Sorting Out Iron Fallout: How to Get Your Paint Feeling Like Glass Again

If you can't get the car under a carport or in a garage, wait until the 'arvo' when the sun is low. The panels must be cool to the touch.

Always wash your wheels first. They're the filthiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust back onto your clean paint.

Blast the car with water to get the loose grit and red dust off. You don't want to be dragging that stuff across the paint with a mitt.

If you've got a foam cannon, give it a crack. It dwells and lifts the surface dirt. If not, a good heavy rinse is fine.

Do a standard two-bucket wash. We want the paint clean of 'organic' dirt so the iron remover can get straight to the metal particles.

You don't want the car bone dry, but you don't want it soaking wet either. Too much water dilutes the iron remover and makes it run off too fast.

Start with the roof or the bonnet. Spray a liberal amount of iron remover over the panel. Work in sections so it doesn't dry out.

Wait about 3-5 minutes. You'll start to see 'bleeding', the chemical turns purple as it reacts with the iron. It's satisfying as hell to watch.

If the car is really bad, I'll sometimes use a damp microfibre or a soft brush to gently spread the chemical around. Don't use pressure.

Blast it off with the pressure washer. Make sure you get it out of all the nooks and crannies like window seals and door handles.

Move around the car. Don't forget the rear hatch, that's usually where the most fallout collects because of the aerodynamics.

Now the chemical has dissolved the big stuff, we use the clay bar/mitt to pick up whatever is left. Lube up a panel and glide the clay over it.

You'll hear the clay 'scratching' at first. When it goes silent and smooth, the contamination is gone. That's the best feeling in detailing, honestly.

If using a traditional bar, fold it frequently to reveal a clean surface. If it looks brown or metallic, it's working.

Give the whole car one last blast to remove any clay lube residue or leftover 'purple' streaks.

Use your big microfibre towel. I like to 'pat' the water off rather than dragging the towel, just to be extra safe.

Use the 'plastic baggie' test. Put your hand in a sandwich bag and run it over the paint. If it still feels gritty, you missed a spot.