To prepare for a mobile detail: remove personal items and valuables from the cabin and trunk, take out child seats and cargo, clear a level parking space about one and a half car widths wide, and arrange gate or garage access along with a way for us to get into the vehicle. You don't need to wash the car, and you don't need to supply water or electricity.
Ten minutes of prep is usually the difference between a good detail and a great one. Every item left in the car is a surface we can't reach — and the time spent moving your things around is time not spent cleaning.
Before We Arrive
- Clear personal items. Empty the glove box, center console, door pockets, seat backs, and trunk of anything you'd rather not have handled or moved. Loose items slow the job down and are the main reason interiors don't get fully cleaned.
- Remove valuables. Cash, sunglasses, garage remotes, laptops, and anything sentimental should come inside. It's a simple precaution and it means nothing needs to be set aside mid-detail.
- Deal with child seats. If you want the seat and the area beneath it cleaned, take the car seat out beforehand — we don't reinstall child restraints, since that's a safety item that should be fitted by you.
- Take out gear and cargo. Strollers, sports bags, tool boxes, dog crates, and roof-rack gear. If the cargo area is packed, that part of the interior can't be detailed.
- Note trouble spots. Coffee spill under the passenger mat, a smell you can't place, sap on the roof, a scuff you want looked at — tell us before we start.
Parking and Access
- Reserve a parking spot. About one and a half car widths on reasonably level ground so doors open fully. A driveway is ideal; a shaded spot is better still in an Austin summer.
- Sort out access in advance. Gate codes, apartment visitor parking, garage clearance, or a call to the front desk. For gated communities, adding us to the guest list ahead of time saves everyone a phone call at the gate.
- Make sure we can get into the car. We need to get in the cabin and, for some vehicles, move the seats. We confirm how we'll access the vehicle with you when you book.
- Don't worry about water or power. We bring our own. You don't need to leave a hose out or run an extension cord.
Apartment and condo appointments work fine — we handle plenty of them in downtown Austin garages and Mueller alley spaces. The only requirement is that the spot is legal for us to work in and the property allows it.
What You Don't Need to Do
Don't pre-wash the car, don't vacuum it, and don't try to scrub a stain out the night before — pre-treating with a household cleaner can set some stains and make them harder to remove. Leave it as it is. Also don't worry about a dusty exterior; the exterior wash is part of the full detail.
Timing Your Appointment in Austin
Summer here changes the ideal schedule. Morning slots are more comfortable and better for results than working on panels that have been baking since noon, so if the car parks in full sun, an earlier appointment or a shaded spot is worth arranging. If you're in a heavy pollen pocket during cedar season, booking after the worst of a windy stretch will keep the finish looking clean longer.
How Long It Takes
Plan for roughly 3 hours for an interior detail and about 4 hours for a full detail, depending on vehicle size and condition. You're free to leave during that time; we'll text you when the vehicle is finished.
After the Detail
- Walk the vehicle with us before we leave if you're there — it's much easier to touch something up on the spot.
- Give interior surfaces a little time to dry fully, especially after carpet extraction or shampoo. Cracking the windows for a while helps.
- If a coating or wax was applied, follow the cure guidance we give you before the first wash or rain exposure.
- Put child seats back in yourself and check they're properly secured.
Ready to get on the schedule? Book a mobile detail or check current pricing.