Deep Cleaning Your Interior Like a Pro

Chuck everything out. I mean everything. Check under the seats for those rogue fries and clear out the glovebox. If it's not bolted down, it goes.

Before you vacuum, use compressed air or a blower to get the dust out of the seat rails, between the console, and inside the vents. You'll be amazed how much red dust hides in there.

Pull the floor mats out and give them a good thrashing against a brick wall. Most of the dirt is deep in the pile and needs a bit of 'percussive maintenance' to come loose.

Start from the top and work down. Use a brush attachment for the dash and a crevice tool for the gaps. Spend at least 20 minutes on this. If you miss the dry dirt now, it'll just turn into mud later when you add cleaner.

Be bloody careful here. A customer once brought in an old Falcon where the roof lining was sagging because they soaked it. Just lightly mist a microfibre with APC and gently wipe. Don't scrub.

Spray your APC onto the brush, not the dash (keeps it from splashing on the glass). Work in small circles to agitate the grain of the plastic. Wipe away the grime immediately with a clean microfibre.

Use your small brush to get into the air vents. If you've been out west, that red dust loves to stick here. A damp cotton bud works wonders for the tiny corners.

Apply leather cleaner to a soft brush and work it into a lather on the seat. You'll see the 'shine' disappear, that's good! Shiny leather is actually just oily, dirty leather. Real leather should have a matte finish.

If you've got stains on fabric seats, spray your cleaner, let it dwell for 2 minutes, then use a steam cleaner or an extractor. If you don't have one, a damp microfibre and some elbow grease will have to do.

Don't forget the steering wheel and the seatbelts. The steering wheel is usually the filthiest part of the car because of the oils from your hands. Give it a good scrub until the towel stops coming away black.

Clean the inside of the windscreen last. Use a dedicated glass cleaner and two towels, one to wipe the dirt off, and a dry one to buff away the streaks. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners if you've got tinted windows.

Wipe down the metal parts of the door frames. A lot of Aussie dust sits here and gets blown back into the car every time you close the door.

Apply your UV protectant to the dash and door cards. This is vital for our climate. Let it sit for a minute, then buff it off with a dry cloth so it's not greasy. You want a factory satin look, not a 'servo car wash' oily mess.