Getting Rid of Iron Fallout and Brake Dust the Right Way

Park the car under a carport or in the garage. If the paint is hot to the touch, the iron remover will dry instantly and stain your finish. That's a nightmare to fix.

Give your wheels and brakes a spray with plain water. If you've just come off the highway, those rotors are roasting. Let them cool so you don't warp anything.

Blast the car thoroughly with water. You want to get all the loose dirt, red dust, and bird droppings off first. No point wasting expensive chemicals on loose mud.

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

Do a standard two-bucket wash. We want the paint 'squeaky clean' but still wet before we move to the iron removal stage.

You don't want it bone dry, but you don't want it soaking wet either. If there's too much water, the iron remover just slides off the paint before it can work.

Don't try to do the whole car at once. Start with the wheels, then move to the back bumper (where most fallout collects).

Apply a liberal mist. Start from the bottom and work your way up. You'll notice it starts to turn purple or 'bleed' almost immediately.

Let it sit for 3-5 minutes. This is the crucial bit. The chemical is reacting with the iron. Don't let it dry! If it starts to dry, mist a little more over it.

For really crusty wheels, use your brush to gently stir the purple soup. For paint, I usually don't agitate unless it's really bad.

Blast it off with your pressure washer. Make sure you get into the cracks, around the badges, and inside the fuel cap. You don't want this stuff sitting in crevices.

Now do the boot lid and the bonnet. These flat surfaces catch the most fallout from the sky.

If the liquid stays clear, congrats! You've got most of it. If it's still turning deep purple, you might need a second hit.

Give the whole car another once-over with the hose to ensure all chemical residue is gone.

Now that the heavy metal is gone, use a clay mitt with plenty of lube to pick up any remaining bonded contaminants like tree sap or overspray.

I always do a quick 'reset' wash with some fresh soap just to make sure the paint is perfectly neutral.

Use your big microfibre towel. Pat dry, don't drag if you can help it. The paint should feel incredibly smooth now.