A patent for washing cars
A US patent for a mechanized car wash is filed, years before most people own a car.
Mobile car detailing in SoCal
Detailing thatdrives to you.
Driveway, office lot or apartment stall. Tell us the car and where it's parked, and mobile detailers near you quote the job.
A detailer is cruising SoCal
- Car
- Not picked yet
- Job
- Mobile detail
- Where
- Your driveway
- ZIP
- Add your ZIP or tap the map
Why people book mobile
The car stays put.
You keep your day.
No drop off, no waiting room, no ride back. The detailer brings the shop. Pick the reason that sounds like you.
Weekends are short
The car gets done in the driveway while you do literally anything else.
Mobile detailAt work, while you work
Check what your building allows, then the car gets cleaned in the lot.
Mobile detailSelling it soon
Clean cars photograph better. Ask for inside, outside and the engine bay.
Full detailPet hair and kid crumbs
Seats and carpet vacuumed, brushed and extracted, right where the car is parked.
Full detailBeach sand everywhere
A summer of Zuma and Huntington lives in the carpet. A deep vacuum gets it out.
Full detailNew car, keep it new
A ceramic coating adds a hard, slick layer over the paint. Ask what conditions they need on site.
Ceramic coatingThe weekend car
Exotics, classics and soft paint. Ask what they've worked on before they start.
Luxury or exoticGrimy engine bay
Degreased and dressed. Ask how they cover the electrical parts first.
Engine bayIn the City of LA?
LADWP lists washing a vehicle without a self-closing shut-off nozzle as a prohibited use.
LADWP rules ↗Before they roll up
What the rig needs
at your curb
Every mobile setup is a little different. Some detailers carry their own water and power, some ask to use yours. Sort it out when you book and the day goes smooth.
- 1
Water
Ask if they bring a tank or need your spigot. In the City of LA, a hose needs a self-closing shut-off nozzle.
- 2
Power
Vacuums, extractors and polishers run on something. Ask if they bring a generator or battery pack, or need an outlet.
- 3
Room to work
Enough space to open every door and walk all the way around the car.
- 4
Where the water goes
Ask how they capture wash water. Runoff into the street and gutter is the thing local rules aim to stop.
- 5
Permission
Apartment, condo or office? Your HOA, landlord or building may have rules. Ask them before booking.
The craftsperson's kit
A whole shop,
rolled into a van
Tap a tool to see what it's for. Every detailer packs a little differently, so ask what they bring for your job.
Tool 01Two buckets
One with soap, one with clean rinse water. The mitt gets rinsed between panels so grit doesn't go back on the paint.
The jobs
Pick a tag,
hang it on the car
Not sure? Start with a mobile detail. The detailer looks at the car and tells you what it needs.
The history
Car laundry
to curbside
Washing started with people pushing cars through a building. Then California put the wash on a conveyor, and later started asking where the water goes. Swipe the road.
The Automobile Laundry
Frank McCormick and J.W. Hinkle open the Automobile Laundry in Detroit.
Hollywood gets a conveyor
The first conveyor driven automatic car wash appears in Hollywood, California.
Semi automatic
The first US semi automatic car wash debuts in Detroit.
Storm drains get rules
Congress directs the EPA to build a permit program for stormwater runoff.
Big city drains first
EPA's first stormwater rules cover city storm drain systems serving 100,000 people or more.
Cleaner products
CARB says its consumer product rules cut smog forming VOCs about in half from 1990 to 2020.
The shop comes to you
Pick the car, the ZIP and the parking spot, and book a mobile detailer on Lokuli.
Car wash dates from Wikipedia's car wash article. Stormwater dates from the Congressional Research Service report Stormwater Permits. VOC figure from CARB.
Only rain in the gutter
Water rules,
made plain
Mobile detailing happens on streets that drain somewhere. These are the public rules worth knowing before the hose comes out. Rules differ by city, so ask your detailer how they handle it.
LA Department of Water and PowerWashing a vehicle takes a hose with a self-closing shut-off nozzleWater conservation ordinance →
LA Department of Water and PowerNo runoff onto streets, driveways and guttersProhibited uses →
San Diego County Public WorksOnly rainwater belongs in streets and storm drains. Wash water gets captured and sent to the sewerMobile vehicle washing →
California Air Resources BoardCalifornia limits smog forming VOCs in over 130 product categories, engine degreaser includedConsumer products program →
How it works
Pin it, park it, done
- Drop your pinCar, ZIP and where it's parked. That's what a mobile detailer needs to quote.
- Pick a detailer and timeCompare mobile detailers near you and request a slot on Lokuli.
- Settle water and powerConfirm what they bring and what they need from you, then hand over the keys.
On the map
Mobile detailers
around SoCal
Good to know
Mobile detail questions
Do I need to provide water or power?
It depends on the detailer. Some carry a water tank and a generator or battery pack, others ask to use your spigot and an outlet. Ask when you book so nobody is surprised on the day.
Can they detail my car at my apartment or condo?
Often, if the property allows it. Check with your landlord or HOA first, then tell the detailer the stall number, the gate code situation and whether there's water or power nearby.
Can they come to my work?
Many people book a detail in the office lot. Ask your building or property manager whether outside vendors can work in the lot, and pick a spot with room to open the doors.
Where does the wash water go?
Ask your detailer how they capture it. In the City of LA, LADWP lists runoff onto streets, driveways and gutters as a prohibited use, and San Diego County says only rainwater belongs in storm drains.
Do I need to be home?
Not always. Some jobs only need access to the car and the keys. Settle the handoff when you book.
Can ceramic coating be done mobile?
Some detailers do it on site and some prefer their shop. Coatings need careful prep, so ask what conditions they need and how long the car should stay parked afterwards.
How long does a mobile detail take?
It depends on the car's size, its condition and the job. The detailer can give you a time window when they quote.
How much does it cost?
Each detailer sets their own price based on your car and the job. Detailers quote you through Lokuli, so you can compare before you book.
Run a mobile rig?
Get these bookings
Detailer Now sends drivers to detailers on Lokuli. Claim a booking page free, take requests online, and pay no commission on any plan.