The Professional Two-Bucket Wash Method for Extreme Climates

Park the vehicle in a fully shaded area with a cool-to-the-touch surface. In Australian summer, washing in direct sunlight will cause water and chemicals to flash-dry instantly, leading to permanent 'water spotting' (calcium deposits) that require machine polishing to remove. If no shade is available, wash at dawn or dusk when the UV index is lowest.

Fill Bucket 1 (Wash) with 15L of water and your measured shampoo. Use a strong stream of water to create a thick head of lubricated foam. Fill Bucket 2 (Rinse) with 15L of plain water. Fill Bucket 3 (Wheels) with 10L of water and a dedicated wheel cleaner or a slightly stronger shampoo dilution. Ensure grit guards are firmly seated at the bottom of all three.

Inspect the front bumper for bug splatter and the lower panels for red dust or salt. Apply a dedicated bug remover or a citrus-based pre-wash to these areas. Allow it to dwell for 3-5 minutes, but do not let it dry. This softens organic matter, making it safe to rinse away without scrubbing.

Check for heavy brake dust and salt buildup inside the wheel barrels. In coastal areas, this is where corrosion begins. Prepare your brushes and ensure you have a dedicated nozzle setting for flushing the undercarriage and arches later.

Always wash wheels and tyres first. If you wash the paint first, the dirty water and iron particles from the wheels will splash onto your clean panels. Use Bucket 3 and dedicated brushes. Rinse thoroughly, ensuring you flush the brake calipers where salt and dust accumulate.

Rinse the entire vehicle starting from the roof down. Focus on flushing the 'traps'—window seals, door handles, and fuel caps—where red dust hides. Use a 25-degree nozzle held 30cm from the surface. This removes 80% of loose grit that would otherwise cause scratches during the contact wash.

If available, apply a thick layer of snow foam. Let it dwell for 5 minutes. The foam encapsulates remaining fine dust and pulls it off the vertical surfaces. Rinse again thoroughly before the foam dries.

Submerge your clean wash mitt into Bucket 1 (Wash). Start at the highest point (the roof) and work down. Use only the weight of the mitt; do not apply downward pressure. The shampoo provides the lubrication; the microfibre provides the lift.

After cleaning half the roof or one window, the mitt is contaminated. Dunk it into Bucket 2 (Rinse) and agitate it against the grit guard to release trapped dirt. Wring it out, then dunk back into Bucket 1 (Wash) to pick up fresh, clean suds. This ensures you never put dirt back onto the car.

In temperatures over 30°C, wash and rinse one panel at a time. Do not soap the entire car at once. Wash the hood, then immediately rinse it. This prevents the shampoo from drying into a film that is difficult to remove and can streak the paint.

Wash horizontal surfaces (roof, hood, boot) with straight-line strokes. Avoid circular motions. If a piece of grit is trapped, a straight-line scratch is much less visible than a swirl mark. Save the lower 20cm of the car (rocker panels) for the very end, as these are the dirtiest areas.

Open the doors and use a slightly damp, clean microfibre to wipe the sills. In Australia, red dust settles heavily in these gaps. Do not use your main wash mitt here as these areas often contain grease and heavy road grime.

Remove the nozzle from your hose and use a gentle, steady stream of water to 'flood' the panels from the top down. This 'sheeting' action uses surface tension to pull most of the water off the car, leaving much less work for your drying towel and reducing the risk of water spots.

Lay your large microfibre drying towel flat across the hood or roof. Pat it gently and pull it towards you. Do not 'scrub' the paint with the towel. For intricate areas like grilles and mirrors, use a dedicated car blower or a leaf blower to eject trapped water that causes 'drip lines' later.