How to Detail Your Car for Sale and Get Top Dollar (May 2026)

Never, ever wash a car in direct Aussie sun. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore, the soap dried in 30 seconds and left spots that took me hours to polish out. Find a carport or wait for the arvo.

Empty the glovebox, the centre console, and the boot. Check under the seats for stray chips or forgotten toys. You want the buyer to imagine themselves in the car, not see how many McCafe cups you've gone through.

Remove the spare tyre and jack. Vacuum the well underneath. It's a classic buyer's move to check the spare, if it's clean down there, they'll reckon you've looked after the rest of the car.

Give the whole car a good blast with water. Pay special attention to the wheel arches and the bottom of the doors where salt and mud build up.

Fill one with soapy water and one with plain water for rinsing your mitt. This is the 'Two Bucket Method' and it's non-negotiable if you want to avoid scratches.

Cover the alternator with some glad wrap. Spray APC over the cold engine, agitate with a brush, and rinse gently. Don't use high pressure here. A clean engine says 'I maintain this car' even if you only change the oil once a year.

Clean the wheels while the rest of the car is dry. If you do them last, you'll splash dirty water onto your clean paint. Use a brush to get into the lug nuts.

If you've got a foam cannon, chuck some foam on and let it sit for 5 minutes. It'll drag off the heavy grit. Rinse it off before it dries.

Wash from the top down. Roof first, then glass, then bonnet. Do the lower sills last as they're always the filthiest. Rinse your mitt in the plain water bucket after every panel.

Use an iron remover (like Bowden's Wheely Clean or Gyeon Iron). This dissolves those tiny orange rust dots you see on white cars. It'll smell like rotten eggs, but it's worth it.

Run your hand over the clean, wet paint. Feel bumps? That's embedded dirt. Use a clay bar with plenty of lubricant (soapy water works) until the paint is smooth as glass. This makes a massive difference to how the wax bonds.

I like using a big dedicated microfibre drying towel. Don't use an old bath towel, they're too abrasive. Blow out the mirrors and gaps with a leaf blower if you've got one to stop those annoying drips.

Pull the mats out. Vacuum everything. Use a brush to loosen the sand in the carpet while you vac. Don't forget the 'forbidden zone' between the seats and the centre console.

Use a damp microfibre and APC to wipe down the dash, door cards, and steering wheel. A customer once brought in a car that felt 'sticky', it was just 5 years of skin oils on the wheel. Super gross, but easy to fix.

If you've got cloth seats with stains, use a dedicated upholstery cleaner. Spray, agitate with a soft brush, and blot with a clean towel. Don't soak the foam or it'll smell like a swamp for a week.

If you've got leather, clean it with a dedicated leather cleaner. Don't use those greasy 'conditioners' that make it look like a cheap handbag. Real leather should have a matte, soft finish.

Wipe out the door jambs. This is where that red Aussie dust loves to hide. A buyer will notice this the second they open the door.

If the paint has swirls, give it a light polish. If you aren't comfortable with a machine, use Autoglym Super Resin Polish by hand. It has fillers that hide light scratches and makes the car pop.

Apply your wax or sealant. This gives it that 'wet look' and protects your hard work while the car is listed on Carsales or Marketplace.

Vaping or smoking leaves a film on the inside of the glass. Clean it twice. Streaky windows are the mark of an amateur.

Use a trim restorer on any faded black plastics. Avoid anything that streaks in the rain. Solution Finish is the gold standard here, but Meguiar's Ultimate Black is decent too.

Check for any wax residue in the cracks. Wipe down the exhaust tip if it's chrome. It's the little details that win people over.