Hand washes, decontamination and interior detailing for Seattle cars that live on the street. APC Hand Wash from $100, done at our Tukwila shop.
Most city cars start with an APC Hand Wash ($100 car / $135 SUV or truck / $165 third row). It's a hand wash with soap and water from a pump sprayer and a snake wipe method, with no bucket and no hose rinse (so the undercarriage isn't cleaned), so it uses a fraction of the water of a traditional wash, and it takes about two hours. When the paint feels rough even after washing, that's bonded contamination, and a Decontamination Wash ($220 / $270 / $320) takes it off. Think of it as a facial for your paint: clay every time and iron fallout remover when the paint needs it pull out what a wash leaves behind, finished with a sealant. For a full reset, the Exterior Detail ($400 / $450 / $500) includes a wash, clay decontamination, a single-stage polish and a sealant, plus a complimentary vacuum and wipe-down of the driver's area. Inside, the Standard Interior Detail ($165 / $220 / $275) or Full Interior Detail ($330 / $385 / $460) takes care of the cabin. If you want longer-lasting protection than a sealant, ask about our Ceramic Pro Sport package, which is an exterior detail topped with a real ceramic coating. Prices are the same for every car in a category, whether it's a Prius or a Porsche. Sprinters and other oversized vehicles are handled at our Monroe shop.
From downtown, take I-5 south to our Tukwila shop at 1050 Industry Drive. An APC Hand Wash takes about two hours, and a full detail takes most of a day.
Cars parked on residential streets in Capitol Hill, Fremont and Ballard sit under trees most of the year, and cars in South Lake Union and downtown garages collect brake dust and exhaust film. Plenty of city residents also have nowhere to wash a car at home, which is exactly who a regular professional hand wash is for.
An APC Hand Wash is $100 for a car, $135 for an SUV or truck and $165 for a third-row vehicle. A Decontamination Wash is $220, $270 and $320. The Exterior Detail is $400, $450 and $500, and interior details start at $165.
Our APC Hand Wash, done with soap and water from a pump sprayer and a snake wipe method, with no bucket and no hose rinse (so the undercarriage isn't cleaned), removes the dirt sitting on the paint. A decontamination wash also removes what's bonded to it, like iron particles and tree sap, using clay every time and iron fallout remover when the paint needs it, finished with a sealant. If the paint feels rough after washing, you need decon.
About two hours for an APC Hand Wash, two and a half for a Decontamination Wash, and about four hours for an Exterior Detail. Interior details take two to three hours.
No. Prices are set by vehicle category: car, SUV or truck, and third row. Every car in a category pays the same.
Brake dust Stop-and-go driving coats wheels in brake dust that bakes on if it's left there. A proper wheel cleaning is part of every hand wash.
Street trees Sap, pollen and bird droppings from street trees stick to paint and start to etch it. Regular washing gets them off before they leave a mark.
Wet shoes and floor mats Months of rain means months of wet, gritty carpet and floor mats. An interior detail pulls that out before it smells or stains.
No place to wash at home Apartment and condo living often means no hose and no driveway. Our hand washes use soap and water from a pump sprayer and a snake wipe method, with no bucket and no hose rinse (so the undercarriage isn't cleaned), and don't need a hose or driveway, and they keep the car clean without an automatic car wash's brushes.