Getting Rid of Beach Sand: The Proper Way to Clean Your Interior

Take everything out. I mean everything. Child seats, coins in the console, that half-empty bottle of Mount Franklin under the seat. If it's not bolted down, chuck it out.

Remove all floor mats and boot liners. Take them to a flat concrete area (like your driveway) and give them a good thrashing. I usually hang them over a fence and give them a whack with a broom first.

If you're using compressed air, you need somewhere for the dust to go. Open all the doors and the tailgate. Try to do this on a day that isn't too windy, or you'll just be fighting a losing battle.

Slide the front seats all the way forward and tilt them up. This exposes the 'dark abyss' where 90% of the sand lives. Later, you'll slide them all the way back.

Since it's likely 30 degrees plus outside, try to work under a carport or marquee. If you're working in the direct Oz sun, the APC will dry too fast and leave streaks.

Before you touch the vacuum, use your air compressor. Start from the top (dash/vents) and work down. Blow air into the cracks of the seats and under the rails. You'll be amazed at how much sand flies out. Wear a mask for this, seriously.

This is my 'secret sauce'. Grab your palm sander (obviously with NO sandpaper on it) and turn it on. Press the base against the carpet while holding the vacuum nozzle right next to it. The high-frequency vibration makes the sand 'dance' to the surface. It's like magic.

Do a general vacuum of the floors and seats. Don't spend too much time on perfection yet, just get the bulk of the loose stuff out so you can see what you're dealing with.

Use your stiff nylon brush to 'scrub' the carpet in a circular motion. This loosens the sand that's hooked into the carpet weave. Follow immediately with the vacuum.

Sand loves the grease in seat rails. Use a detail brush and a bit of APC to break down the dirty grease, then wipe clean. If you leave sand here, it'll eventually grind the mechanism down.

Use your skinny crevice tool to go between the seat base and the backrest. Push the tool deep in there. This is where the kids' dropped chips and beach sand have a party.

Don't forget the rubber pedals and the plastic trim where you rest your left foot. Sand gets ground into the textures here. Use a brush and APC for this bit.

Sand often sits on the rubber seals. Wipe these down with a damp microfibre. If you don't, every time you close the door, you're grinding sand into your paintwork.

Use a soft brush and the vacuum simultaneously to get sand out of air vents. In Australia, the fine dust often mixes with salt spray to create a sticky film, the APC helps here.

If you have leather or vinyl, sand can be quite scratchy. Wipe everything down with a clean, damp cloth. For fabric seats, give them a light mist of APC and a gentle scrub.

Go back to the footwells with the sander and vacuum. You'll be shocked that more sand still comes out. Keep going until the 'dancing' stops.

Now tackle the mats you left outside. Vacuum them, scrub them with APC and a brush, and if they're rubber, hose them off and let them dry in the sun (but not for too long, or the UV will fade 'em).

Use your torch. Shine it sideways across the carpet, the shadows will reveal any remaining grains of sand.

Apply a UV protectant like 303 to all plastic surfaces. This prevents the Aussie sun from making them brittle and stops sand from 'sticking' as easily next time.