What does the end of a lease cleaning involve?
You want end-of-lease cleaning to involve as little as possible, because you want to spend as little money as possible. The lease company is only expecting you to return the car in a reasonable state, you do not win extra points for handing it back in showroom condition.
Our general rule of thumb is that if the car looks clean, then it is probably clean enough. It may be worth giving it a quick vacuum, which you can do yourself, but that is usually enough. Next, check the seats and carpets for stains. If you find any, give them a wipe with a damp cloth and see if you can remove them. If you can't, only then would we suggest paying to have your car shampooed, and even then there is probably no need to do the whole car, just the effected areas.
Like wise, the outside only needs to be clean and free from dirt, so run it through the car wash, clean it yourself or whatever you normally do.
Typically, you will only need the services of a valeter or detailer to deal with specific problems, which might incur a charge.
By way of examples, we have seen cars with excessive wash marks because it was repeatedly taken to a hand car wash where they used dirty-gritty water to clean the cars. This could incur significant penalties, but a detailer can machine polish the car back to an acceptable standard.
We have also seen cars where people have worn muddy boots or had dogs in the back that left a lot of hair. Also, children dropping food on the back seats. These could all be classed as excessively dirty and would benefit from being shampooed.
The main reason to have your car seen by a professional is if it smells. If you have smoked in the car, if it smells of spilled food or drink, or smells of dogs, this can incur substantial penalties. However, if you have spilled milk into the carpets, it takes considerably more work than just shampooing the carpets to remove the odours. You will need the services of an odour specialist.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 16/06/2022 15:51