There is no single right answer, because it depends on where the car sleeps and what you do with it. But after cleaning a lot of cars around the inner north and west, some clear patterns show up.
The short version
- Exterior wash: every 2 to 4 weeks.
- Interior deep clean: every 4 to 6 months for most people.
- Full detail: twice a year, or before you sell.
If the car lives outside under a tree, move every one of those forward.
Why Brisbane is harder on cars
Humidity and mould
This is the big one, and it is the reason interiors here need more attention than in a dry climate. Damp carpet under a rubber mat, a wet towel left in the boot, or a small spill in a footwell will grow mould within days over summer. Once it takes hold in foam padding it is very hard to fully remove.
If you have ever got into your car after a week of humidity and noticed a musty smell, that is what you are smelling.
Summer storms and tree sap
Storm season brings a specific combination: rain that carries dust and pollen down onto the paint, then hot sun that bakes it on. Cars parked under jacarandas, poincianas or gums also collect sap and berry drop, which etches clear coat if it sits.
Sap is time-sensitive. Removed early it lifts off. Left for a month in summer sun, it leaves a mark in the clear coat that needs polishing out.
Bird droppings
Acidic, and they work fast in heat. A dropping left on a hot bonnet for a couple of days can leave a permanent etch. This is genuinely the fastest way to damage otherwise healthy paint.
Salt air
If you regularly drive to Redcliffe, Wynnum, the Gold Coast or the bay, you are picking up salt. It accelerates corrosion on brake components, underbody and any existing paint chips.
A schedule that actually works
Car parked in a garage, driven to work
Exterior wash every 4 weeks is plenty. Interior deep clean twice a year. You are mostly dealing with road grime and dust rather than organic contamination.
Car parked outside, under or near trees
Exterior wash every 2 to 3 weeks, and do not let sap or droppings sit. Interior every 4 months, because more gets tracked in. This is the group that benefits most from a regular booking rather than calling when it gets bad.
Family car with kids or pets
The exterior can follow whichever pattern above fits, but the interior is the priority. Every 3 to 4 months, and sooner if there has been a spill or a wet dog. Ground-in food, milk and pet hair all get harder to remove the longer they are left.
Weekend car or low kilometres
Counterintuitively, cars that sit still need attention too. Dust settles and bonds, and interiors that never get aired out develop that closed-up smell. A wash every 6 weeks and an interior once a year keeps it right.
Signs you have left it too long
- The paint feels rough or gritty when you run a clean hand over it after washing. That is bonded contamination and needs a clay bar, not another wash.
- Water no longer beads on the bonnet. Your wax or sealant has gone.
- A musty or sour smell when you first open the door.
- Visible dark patches on carpet or seat fabric.
- Sticky or shiny build-up on the steering wheel and gear selector.
One easy habit: keep a microfibre cloth and a small bottle of quick detailer in the boot. Bird dropping or fresh sap gets dealt with in ten seconds instead of becoming a polishing job three weeks later.
Regular beats rescue
Booking a wash every few weeks costs less over a year than letting a car go and then paying for correction work to bring it back. It is also better for the paint, because every heavy clean-up involves more mechanical work on the clear coat.
If you are not sure what your car needs, send a couple of photos when you book and we will tell you honestly. Sometimes the answer is that a wash is all it needs.
Not sure whether you need an interior deep clean or an exterior wash? We break down the difference in this guide.