Professional Detailing in Your Own Driveway

I cannot stress this enough. If you detail in direct Aussie sun, your chemicals will dry instantly and leave nasty spots. If you don't have a carport, start at 6:00 AM or late in the arvo.

Check for heavy brake dust or mud. If you've just come back from the beach, give the underbody a quick spray first to get the bulk of the salt off.

Fill your 'Wash' bucket with water and soap, and your 'Rinse' bucket with just plain water. Having them ready prevents you from rushing later.

Separate your towels. Keep 'paint towels' far away from 'wheel towels'. If you drop one on the ground, it's dead to you until it's been through the wash.

If you're planning to polish, use some low-tack painter's tape on any black plastic trim or rubber seals. You'll thank me later when you don't have white polish stains everywhere.

Always start with the wheels. Why? Because they are the filthiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash dirty brake dust all over your clean paint. Use a dedicated bucket and brushes.

Apply a thick layer of snow foam to the dry car. Let it dwell for about 5 minutes (don't let it dry!). This softens the dirt and 'lubricates' the surface before you even touch it.

Blast the foam off, starting from the top and working down. Pay extra attention to wheel arches and door gaps where red dust loves to hide.

Using the two-bucket method, wash the car panel by panel. Dip the mitt in the soapy water, wash a panel, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket to release dirt before going back for more soap.

While the car is still wet, spray an iron remover over the paint. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. You'll see purple streaks, that's the iron melting away. Rinse thoroughly.

Use a clay bar or mitt with plenty of lubricant (soapy water works fine). Glide it over the paint until it feels smooth as glass. This removes the 'grit' you can't see.

Give it one last rinse. Use your large drying towel. I like to 'lay' the towel over the bonnet and pull it towards me rather than rubbing it back and forth.

Now that it's clean and dry, grab a torch (or your phone light) and look for swirls and scratches. This determines how much polishing you need to do.

Using a DA polisher and a medium-cut foam pad, work in small sections (50cm x 50cm). Use 4-5 pea-sized drops of polish. Slow, overlapping passes are the secret here.

After polishing a section, wipe it with a clean microfibre and an IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) spray. This removes the oily residue so you can see if the scratches are actually gone.

Apply your choice of protection. If using a spray sealant, do one panel at a time. Buff it off immediately before it gets 'grabby' in the heat.

Clean the windows with a dedicated glass cleaner (no ammonia!). Apply a trim restorer to any faded black plastics. It makes a massive difference to the overall look.

Apply a water-based tyre shine. Don't go for that 'greasy' look; a nice satin finish looks way more professional. Wipe off any excess so it doesn't sling down the side of your car when you drive.

Don't forget the door shuts and boot gutters. A quick wipe here with some detail spray separates the pros from the amateurs.

Blow out the cracks with compressed air first if you have it, then vacuum. Move the seats all the way forward and back to get the chips hiding underneath.