What actually decides it
- Where it parks. A car in a garage stays clean far longer than one parked under trees, where sap, pollen, leaves and bird droppings land every day.
- Who rides in it. Kids, pets, gym bags and daily coffee all speed up the interior.
- How far it goes. Long commutes and trips on dusty or muddy roads mean more grime on the paint and floors.
- The season. The Peninsula usually has a dry season with dust and pollen and a wetter season with road spray and mud.
- Color and materials. Dark paint shows dust and fine marks sooner. Light seats show dye transfer and spills sooner.
Our rule of thumb
Treat these as a starting point and adjust to your car:
- Exterior: wash it whenever dirt is visible or something harmful lands on it. Remove sap and bird droppings as soon as you can rather than waiting for the next wash.
- Interior: a quick tidy every week or two, and a thorough interior detail when the quick tidy no longer gets it clean, sooner with kids or pets.
- Full detail: when both inside and outside need it, and before moments that matter, like selling the car or returning a lease.
Why we don't give a number of weeks: we would be guessing about your car. Text us a photo and we will tell you honestly whether it needs a full detail or just an exterior wash.
Signs it is time
- The steering wheel, door pulls or screen feel sticky.
- A film on the inside of the windshield, especially noticeable in low sun.
- A smell that comes back when the car warms up.
- Crumbs and sand in the seat rails and door pockets.
- Sap spots, droppings or dust you can feel when you run a clean hand over the paint (don't rub dusty paint; that can scratch it).
Keeping a schedule without thinking about it
NOVA Monthly holds the same day and arrival window for your car every month or every two weeks, after a first Full or Complete Detail. You pay after each visit, skip or move a visit by text, and it is never billed automatically. Households can put 2 or 3 cars on one stop.
Quick questions
Is washing too often bad for paint?
Careful washing is not the problem. Scratches usually come from rubbing grit into the paint, dry-wiping dust, or harsh brushes. A gentle wash beats leaving contaminants on the paint.