Getting Red Dust and Thick Mud Out of Your Interior

Chuck everything out. Floor mats, seat covers, the half-eaten meat pie under the seat, everything. If you've got baby seats, take 'em out. You'd be amazed at the ecosystem growing under a toddler's seat after a dusty road trip.

Open all the doors and the tailgate. If you've got a leaf blower, give the interior a quick blast from one side to the other. It sounds mental, but it gets the loose surface dust out before you start rubbing it in.

Dilute your APC. Don't go full strength on your first go or you might stain the plastics. I usually go 10:1 for general cleaning and 4:1 for the really nasty mud stains.

Never, ever start with wet cleaners on red dust. It just turns into red paint. Spend a good 20 minutes vacuuming every inch while the dirt is dry. Use the brush attachment to agitate the carpet fibres.

For dried-on mud in the footwells, use a drill brush. It vibrates the sand and grit to the surface of the carpet. Vacuum while you're brushing. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore, if you don't get the grit out dry, it'll never come out.

Use a detailing brush and a vacuum nozzle at the same time. Agitate the dust in the vents and suck it up immediately. This stops that 'old dust' smell when you turn the aircon on later.

Spray your APC onto the muddy spots on the carpet and upholstery. Give it a minute to work, but don't let it dry. Our Aussie heat means stuff dries fast, so work one section at a time.

Scrub the stained areas with a medium brush. If you have a wet/dry vac, use it to suck up the dirty suds. If not, blot it heavily with a clean microfibre cloth. Don't rub side-to-side, you'll just fray the carpet.

Use a fresh cloth and a mild cleaner for the dash and door cards. If there's mud in the grain of the plastic, use a soft toothbrush. I've found that some 'cheap' interior wipes actually leave a sticky residue that attracts more dust next time, so I'd probably say stick to a proper liquid cleaner.

This is where the red dust lives. Use a damp cloth wrapped around a flat-head screwdriver (carefully!) to get into the seams around the gear shifter and handbrake.

Dust creates a film on the inside of the glass. Use a dedicated glass cleaner like Stoner Invisible Glass. Use two towels: one to wipe the dirt off, one to buff it dry. If you leave streaks, the morning sun will blind you.

Don't forget the rubber seals! Mud gets trapped in there and eventually eats the rubber. Wipe them down with a damp cloth and apply a bit of silicone-based protectant so they don't stick in the heat.

Shut the doors, let it sit for 5 minutes, then go back in. Your nose will tell you if you missed a spot of damp mud.