Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For operators: rigs, chemicals, water, booking software and what supplies really cost per car.
What these cost
How we price| Service | Price range | Basis | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core consumables budget at 20 cars a month | $35 to $54typical, for wash and interior chemicals plus towel replacement at 20 cars a monthfull range $8 to $54 | per month | A Monthly Consumables Budget for Detailers: From Cost per Car to a Reorder Plan |
| Home pressure washer for car washing | $330 to $945typical, for an electric pressure washer for washing one car at homefull range $200 to $1,491 | per setup | A $945 Pressure Washer or a $330 One? Cost per Wash at Home |
| Startup gear, kit to full rig | $565typical, for a rinseless start, no water or power rigfull range $565 to $10,600 | one-time | How to Start a Mobile Detailing Business: Startup Costs |
Ranges are asking prices from providers' own pages, as quoted in each guide. Where a guide names a typical job, its typical range comes first and the full range under it.
All 13 guides
For Detailers
Acid Brighteners on Stainless Truck Bodies: Avoid Etching
How acid brighteners can etch bare stainless truck bodies, what labels and makers say about dwell time, and how to train a wash bay so it doesn't happen.
Trucks, Vans & Fleets
For Detailers
Booking Software for a One-Van Mobile Detailer
A solo mobile detailer needs four things from booking software: time slots, deposits, reminders and a clear day. What free and paid plans include.
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Detailing Product Cost per Car: Work Out Your Chemical Cost
Diluted wash soap and cleaners cost cents to a few dollars per car at makers' list prices. How to work out your product cost per detail, and where it goes.
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Do Detailing Chemicals Freeze? Garage and Van Storage
Most water-based detailing products freeze near 32°F, and makers' safety sheets say to avoid it. What labels say, and a winter setup for a garage or van.
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Mobile Detailing Rig: Trunk, Pickup, Van or Trailer?
Trunk, pickup, van or trailer for your detailing rig? Compare payload, water weight at 8.34 lb a gallon, security and parking rules before you buy.
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
A Monthly Consumables Budget for Detailers: From Cost per Car to a Reorder Plan
Core consumables budget at 20 cars a month$35 to $54per month · typical, wash and interior chemicals plus towel replacement at 20 cars a month
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Off-Road and Jeep Rental Fleets: Keeping Plastics, Seats and Mud Under Control
Running a Jeep or side-by-side rental fleet? A turnaround wash inside the maker's pressure limits, what red clay does to seats, and how to keep plastics black.
Trucks, Vans & Fleets
Costs
A $945 Pressure Washer or a $330 One? Cost per Wash at Home
Home pressure washer for car washing$330 to $945per setup · typical, an electric pressure washer for washing one car at home
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Quoting From Photos: The First-Reply Questions That End the Back-and-Forth
Price a detail from a text without ten messages: the first reply that collects vehicle, condition, photos and timing, plus which five photos to ask for and why.
Pricing & Marketing (operators)
Costs
Spot-Free Rinse at Home: RV Filter or Deionizer?
A cheap RV filter doesn't remove hard-water minerals. A deionizer does, at a cost per wash set by your TDS. A $25 meter test shows which you need, if any.
Equipment, Software & Supplies (operators)
For Detailers
Does a Wrapped Van or Trailer Bring Detailing Leads?
A wrap won't create demand, but it makes your rig easy to remember. See what lettering and wraps cost, and how to track the calls to see if yours pays.
Pricing & Marketing (operators)
For Detailers
How to Start a Mobile Detailing Business: Startup Costs
Startup gear, kit to full rig$565one-time · typical, a rinseless start, no water or power rig
Starting & Running a Detailing Business
For Detailers
Wash Water Rules for Mobile Detailers
Where your rinse water goes matters. See how city stormwater rules treat mobile detailers, what two cities require and what containment gear costs.
Starting & Running a Detailing Business