Getting Rid Of Red Dust Without Ruining Your Paint

Never, and I mean never, wash a car covered in red dust in direct sunlight. If the water dries on the paint while you're working, it'll leave iron spots that are a nightmare to get off. Wait until the panels are cool to the touch.

If you've got dust inside, vacuum it out while it's dry. As soon as you add moisture or steam, that dust turns into mud and stains the carpets forever. Ask the missus, I ruined the mats in our old Kia doing exactly that.

Check all your window seals and make sure they're shut tight. Red dust loves to find its way into the cabin through the smallest gaps.

Start from the top and work down with just water. Spend a good 15 minutes just rinsing. You want to get the bulk of the loose stuff off before you even think about soap. Pay massive attention to the wheel arches and inside the chassis rails.

This is where people get lazy. Stick your pressure washer under the car. If you don't have a dedicated underbody attachment, just lay on the ground and get in there. Keep going until the water running out from under the car is clear, not orange.

Cover the whole car in a thick layer of snow foam. Let it dwell for about 5-7 minutes, but don't let it dry. This encapsulates the fine particles so they slide off rather than scratching. I usually go make a coffee while this happens.

While the foam is on, use a soft brush to go around window seals, badges, door handles, and the fuel filler cap. These are the spots where red dust hides and then bleeds out later.

Rinse the foam off. If the water still looks a bit murky, honestly, just foam it again. It's cheaper than a paint correction later.

Now you can finally touch the car. Use one bucket for your soapy water and one for rinsing your mitt. Clean one panel at a time, rinsing your mitt after every single pass. If you drop your mitt on the ground, chuck it in the bin (or the wash) and get a fresh one.

Once the car is clean but still wet, spray an iron remover on the lower panels and wheels. You'll see it turn purple as it reacts with the red dust particles stuck in the pores of the paint. Rinse it off thoroughly after 2-3 minutes.

Open the doors and use your APC and a cloth to wipe down the internal frames. This is where 90% of the dust settles. Don't spray water directly in here unless you want a wet interior.

Give the engine bay a light misting with APC, agitate with a brush, and rinse with very low pressure. Avoid the alternator and air intake. A clean engine runs cooler, which you'll want in this Aussie heat.

One last rinse with the pressure washer, then dry it off with a massive microfibre drying towel. I'm a big fan of the 'Big Green Sucker' from Bowden’s. Using a leaf blower to get water out of the mirrors and lights helps a lot too.