Getting the Gunk Off: Real Talk on Mud and Red Dust

Never, ever grab a sponge and start scrubbing dry mud. You might as well be rubbing sandpaper on your doors. Use a pressure washer first, but keep your distance (about 30cm). Your goal isn't to get it 100% clean yet, just to knock off the heavy chunks. I reckon a dedicated pressure washer is the best investment you'll ever make for a 4x4. If you're at the servo, use their high-pressure soap setting but don't use that filthy brush they leave in the bucket, it's full of rocks from the guy before you.

If you haven't tried snow foaming, you're missing out. Chuck some Bowden's Own Snow Job or Meguiar's Gold Class into a foam cannon. The foam clings to the vertical surfaces and dwells, softening that baked-on clay. Let it sit for 5-8 minutes (but not in direct sun, or it'll dry and make a mess). This is the only way I trust to safely lift red dust off a black car without leaving swirls everywhere. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore years ago, wiped a 'clean' looking spot and left a massive scratch. Never again.

It's the stuff you can't see that kills your car. Mud traps moisture against the chassis, and if you've been near the coast or on a salt lake, that's a recipe for rust. I always use an underbody water broom, it's just a little attachment with wheels that sprays upwards. Give the wheel arches a proper birthday too. Get right up in there behind the liners where the red dirt likes to hide. If you don't, you'll be smelling that dusty 'outback' scent every time it rains for the next three years.

For really greasy mud or bug guts from a night drive, I swear by a citrus-based pre-wash. Something like Gtechniq W5 Citrus All Purpose Cleaner. Spray it on the lower thirds of the car where the heaviest grime is. It breaks down the oils that hold the dirt to the paint. Honestly, I wouldn't bother with those cheap 'degreasers' from the supermarket, they're too harsh and can stain your plastics if you aren't careful.