Keeping Your Soft Top Looking Mint in the Aussie Sun

Never, ever do this in direct sunlight. If the roof is hot, the cleaner will dry before it can work, and you'll end up with nasty streaks. Do it in the garage or early in the morning.

Before you get it wet, use a soft brush attachment on your vacuum to get out as much loose dust and debris as possible. If you skip this, you’re just turning that red dust into mud and rubbing it deeper into the weave.

Mask off your windows, plastic trim, and the paint around the roof. Fabric protectors are a pain to get off glass if they dry, so take 10 minutes to prep now and save yourself an hour of scrubbing later.

Use a gentle stream of water. Do not use a high-pressure washer close up! I've seen people slice right through old fabric at the local servo wash. Just a standard garden hose is perfect.

Spray your chosen cleaner evenly over the wet roof. Don't be shy with it, but work in manageable sections, like one half of the roof at a time.

Use your horsehair brush in small, circular motions. You'll see the suds turn grey or brown, that's the years of Aussie road grime coming out. Focus on the seams where dirt likes to hide.

Rinse it off. If the water is still coming off dirty, give it another crack. For really neglected tops, I've had to do this three times. (your partner will thank you when the car doesn't smell like a damp basement anymore).

This is the most important part. You cannot apply protector to a damp roof. Use a microfibre to pat it dry, then let it sit in the sun for an hour or two until it's bone dry to the touch.

Before sealing, run a lint roller or some sticky tape over the roof to grab any stray microfibre bits or pet hair. You don't want to seal that stuff in forever.

Holding the bottle about 20cm away, spray the fabric protector in overlapping passes. I like to do one layer horizontally and the next vertically to ensure total coverage. It's like spray painting, keep it moving.

If any protector lands on your glass or paint (despite your masking), wipe it off immediately with a damp cloth. If it dries, you'll need a solvent to move it.

Leave it to dry for at least 6-12 hours before getting it wet or folding the top down. If you fold it while it's still tacky, you'll get permanent crease marks.