How to Properly Clean and Protect Your Interior Door Panels

Never, ever clean your interior while the car is sitting in the sun. The chemicals will dry too fast and leave streaks that are a nightmare to get off.

Chuck out the old maccas receipts, empty water bottles, and that loose change. You'd be surprised what grows in the bottom of a door pocket after a humid Queensland summer.

Use the brush attachment to get the loose dust off. If you start spraying cleaner on a dusty panel, you're just making mud. Pay attention to the speaker mesh.

Find an inconspicuous spot (like the very bottom of the door) and test your cleaner. Ensure it doesn't discolour the plastic or lift any 'soft-touch' coatings.

This lets you clean the very top edge of the door panel where it meets the glass, usually a prime spot for sweat and skin oils.

Start at the top near the window and work your way down. Gravity is your friend here; any runoff will land on dirty areas you haven't cleaned yet.

Unless the panel is absolutely filthy, spray your cleaner onto your brush or cloth first. This prevents overspray from getting on your glass or into the electronics.

Use your detailing brush in circular motions. You'll see the foam start to turn brown, that's the grime lifting. Don't press hard; let the chemicals do the work.

Don't let the cleaner dry. Use a clean microfibre to buff the area dry. If the cloth comes away black, repeat the process.

This is usually the filthiest part. If it's vinyl or leather, use the horsehair brush. If it's fabric, be gentle so you don't fray the fibres. Spend extra time here.

For those white marks, use a 70/30 IPA mix on a microfibre. Rub gently. If that fails, a very light touch with a damp Magic Eraser works, but stop the second the mark is gone.

Be careful! Use a nearly dry toothbrush or a very lightly dampened detailing brush. You don't want liquid seeping into the window master switch. (I've seen a mate fry his central locking by being too gung-ho with a spray bottle).

Skin oils build up here. Use your detailing brush to get into the recess behind the handle. Wipe dry with a fresh corner of your cloth.

Don't spray into them! Lightly mist a brush, flick it to remove excess, then agitate the mesh. Use a vacuum or compressed air to pull the dust out of the tiny holes.

These take the hits from boots. You can be a bit more aggressive here. This is where the Magic Eraser is actually useful for removing those black rubber scuffs.

Spray APC inside and use a long-reach brush. If there's sticky residue at the bottom, a bit of steam or warm water helps. Dry it thoroughly, nobody likes a damp door pocket.

While the door is open, wipe the metal frame and the rubber seals. Use a separate, 'dirtier' cloth for this as it'll likely have grease from the hinges.

Close the door and look at it from the driver's seat. Check for any missed spots or streaks in the natural light.

Apply your UV protectant to a clean applicator pad, work it into the plastics, let it sit for a minute, then buff off the excess for a matte finish.