Aircraft detailer shows how he makes $16,000 cleaning a $25 million private jet

Published on Jul 10, 2025 at 3:34 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Jul 09, 2025 at 2:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

This TikToker just showed how he earned a $16,000 paycheck in one day as an aircraft detailer – his video taking viewers behind the scenes of what cleaning a private jet entails.

It’s not every day you cancel your plans to clean bird poop off an engine.

But when it’s attached to a $25 million private jet – and there’s a huge paycheck on the line – plans change.

And in this line of work, emergencies mean big money.

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How a last-minute jet wash turned into a $16,000 payday

This wasn’t a planned job – it was an emergency callout on a Monday morning.

The detailer had to drop everything and pack up because ‘in this industry, emergency means money.’

And the jet in question? A $25 million aircraft built by Mercedes-Benz, in the same factory as the iconic G-Wagen.

It even holds a world record 20,000-mile flight, so when it flies, it really flies.

So, what does cleaning a private jet entail?

The task was a full exterior wash and bug removal.

No lift in the hangar meant manually moving a ladder every five feet – slow, grueling work.

And though the jet gets cleaned every two flights, there was still some stubborn bird mess on top of the engines.

But the kicker wasn’t the dirt – it was the rate.

The wash alone cost $12,000, with a $3,000 rush fee and another $1,000 tacked on for travel. That’s $16,000 for a single day of cleaning a private jet.

And it’s not an outlier – he says that 20 percent of the company’s $6 million annual revenue comes just from emergency callouts like this.

That’s $1.2 million in rush jobs alone.

What it’s like to be an aircraft detailer and why speed pays more than soap

In the world of ultra-wealthy jet owners, money is no object, but timing is everything. When they want something done, it needs to happen immediately, no matter the cost.

This urgency is what fuels the detailing industry’s most profitable work: rush fees, callouts, and long-distance travel. It’s less about how clean the plane is, and more about meeting tight flight windows.

After all – is there anything more frustrating than your flight being delayed?

The TikTok video didn’t show the client or the interior. But it did paint a clear picture of a business built around flexibility, speed, and trust. You don’t land jobs like this without a reputation for showing up when it counts.

So while $12,000 might sound like a lot for washing some bugs off a plane, for this detailer, it’s just another day at the office.

And for that kind of money, sign us up too!

Follow udetailers on TikTok for more, or watch the video below:

@udetailers See how an urgent callout turned into a $16,000 day for an aircraft detailer. Learn how rush fees, emergency callouts, and private jet detailing services generate over $1.2M annually in added revenue. This video covers luxury jet cleaning, aviation detailing techniques, and the business behind high-ticket services #detailing #aircraftdetailing #aviation ♬ original sound – UDETAILERS

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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.