How To Get Every Trace Of Red Dust And Mud Off Your Rig

Never, ever wash a car in direct Aussie sun. The water and soap will dry in seconds, leaving spots that are harder to remove than the mud. If you don't have a carport, wait until late arvo.

Pop the bonnet and check for any huge clumps of mud or nests (bloody spiders love a warm engine). Cover your alternator and any exposed air intakes with plastic bags.

Before you get anything wet, use a soft brush or compressed air to blow loose dust out of the window tracks and door seals. Once it gets wet, it turns to sludge.

Open your doors and wipe down the seals. If you hit these with a pressure washer while the doors are closed, you often force dust deeper into the cabin.

Spray your degreaser or wheel cleaner on cold wheels. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes but don't let it dry.

Start from the bottom. Use a high-pressure nozzle to clear out the chassis rails. I once spent 45 minutes on a mate's Patrol just getting the sand out of the rear crossmember. Don't stop until the water runs clear.

Get right up in there. If you've got plastic liners, use your long-handle brush to scrub the muck off after your pre-soak.

Rinse the whole car from the top down. This gets the 'easy' dirt off so your snow foam can focus on the stubborn stuff.

Cover the whole car in a thick layer of foam. Let it dwell for 5-8 minutes. You'll see the white foam turning brown as it pulls the dirt off. This is the magic part.

While the foam is on, go around with your soft brush and agitate the badges, fuel filler cap, and grill. This is where the red dust loves to hide.

Wash all that foam away. At this point, the car should look mostly clean, but there's still a fine film of 'traffic film' and static dust.

Dunk your mitt in the soap, wash a panel (start at the roof), then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket before getting more soap. This keeps your wash water clean.

Use a dedicated glass cleaner. If you've been on the coast, you might need a bit of white vinegar in your water to cut through the salt spray film.

Scrub the sidewalls with a stiff brush. If you don't get the brown mud off now, your tyre shine will just look like a muddy mess later.

A final flood rinse with low pressure helps the water sheet off, making drying easier.

Pat the car dry with your microfibre towel. Don't rub hard. If you missed a bit of dirt, rubbing will scratch the paint.

Dry the inside of the doors. This is where I find people usually leave a kilo of red dust that ends up on the missus's white pants next time she gets in.

Remove the bags, and wipe down the plastic covers with a damp cloth. Don't go crazy with the hose here unless you want electrical dramas.

If the paint feels rough like sandpaper, use a clay bar. But honestly, if it's just a bush basher, you might skip this.

Apply a sealant or wax. Since it's March and the UV is still killer, a ceramic spray sealant like Gtechniq C2 is a good shout for ease of use.