How to Get the Red Dust Out: The Proper Way to Clean Your 4x4 Interior

Take everything out. I mean everything. Floor mats, recovery gear under the seats, that half-eaten bag of jerky in the door pocket. If you leave the mats in, you're just hiding the problem.

Take your floor mats out onto the lawn and give them a proper beating. Use a broom handle or just whack them against a brick wall. You'll be amazed how much dust comes out of a 'clean' looking mat.

Open all the doors and the tailgate. If it's a windy day, park so the wind blows through the car, helping carry the loose dust away as you work.

Vacuum everything while it's dry. Don't spray any liquids yet or you'll just turn the dust into mud. Use the brush attachment to wiggle the dust out of the carpet fibres.

For stubborn sand in the footwells, use a palm sander (without the sandpaper!) or a massage gun on the carpet while holding the vacuum nozzle next to it. The vibration bounces the sand to the surface like magic.

Use your soft detailing brush and the vacuum together. Agitate the dust in the air vents and suck it up immediately. Don't forget the gear stick boot and the seat rails, that's where the crunch comes from later.

Spray your APC onto a microfibre cloth, not directly onto the dash. Wipe down every plastic surface. If the cloth comes back red, flip it. I usually go through five cloths just on a Hilux dash after a desert run.

Your hands transfer oils and sweat, which helps dust stick. Use a bit more elbow grease here. A clean steering wheel makes the whole car feel new again.

This is where most people fail. Clean the rubber seals and the metal inside the door frame. Dust sits in these seals and drops into the cabin every time you close the door. A damp cloth is usually enough here.

Clean the inside of the windscreen twice. Dust creates a film that causes massive glare in the afternoon sun. Use a horizontal motion for the inside and vertical for the outside, that way, if there's a streak, you know which side it's on.

If you have cloth seats, give them a good thump and vacuum. For leather, use a dedicated cleaner. Red dust is alkaline and can dry out leather quickly, leading to cracks.

Apply your 303 Aerospace or similar protectant. In Australia, the UV will kill your dash in a few years if you don't. This stuff acts like sunscreen for your vinyl. Wipe it on, let it sit for a minute, then buff it dry so it isn't greasy.

One last quick pass with the vacuum to catch anything you knocked loose while cleaning the dash and seats.