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Interior car wash: inside and out
Short answer: automatic washes only clean the outside. For the inside you have three options: a full-service or hand car wash that vacuums and wipes the interior for you, the vacuum island at a self-serve or express wash where you do it yourself, or an interior detail when the car needs more than a vacuum.
Which car washes clean inside and out
The kind of wash decides whether anyone touches the inside of your car.
- Touchless and soft-touch automatics — exterior only. You stay in the car.
- Express tunnels — exterior only, but many offer a row of vacuums you can use after the wash.
- Full-service washes — the car goes through a tunnel and staff clean the inside before or after: vacuum, dash, windows.
- Hand car washes — usually offer "exterior only" and "inside and out" packages, plus detailing.
- Self-serve sites — most have vacuums, and some have mat cleaners or fragrance machines, all on a timer.
On our map, 452 car washes are listed as hand washes. Each listing shows which kinds of washing a site offers, so you can search near you and pick one that does the inside.
What an interior wash usually includes
Package names differ from wash to wash, but the basic interior service covers:
- vacuuming the floor, seats and trunk area,
- wiping the dashboard, console and door panels,
- cleaning the inside of the windows,
- vacuuming or washing the floor mats.
What it normally does not include: shampooing carpets and seats, removing stains or salt rings, leather conditioning, pet hair beyond what the vacuum catches, or cleaning the headliner. Those are detailing jobs — see interior car detailing for what that involves. If you are not sure, ask at the counter before you pay; the list of what is included is more useful than the package name.
Before you hand over the keys
- Take out valuables, documents you do not want moved, and loose change.
- Remove child seats if you want the seats vacuumed underneath — many washes will not take them out for you.
- Point out anything fragile or anything you do not want touched, such as a dashcam or a phone mount.
- Check the car before you drive off. It is easier to have something redone on the spot.
Doing the inside yourself after the wash
The fastest route for many drivers: an automatic or tunnel wash for the outside, then ten minutes at the vacuum island. It works well if you have a plan.
- Pull all mats out first and shake or beat them.
- Clear the seats and door pockets so the timer is not spent on sorting.
- Vacuum from the top down — seats, then the floor, then the trunk.
- Use the crevice tool along the seat rails and between the seats and the console.
- Put the mats back last, once the floor is done.
A few microfibre cloths and an interior cleaner in the trunk let you wipe the dash while the car dries. More tips in our guide to car wash vacuums.
In winter
Snow melt and road salt make the inside of a Canadian car dirtier in winter than the outside. Wet carpets do not vacuum well, so on slushy days concentrate on the mats: knock the salt off, rinse rubber mats at a self-serve bay and let them drip before they go back in. Save the thorough interior wash for a dry day, and plan a proper interior clean once the salt season is over.
Questions
Do automatic car washes clean the inside?
No. Touchless, soft-touch and tunnel washes only clean the outside. For the inside you need a full-service or hand car wash, the vacuums on site, or a detailer.
What is included in an inside-and-out car wash?
Usually an exterior wash plus a vacuum of the floor and seats, a wipe of the dash and console, and the inside of the windows. Mats are often vacuumed or washed. Shampooing and stain removal are normally extra or part of a detailing package.
Are the vacuums at a car wash free?
It depends on the wash. Self-serve sites usually run their vacuums on a coin or card timer. Many express tunnels let customers use their vacuums at no extra charge after a wash. The sign at the vacuum island tells you.
How long does an interior car wash take?
A basic vacuum and wipe at a full-service wash is much quicker than an interior detail. Waiting time depends mostly on how busy the wash is — weekends before and after a snowfall are the busiest.