A Full Detail covers a complete hand wash and paint protection on the exterior, plus a full steam clean, shampoo and extraction on the interior, done over roughly 3 to 5 hours at your home. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, so there is no guessing about what the price includes.
The term “full detail” gets used loosely across the industry. Some shops mean a wash, a quick vacuum and an air freshener clipped to the vent. Ryan’s Full Detail is a different thing entirely, built around the idea that every surface in and on the car actually gets worked, not just the ones that are easy to reach.
What happens during the exterior process?
Hand wash. The car is washed by hand, panel by panel, using a microfiber wash mitt, then dried by hand rather than left to air dry. No spinning brushes, no automated tunnel. This is what prevents the fine micro-scratches that automated washes can leave in the paint over time, which matters even more under strong Central Valley sun that makes every swirl mark visible.
Wheels and tires. Wheels are usually the dirtiest part of the vehicle, since brake dust, road tar and grime build up fast, especially on trucks and SUVs that see gravel driveways or field roads near Gridley’s orchards. Wheels get cleaned with dedicated brushes, and the tires are dressed afterward for a clean, rich finish.
Windows. Every window, inside and out, cleaned streak-free.
Paint decontamination, clay and ceramic seal. After the wash, an iron remover dissolves the brake dust and industrial fallout bonded to the clear coat, then a clay bar lifts what is left so the paint feels glass-smooth. A ceramic spray seal goes on last for roughly 4 to 6 months of water beading, UV resistance and easier washing. On a Refresh Detail the same step is the clay bar, iron decon and ceramic sealant add-on (from $125).
What happens during the interior process?
Complete vacuum. Every seat, carpet, floor mat and the trunk or cargo area gets vacuumed. Seats are moved forward and back during this step to reach the corners that stay hidden in normal use.
Steam cleaning. Hot steam is applied to every interior surface: dashboard, door panels, center console, cup holders and air vents. Steam lifts buildup that wiping alone cannot touch, without soaking anything the way a liquid cleaner would.
Seat shampoo and extraction. Cloth seats get shampooed and then hot-water extracted to pull out embedded dirt, stains and odors rather than just push them around. Leather seats get a deep clean followed by a conditioning treatment to keep the material from drying out or cracking, which happens faster in a hot, dry valley climate than in more humid regions.
Carpet and floor mat shampoo. Carpets and mats are shampooed, agitated, then extracted with a hot-water extractor. This is the step that removes the ground-in dust and debris that tends to collect from unpaved roads, work sites or a daily commute on Highway 99. Carpets come out looking and smelling noticeably cleaner, not just less visibly dirty.
Dashboard and console wipe-down. Every hard surface is cleaned and wiped so nothing is left sticky, dusty or streaked.
How long does a Full Detail take?
Most sedans, small SUVs and compact trucks take about 3 to 5 hours from start to finish. Larger vehicles, or ones with heavier buildup, can take longer, and that time is confirmed on arrival before any work starts so there are no surprises partway through the job.
How long does each step take, and why?
No single step in a Full Detail is quick, because each one is doing a specific job that a faster shortcut would skip.
- Hand wash and dry: roughly 30 to 45 minutes. Washing by hand panel by panel, instead of running the car through automated brushes, is what avoids leaving micro-scratches in the paint, but it takes longer than a machine pass.
- Wheels and tires: about 15 to 20 minutes. Brake dust and road tar need dedicated brushes and some dwell time to loosen, especially on wheels that have not been cleaned in a while.
- Steam cleaning the interior: 30 to 45 minutes. Steam has to sit on a surface long enough to lift buildup rather than just push it around, which is slower than a quick wipe but gets surfaces genuinely clean instead of just looking clean.
- Seat and carpet shampoo with extraction: the longest single stage, often over an hour combined. Shampoo has to be worked into the fibers, given time to break down embedded dirt, then extracted with a hot-water extractor, and rushing any part of that sequence leaves dirt behind.
- Leather conditioning: 15 to 20 minutes. Conditioner needs to be worked in and given time to absorb rather than sitting on the surface, which matters more in a dry climate where leather is already prone to cracking.
- Decontamination, clay and ceramic seal: 45 to 60 minutes. The last pass catches anything missed earlier and leaves the paint with a protective layer to finish the job.
Added together, that is why a genuine Full Detail runs 3 to 5 hours rather than the 20 minutes a basic wash and vacuum would take. Each stage exists because skipping it would leave a visible or lasting gap in the result.
What add-ons pair well with a Full Detail?
A handful of add-ons cover situations the base Full Detail does not fully address on its own:
- Pet hair removal, for dogs or cats that ride along regularly
- Odor removal, for smoke, pet or food smells that need targeted treatment
- UV interior protection, to slow fading and cracking on plastics and vinyl under strong sun
- Trim restoration, for faded black exterior plastic trim
- Engine bay detail, for a cleaned and degreased bay that also makes leaks easier to spot
The full list with current prices is on the services page.
What does a Full Detail cost?
A Full Detail starts from $349 for sedans and compact SUVs. Full-size trucks, larger SUVs, minivans and work vehicles are priced based on size and condition, and that price is confirmed on arrival before any work begins, never after the fact.
Ryan serves Gridley, Chico, Oroville, Yuba City and all of Butte and Sutter County, at your home, no drop-off needed. If your vehicle needs regular upkeep rather than a full reset, the services page also covers the Refresh Detail and Monthly Maintenance options and how they compare to a Full Detail.