Keeping Your Paint Mint: A Proper Guide to Car Care in Australia

Never wash a car in direct Aussie sun. The soap and water will dry before you can rinse it, leaving nasty water spots. If you've gotta do it outside, do it early morning or late arvo.

If you've just driven the car, the bonnet will be hot. Give the whole car a spray with the hose to bring the surface temp down.

Fill one with water (the rinse bucket) and one with your soap and water mix. Put your grit guards in both.

Blast off as much loose dirt, dust, and mud as possible. This is especially important if you've been off-road or near the beach. Get right into the wheel arches.

Look for bird droppings or dried bugs. Give them a quick soak with some APC or soapy water to soften them up before you touch them.

Always start with the wheels. They're the dirtiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust all over your clean paint. Use your wheel brush and dedicated cleaner.

Start washing from the top down. Dunk your mitt in the soapy bucket, wash a section, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket before getting more soap.

Don't wash in circles! That's how you get swirl marks. Use long, straight lines. It's an old habit to break, but it makes a massive difference.

Don't let the soap dry. Rinse each panel as you finish it. This is vital in our heat.

Leave the bottom of the doors and the bumpers for last. This is where the heaviest grit lives. I usually have a separate, 'beater' mitt just for these parts.

Give the whole car a final flood with the hose (remove the nozzle for a gentle flow) to help the water sheet off.

Lay your large drying towel flat on the bonnet and pull it towards you. Don't scrub. Let the towel do the work. (learned that lesson the expensive way after scratching a Porsche once).

If you've got a leaf blower or some compressed air, use it to get water out of the mirrors and badges. It stops those annoying drips later.

Put your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and run it over the paint. If it feels bumpy like sandpaper, you need to clay bar. If it's smooth, skip to step 12.

Use plenty of lubricant and gently glide the clay over the paint. It'll grab at first, then start sliding. That's the clay pulling the contaminants out. Wipe dry as you go.

After claying, give the car a quick wipe with a clean microfibre to remove any leftover lube.

This is your UV shield. If using a ceramic spray, spray it onto a cloth or the panel (follow the bottle), spread it, and buff off immediately with a second clean cloth.

If you got wax or sealant on the black plastic trim, wipe it off now before it dries white. A bit of APC on a cloth helps here.

Clean the windows inside and out. Use two cloths: one to apply cleaner, one completely dry one to buff to a streak-free finish.

Apply your dressing to the tyres. Use an applicator sponge to keep it even and avoid getting it on the wheels you just cleaned.

Don't forget the bits inside the doors. A quick wipe with a damp cloth makes the whole job feel more professional.

Walk around the car in the light. Look for any spots you missed or high spots of sealant. Sorted.