to tell you I had my car cleaned ...

ahoofanoofamoosethatslose · 2025-03-19T13:58:16+00:00

inside and out and it's an absolute dream ! cost me £30. I would NEVER get it cleaned inside as I can do it myself and see it as a wasted of money. But I treated myself after a rough few weeks. It feels like a brand new car, the inside smells like a brand new car. I had it cleaned while I shop, my car was the only one there so there was no rushing. I usually get the outside cleaned at the drive through hand wash, they are rushed to get the cars cleaned and work through the queue as quick as they can. This is my new little luxury. No more dragging the hoover out onto the driveway for me.

redfairy · 17/01/2026 06:39

I've only ever once had my car valeted and you're quite right- it feels very special. Nowadays I just give it a quick wash over and the interior is rarely touched but then I don't use my car very often as I work from home. I suppose it's a bit like paying to get your oven cleaned - that also feels like luxury and so very worth it. I do wish I was a little better off so I could outsource the nasty jobs

BooseysMom · 17/01/2026 06:25

ahoofanoofamoosethatslose · 19/03/2025 14:27

@TheBunnyLover £30 was an offer. It was a mini valet with added Full Interior Vacuum, All Vinyl and Leather Cleaned, Windows Cleaned (inside & out), Tyre Dressing, and Air Freshener. I am in the south. I have an mpv/4x4 size car.

Edited

I have to have this!! I'm sick of having a minging stinky car! It's old too but that is my choice to have an old car as I dream of it being a classic Golf Mk 2! But what I hate is all the crumbs and crap that DS & DH have dropped down the sides of the seats and the stained rear seats. I would love it to be completely valeted inside.

kiwiblue · 06/01/2026 15:07

Bjorkdidit · 06/01/2026 06:53

Can they even pick up all the crumbs and bits of crisps that have accumulated over the years? Asking for a friend.

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Haha! Yes they can! Someone else said the vaccums are more powerful, so now I can feel less like I'm just weak! The first time I took my car they said it was really dirty and charged me slightly more (they were nice about it), but they got it really clean!

brightnails · 06/01/2026 07:24

costs £150 here. tried to clean the seats recently but my carpet cleaning machine shut down 😶

Maryberrysbouffant · 06/01/2026 07:23

The vacuums they use are way more powerful than home ones, I think it’s definitely worth having done occasionally.

mumof5five · 06/01/2026 07:21

It is a good way to support small businesses.

TheChosenTwo · 06/01/2026 07:12

Dh is fastidious about cars, he takes all of ours once a month to get them cleaned. Not something I would bother paying for myself but I do feel like a queen driving round in shiny car that smells good so I consider it a good spend of HIS money 😂

SayingThisWithLove · 06/01/2026 07:07

taxguru · 19/03/2025 16:13

A big issue with some of the cheap (modern slavery) hand car washes is that they use an acidic finish which eats away at the metals, especially alloy wheels. For our last new car, we took it to a particular hand car wash every 3/4 weeks - always looked good. But after a couple of years, the alloy coating on the wheels started to peel and after 3 or 4 years it was a patchwork. We took it to a couple of alloy restorers to get quotes for refurbishment and they both said the same that they see it a lot with people who use the hand car washes - it's the common factor. After they said that, it reminded me that they always sprayed something over the bottom half of the sides inc wheels at the end after they'd rinsed off all the suds etc.

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Yep, my alloys are a mess now 😔.

Bjorkdidit · 06/01/2026 06:53

kiwiblue · 19/03/2025 14:38

I totally hear you OP, I get mine done too. DH doesn't agree with spending money on it but he won't do it without me nagging him and I find it too knackering/hard to find the time to do it. I find the professionals can clean the inside so much better than I can, they're stronger I guess so can vacuum it much more thoroughly and get all those tiny bits that stick in the floor carpet off! I like the point of a PP that it's like getting your house cleaned.

Edited

Can they even pick up all the crumbs and bits of crisps that have accumulated over the years? Asking for a friend.

samuellive · 06/01/2026 06:22

If you're talking about car valeting and detailing services, you can't find a better better person than john, who owns Ecoverde car valeting and detailing services.

selfcentred · 05/01/2026 10:09

I take mind to a hand carwash place about 4/5 times a year and pay £25 in and out. It really does feel so nice.

Shade17 · 05/01/2026 09:21

That is VERY cheap!

