2 to 4 for an interior, 3 to 5 for a full detail, and a full day for ceramic coating work. Heavy pet hair, stains, smoke odour or winter salt add time, as does a larger vehicle.
Typical times by package
These are the working ranges for Jay's Auto Detail. They assume a normally used vehicle with no extreme condition problems.
- Exterior Revival: 1.5 to 3 hours. Hand wash and dry, iron and tar decontamination, clay bar treatment, wheels, tires and trim dressing. Starts from $103
$129. - Interior Restoration: 2 to 4 hours. Deep vacuum and steam, carpet and seat shampoo extraction, leather clean and condition, glass, trim and console. Starts from $119
$149. - The Full Detail: 3 to 5 hours. The complete interior and exterior, sealant protection and a final walk-around. Starts from $176
$220. - Ceramic / Protection: a full-day service. Full paint decontamination, machine paint enhancement, ceramic coating and coated wheel faces. Starts from $399
$499.
The spread inside each range is not padding. It is the difference between a sedan with a tidy interior and a family SUV that has hosted a soccer season. If you are unsure which package matches your goal, interior vs exterior vs full detail walks through the choice.
What makes a detail run longer
Time in detailing is mostly set by condition, not by the vehicle badge. These are the usual culprits.
Pet hair
Woven carpet and cloth seats grab hair and hold it. Removing it properly takes agitation, a rubber tool and repeated passes, which is why it is a $40 add-on. See our pet hair removal page for how that works.
Stains and odours
Heavy stains (+$50) need pre-treatment, dwell time and sometimes a second extraction pass. Smoke or odour work (+$50) takes longer again, because the source is usually in the headliner, vents and foam, not the surface.
Winter salt
After a Halton winter, carpets carry crystallised salt that has to be dissolved and pulled out. A winter salt mess is a $40 add-on and adds real time to an interior.
Vehicle size and layout
SUVs (+$30), trucks (+$40), vans and minivans (+$50) and exotics (+$60) have more surface or more complicated trim. A three-row minivan with captain's chairs is simply more work than a coupe.
Paint condition
Rough, contaminated paint takes extra clay passes. Anything beyond a wash and protect, such as swirl reduction, adds hours. Our one-step paint enhancement is part of the ceramic prep for that reason.
What happens during a full detail, hour by hour
Seeing the sequence makes the time make sense. A typical full detail on a mid-size SUV runs roughly like this.
- First 30 minutes: inspection, then a heavy interior vacuum and wheel work. Wheels get cleaned first so brake dust does not splash onto clean panels.
- Next 60 to 90 minutes: interior steam, shampoo extraction on carpets and seats, leather cleaned and conditioned, glass and trim. Extracted fabric needs air and time to release moisture.
- Next 60 minutes: hand wash, rinse and dry, then iron and tar decontamination. The paint is chemically cleaned before anything touches it.
- Next 30 to 45 minutes: clay bar treatment panel by panel, then sealant applied to clean paint.
- Last 20 minutes: tire and trim dressing, final glass, and the walk-around with you.
None of those steps can be reordered without a worse result, which is why a good detail is not a quick job even when the car is not in bad shape. If clay bar treatment is new to you, our explainer on what clay actually does shows why that stage cannot be rushed.
Why the quick option is rarely the right one
People ask for a 45-minute detail. It exists, but it is a wash and a vacuum with a nicer name. Real decontamination, extraction and protection depend on contact time, not speed.
Steam needs to heat the surface. Shampoo needs dwell time before it is extracted. Clay needs a lubricated pass over every panel. A sealant needs to cure properly before it sees water. Compressing those steps means skipping them.
That said, we do not stretch jobs either. If your car is in good shape and the work finishes at the low end of the range, you get your time back. Every job still ends with the same panel-by-panel walk-around, and anything that is not right is fixed on the spot.
How to plan your day around a mobile detail
Mobile service means the car stays where you are, so a detail does not have to eat your schedule.
- Pick a spot with room. We bring water, power and lighting, but need space beside the car. A driveway, office lot or condo garage all work. If you live in a tower, read detailing in condo and underground parking.
- Book by hours, not by arrival. A full detail is a half-day block. Morning starts finish before dinner.
- Empty the car. Take out child seats, gym bags, loose change and anything personal. It saves time and avoids lost items. Our mobile detailing preparation guide has the full list.
- Keep the keys reachable. We are with the car the whole time, so you do not need to hover, but we do need access.
- Be around for the walk-around. It is 10 to 15 minutes at the end and the best moment to point out anything you care about.
Hours are Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 6 PM. A longer job should start early so it finishes comfortably inside that window.
Weather and timing in Ontario
Time of year changes the schedule more than people expect. Cold slows drying and curing. A cold, damp November day is a poor choice for coating work outdoors, while a warm June day can flash-dry soap and leave marks if the car is in direct sun.
If rain is forecast we reschedule free or move to a covered spot such as your garage. For ceramic work, a garage or covered area is the best option, since the coating should stay dry while it cures.
The simplest way to get an accurate time estimate for your own car is to ask. Fill in the 60-second form at our free quote page, add a few photos if you like, and you will usually get a tailored quote the same day with a realistic time window attached.