How much does it cost to clean a car?

How do you know if your car is ready for a wash? Well, if someone has written “clean me” into your dusty windshield, that’s a bit of a clue. Likewise, if your friends describe your car as brown when it’s supposed to be white, there’s a good chance your pride and joy is overdue for some TLC.

And once you’ve got it clean, you’re going to keep it clean, right? Washing once a fortnight seems to be the consensus for best practice.

But what’s that going to cost? And how much should you anticipate it costing if you want to spruce up the inside, too? Here, we break down the cost of cleaning your car.

Cost: From $15 for first wash. Free for many washes after that.

If you want to save money and get a workout, try washing your car yourself. Simple products designed for car washing at home won’t cost you much at all.

Head to your local auto store and you should be able to grab a bucket, a sponge or microfibre cloth, and some car wash for about $15. Assuming you’ve already got a hose, this will cover you for not just one, but numerous washes. (Though be prepared for the $10-a-pop surcharge you’ll end up paying the kids for those weekends when you’d rather not do it yourself.)

Cost: From $50 for your first clean.

Want to go a bit further down the DIY road? Up for a spot of interior and exterior detailing? Again, all the products you’ll need are available at your local auto store, either individually or in kits. Expect to pay $50-$100 for a basic kit containing a bucket, cloths, some car wash, and cleaning products for your interior, windscreen and tyres.

If you’re really serious, you can pay up to $1000 – yes, $1000 – for an ultra-kit of high-end goodies that will wash every square inch of your vehicle.

Cost: $15-$800

While the DIY option is probably the most satisfying way to wash your car, a close second is surely paying someone else to hand-wash your car while you sip on a latte and play Words with Friends while pretending to work. A basic hand car wash can be as little as $15 (plus extra for larger cars, and for cars that are a long time between cleans).

But that’s only the beginning. Hand-wash cafes tend to offer lots of different cleaning packages – for example, you might pay $60-$100 for a deep wash plus an interior vacuum and wipe, or $250-$400 for a thorough interior and exterior wash, detail and polish. Add other cleaning options, such as an engine degrease, headlight restoration, and a cut and polish to get rid of scratches in your paintwork, and the cost can go even higher.

Cost: $40-$1500

Not a lover of car wash cafes? Ask the hand-wash and detailing experts to come to you. You’ll pay a bit extra but you won’t even have to change out of your PJs.

Cost: From less than $1 a minute.

Located somewhere in the middle cost-wise between DIY with a bucket and paying someone else to clean your car is the drive-in DIY car wash. You wash your car yourself, but you use someone else’s gear, such as a high-pressure hose, foaming brush, vacuum cleaner, and waxing and drying equipment.

In some you pay by the minute, while in others you pay a set price for a set amount of time (for example $12 for 15 minutes). The total cost, of course, depends on how thorough you want to be and how quick you are. You can expect this type of car wash to take between 20-30 minutes.

Cost: from $10

The most fun car wash experience is, of course, the drive-through auto car wash, in which giant brushes (or touch-free spray booms) descend on you from all angles, and the kids’ screams alert you to the fact that you forgot to close the rear windows.

Costs start at about $10

 for a basic wash. Look out for multi-wash deals and discounts on car washing when you buy your fuel.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}