how often a car really needs professional detailing

I’ve been going back and forth on how often a car really needs professional detailing. I drive almost every day, mostly city stuff, park outside most of the time, and honestly I clean the interior myself when it gets bad. Some people say every few months, others say once a year is fine. I’m curious what real people actually do, not what shops recommend. At what point does detailing stop being useful and just become overkill?

From my own experience, it depends way more on how you use the car than on some fixed schedule. I used to think detailing was a once-a-year “treat,” but that changed after a couple of winters commuting daily. Salt, slush, coffee spills, dog hair — it adds up fast. I don’t professionally detail every month or anything like that, but about 2–3 times a year seems to keep things from getting out of control.

What made a difference for me was realizing that detailing isn’t just about looks. When I skipped it for almost two years, the interior plastics started to feel permanently grimy, and the paint was harder to bring back. Since then I’ve been more consistent. I usually do one proper detail after winter, one mid-summer, and sometimes a lighter one in the fall.

I’ve also noticed that mobile services made it easier to stick to that habit because I didn’t have to plan my whole day around it. I stumbled across https://detaily.ca/ when I was comparing options, mostly to understand what “professional” actually includes versus a basic wash. Didn’t change my life or anything, but it helped me set realistic expectations. For me, regular-ish detailing just makes everyday cleaning easier afterward.

 I don’t think most people need constant detailing, but waiting too long definitely makes things worse. I usually do it twice a year and spot-clean in between. Once the interior smells or the paint feels rough, that’s my signal it’s time again.