How to Strip Red Dust and Road Grime with Paint Decontamination

I cannot stress this enough. Do not do this in the direct Aussie sun. If the panels are hot to the touch, you're going to have a bad time. The chemicals will dry too fast and leave stains that are a nightmare to get off. Wait until the arvo or do it under a carport.

Give the whole car a good soak with the hose. This lowers the surface temp and knocks off the loose 'easy' dirt before you start scrubbing.

Clean your wheels first. They're usually the filthiest part, and you don't want wheel grime splashing onto your clean paint later.

Wash the car using the two-bucket method. This gets rid of the 'top layer' of filth. Don't worry about being perfect yet, we're just clearing the way for the chemicals.

Dry the car slightly so the product doesn't just run off. Spray your iron remover over the paint. You'll see it turn purple as it reacts with the metal bits. Leave it for 3-5 minutes, but don't let it dry! If it's a hot day, do one panel at a time.

Blast that purple stuff off with a high-pressure hose. Make sure you get it out of the cracks and window seals. This is getting rid of the stuff that's 'melted' off the surface.

Check for black dots (tar) or sticky yellow lumps (sap). Dab some tar remover on a cloth and gently wipe them away. Don't scrub hard, let the chemical do the heavy lifting.

Now the fun part. Spray your clay lube generously over a small section (say, half the bonnet). You want it slippery as a greased pig.

Gently glide the clay bar or mitt over the surface. Use almost zero pressure. You'll hear a 'scritch-scritch' sound, that's the clay grabbing the contaminants. Keep going until the sound stops and it glides silently.

If using a bar, fold it frequently to reveal a clean surface. If using a mitt, rinse it in your bucket often. I once had a customer bring in a white Hilux that had been near a mine site, the clay turned red in about two seconds. If it's that dirty, clean it more often.

After you've done the whole car, give it one last quick wash with your soapy mitt. This removes any leftover clay lube or residue.

Use your big microfibre towel to pat the car dry. Don't drag it too hard. At this point, the paint should feel like smooth glass.