Comprehensive Matte Paint Care and Maintenance Guide

Ensure the vehicle panels are cool to the touch. In Australian summer, this usually means working before 8:00 AM or in a fully shaded garage. If the metal is hot, the water and chemicals will evaporate instantly, leaving permanent mineral spots or 'tiger stripes' on the matte finish that are nearly impossible to remove without professional intervention.

Walk around the vehicle to identify high-risk areas. Look for 'baked-on' bug splatter on the front fascia and bird droppings on the roof/bonnet. In matte care, these must be identified early so they can be chemically softened rather than scrubbed. Check for heavy red dust accumulation in door seals and fuel caps.

Prepare your wash buckets. Use a 1:500 ratio for your matte shampoo (approx 30-40ml per 15L bucket). Fill the second bucket with pure water for rinsing your mitt. If using a foam cannon, dilute the matte-safe snow foam at a 1:9 ratio with warm water to ensure maximum dwell time and lubrication.

Always clean wheels and tyres first. This prevents caustic wheel cleaners or brake dust from splashing onto the sensitive matte paint during the body wash. Use a separate bucket and different brushes for this stage to ensure no cross-contamination of metallic particles.

If the car is covered in loose Outback dust, use a leaf blower or compressed air to blow off as much loose particulate as possible before adding water. This prevents the dust from turning into an abrasive mud slurry during the initial rinse.

Rinse the vehicle from the top down using a 40-degree wide-fan nozzle. Keep the nozzle at least 30cm from the surface. Focus on flushing out panel gaps and wheel arches where salt and red dust congregate. This step removes 80% of loose contaminants that cause swirl marks.

Apply a thick layer of matte-safe snow foam over the entire vehicle. Let it dwell for 4-6 minutes, but do not allow it to dry. The foam encapsulates fine grit and softens organic matter like bat droppings. You will see the foam turn slightly brown as it pulls the dust off the surface.

While the foam is dwelling, use a soft boar's hair brush to gently agitate the foam in window seals, badges, and grilles. This prevents 'red lines' of dust from bleeding out later. Do not use the brush on the flat panel surfaces.

Thoroughly rinse the snow foam and loosened debris from the car. Ensure all suds are gone from the crevices. At this stage, the car should look clean, but a film of static-bonded road grime will remain.

Dunk your wash mitt into the soapy bucket, then gently glide it over a panel using straight-line motions only. Never use circular motions. Start with the roof and work down. After each panel, rinse the mitt in the clean water bucket and wring it out before taking more soap.

If bug guts or sap remain, do not scrub. Use a matte-specific spot cleaner or a 10% IPA solution on a plush microfibre. Lay the dampened cloth over the spot for 60 seconds to dissolve the bond, then gently wipe away. Scrubbing will create a permanent shiny spot.

Perform a final slow-flow rinse. If you have access to deionised water, use it now. This 'sheeting' method helps shed most of the water, leaving very little behind to be physically dried, which reduces the risk of friction-induced glossing.

Use a car dryer or leaf blower to blow water out of mirrors, lights, and door handles. For the remaining water on panels, use a clean, dry 'Twist Loop' towel. Do not 'rub' the towel; instead, lay it flat over the wet area and pat it to absorb the moisture.

Apply a matte-specific spray sealant. Mist 2-3 sprays onto a fresh microfibre cloth (not the panel) and wipe it onto one panel at a time. Immediately flip the cloth to a dry side and buff lightly. This provides the essential UV inhibitors required for the Australian climate.

View the car from multiple angles under diffused light. Look for 'high spots' (darker, oily-looking patches) of sealant. If found, use a damp microfibre to level them immediately before they cure.