Mizztikle · 19/03/2025 16:15

I usually get mine done inside out however, last month I decided to try and go to a drive through carwash as id never used one before and vacuum myself. I was thoroughly disappointed it just wasn't the same, although I saved £10 it just want worth it. going back to my full valet with my sparkly paintwork and new car smell.

taxguru · 19/03/2025 16:13

Fountofwisdom · 19/03/2025 16:02

I treated myself to a new car last year and kept hearing horror stories about all the local car washes scratching paintwork or ripping people off. Didn’t want to risk it on a new car. So I use a mobile service who comes to me and does the whole works inside & out while I’m working indoors. He was charging £40 (outer London) but has just put it up to £50, which is a bit steep, but honestly, for the convenience and getting a pristine car with zero effort, I’ll keep doing it.

Edited

A big issue with some of the cheap (modern slavery) hand car washes is that they use an acidic finish which eats away at the metals, especially alloy wheels. For our last new car, we took it to a particular hand car wash every 3/4 weeks - always looked good. But after a couple of years, the alloy coating on the wheels started to peel and after 3 or 4 years it was a patchwork. We took it to a couple of alloy restorers to get quotes for refurbishment and they both said the same that they see it a lot with people who use the hand car washes - it's the common factor. After they said that, it reminded me that they always sprayed something over the bottom half of the sides inc wheels at the end after they'd rinsed off all the suds etc.

outerspacepotato · 19/03/2025 16:11

That sounds fantastic.

Enjoy the fresh new smell and lovely clean seats and just the whole experience.

unclejoesmintballz · 19/03/2025 16:08

Oh.. Do they lift up the front seats to rescue pound coins/sweets in wrappers/elastic bands/scrunchies/reading glasses? 😬

Poppins2016 · 19/03/2025 16:08

ahoofanoofamoosethatslose · 19/03/2025 14:27

@TheBunnyLover £30 was an offer. It was a mini valet with added Full Interior Vacuum, All Vinyl and Leather Cleaned, Windows Cleaned (inside & out), Tyre Dressing, and Air Freshener. I am in the south. I have an mpv/4x4 size car.

Edited

Wow. If it's not outing, where did you go?! (I am also in the South and would like my car cleaned inside and out for that price!)

Katemax82 · 19/03/2025 16:03

My car really needs this!

Fountofwisdom · 19/03/2025 16:02

I treated myself to a new car last year and kept hearing horror stories about all the local car washes scratching paintwork or ripping people off. Didn’t want to risk it on a new car. So I use a mobile service who comes to me and does the whole works inside & out while I’m working indoors. He was charging £40 (outer London) but has just put it up to £50, which is a bit steep, but honestly, for the convenience and getting a pristine car with zero effort, I’ll keep doing it.

BooseysMom · 19/03/2025 15:47

zingally · 19/03/2025 15:21

I take mine to a drive-thu hand wash place. Costs me £13 plus a couple quid tip and they do a great job. I always drive off feeling really smug.
I probably get it done about 3 times a year. I keep meaning to take it, but it's the wrong side of town for me and would involve a special trip. I really need to get on it.

I took mine to a drive-thru hand car wash for the first time and I have never had a cleaner car. Worth every penny of the tenner spent.
I wouldn't go as far as getting the inside valeted though.

zingally · 19/03/2025 15:21

I take mine to a drive-thu hand wash place. Costs me £13 plus a couple quid tip and they do a great job. I always drive off feeling really smug.
I probably get it done about 3 times a year. I keep meaning to take it, but it's the wrong side of town for me and would involve a special trip. I really need to get on it.

Original poster

ahoofanoofamoosethatslose · 19/03/2025 14:46

I felt like royalty driving around in my shiny clean car !! This is a must now for me, probably every 6 weeks. At 50 years old I am not as agile to be on the floor hoovering every crevasse with all the different hoover nozzles.

My Dh couldn't care less about the car he has his own car and it is a shit hole. He would not be best pleased to learn how much I spent getting the car cleaned, yet its the same as he spends on a week night out in the pub.

OP posts:

HelpMeGetThrough · 19/03/2025 14:41

That reminds me. I must clean mine as the seagulls have shat all over it, again!!!

on the plus side, just had it serviced and paid nothing, so I’ll take that as a win.

Itsagreatdaytosavelives · 19/03/2025 14:40

did similar last year and it was amazing! time to book in again for the full works lol

kiwiblue · 19/03/2025 14:38

I totally hear you OP, I get mine done too. DH doesn't agree with spending money on it but he won't do it without me nagging him and I find it too knackering/hard to find the time to do it. I find the professionals can clean the inside so much better than I can, they're stronger I guess so can vacuum it much more thoroughly and get all those tiny bits that stick in the floor carpet off! I like the point of a PP that it's like getting your house cleaned.