Frequently asked questions

Send a request with the booking form (about a minute) or text (213) 700-8395 with your car, your city and the package you want. No card is needed to request.

Not yet. A request does not reserve a date or time. You have an appointment once we text you the service, vehicle, date, arrival window and price, and you reply to accept.

We don't take same-day requests. The booking form starts from tomorrow, and we confirm the actual date and arrival window by text.

7am to 7pm, every day. That is when we work and when we answer texts.

We reply by text within 15 minutes, 7am to 7pm. Requests sent after 7pm are answered the next morning.

Yes, free with at least 24 hours' notice. Reply to our message or text (213) 700-8395. There is no fee for a late cancellation, but after one we may ask for payment in advance before confirming another appointment. Details are in our cancellation policy.

If rain or unsafe weather prevents the service, we reschedule with you at no cost.

No. Tell us where the car is and how to reach it, and leave it unlocked or the keys where we agree. If you aren't there, we text you the walkaround photos.

It depends on the package, the vehicle and its condition, so we don't publish a price list. Send a request or text us your car and the package you want, and we text you an exact price before anything is booked.

The package you choose, the size of the vehicle (for example an SUV, truck or van versus a small car), its condition (heavy pet hair, heavy staining, sand or mold take more work) and any add-ons. Example, for illustration only: a compact car that gets regular care needs less time than a three-row SUV with crushed snacks and dog hair in the back, so the two get different prices. If the car is in a very different condition when we arrive, we tell you before we start, and you can approve the new price, keep the original work, or cancel with no fee.

After the job, once you've seen it, by card, Zelle, Venmo or cash. We do not charge a card when you send a request.

No. We never add a mandatory fee that wasn't in the price we confirmed in writing. Tips are optional.

Yes. Text us to gift a detail. The certificate names the service and never expires.

We come to your home or office and detail the car where it is parked, by hand. You don't drive anywhere or wait in a shop. Read more in mobile detailing vs a car wash.

Interior Detail for the cabin, Exterior Detail for the outside, Full Detail for both, Complete Detail for both plus the engine bay (front trunk on EVs) and spot buffing, and Elite Restoration for cars that need the most work. Try the package chooser, read our package guide, or text us a photo and ask.

Full Detail is interior and exterior together. Complete Detail adds an engine bay detail on gas cars (a front trunk clean on EVs) and spot buffing on light marks, in small areas you approve. Details: Full Detail and Complete Detail.

Everything in Complete Detail plus heavy stain spot removal, pet hair removal, bug and tar removal, paint decontamination, deep mat cleaning and trim restore. It is quoted per car. See Elite Restoration questions.

No. We don't offer full paint correction, ceramic coating, paint protection film, window tint, wraps, headlight restoration or ozone and odor treatment. A specialist shop is the right call for those.

Cleaning can reduce odors, but we can't guarantee removal. Smoke, pet and mildew smells can come back with heat or humidity. We don't offer ozone or odor treatments. Fragrance-free products are available on request.

Not always. Results depend on the stain, how long it has been there and the material. If something can't be fully removed, we tell you. See what detailing can and can't fix.

Yes. We hand-clean only, never spray charge ports or high-voltage parts, use screen-safe products, and clean the front trunk like the interior. Please unplug before we arrive. More on EV and Tesla detailing.

Yes. Add the other cars in the request notes or text us, and we plan the visit for all of them.

We clean only a cool engine, cover the air intake and exposed electrical parts, and use low-pressure water, steam or wipe-down. We don't start your engine. Moisture can briefly cause a warning light on some older cars, which usually clears as parts dry. It is optional. See engine bay detail.

A standard electrical outlet near the car, every time. A water tap only for some jobs (we tell you when we confirm). A reasonably level spot with room to walk around the car, the car unlocked or keys available, and personal items removed. Our before-your-detail checklist has the full list.

Yes, if the property allows it. Inside garages we use waterless or rinseless methods only. An Interior Detail needs only an outlet, which makes it the easiest choice in shared garages.

We keep wash water out of streets, gutters and storm drains, and use rinseless or waterless methods where we can.

Never. If the car needs to be moved, you move it. We also never take your keys off your property.

Text us within 48 hours, with photos if you can, and we come back to fix it at no charge. See our refunds and satisfaction policy.

Tell us within 48 hours with photos, before any repair, and let us inspect it. We take walkaround photos before we start. Our damage and liability policy explains exactly how claims work.

After hot-water extraction, carpets and cloth seats can stay damp for several hours. Let the car air out, for example windows slightly open if it is safe, and don't keep it closed up while damp. See after your detail.

A maintenance detail once a month or every two weeks, for one car or a household of 2 or 3 cars at one stop. It starts after a first Full or Complete Detail, you pay after each visit, and it is never billed automatically. See NOVA Monthly.

Yes: office detail days, company vehicles, buildings and communities, and car-sharing hosts. See offices and fleets or text OFFICE to (213) 700-8395.

The owner and NOVA's own trained team. We grow with our own team, never with subcontracted detailers.

Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Sunnyvale, Redwood City, San Carlos, Belmont, San Mateo, Woodside, Portola Valley, Stanford and East Palo Alto. Check your city or ZIP on our service areas page.

Text (213) 700-8395 with your city and the job. We'll tell you honestly whether we can come. A request outside our area is never booked without a text from us.

No. NOVA is mobile only: we come to your home or office. There is no storefront.

If we detailed your car, you can leave a Google review at our Google profile (opens in a new tab). We only ask for Google reviews and never offer anything in exchange for one.