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Exterior Care intermediate 11 min read

Getting the Grime off Your Snorkel and Roof Rack

Most car owners make this harder than it needs to be. Here's the straightforward approach that actually works—no fluff, no upselling.

Cleaning your 4x4 isn't just about the panels. Snorkels and roof racks copped the brunt of summer's UV and red dust, and if you don't treat them right, they'll fade and perish before next season.

B"W
Barry "Bazza" Williams Product Reviewer
| Updated: 17 March 2026
What You'll Learn
Getting the Grime off Your Snorkel and Roof Rack

Aussie Conditions

Australian conditions are tougher than most—intense UV, red dust, coastal salt, and 40°C summers. European car care advice often doesn't cut it here.
Quick Summary

Look, we've all been there after a big trip up the coast or out to the red centre. Your car looks alright from a distance, but your snorkel is caked in bug guts and your roof rack has enough red dust in the channels to start a brick factory. This guide is for the blokes and ladies who want their gear to actually last. I'm going to show you how to deep clean these bits properly without scratching your paint or drying out your plastics.

01

Why Bother with the High Bits?

Right, let's be honest. Most of us give the car a quick squirt at the servo and reckon she'll be right. But after 15 years detailin' rigs across Queensland and NSW, I've seen what happens when you neglect the 'high-impact' zones like snorkels and roof racks. These things are front and centre for everything Australia throws at us, 40 degree heat, salt spray that eats metal for breakfast, and that bloody red dust that finds its way into every crevice. I learned this the hard way when I was younger. I had a black GU Patrol with a Safari snorkel. I ignored it for two years, just letting the sun bake the mud on. When I finally tried to clean it, the plastic had 'chalked' so badly it looked grey and felt like sandpaper. No matter what I put on it, it looked rubbish. I ended up having to replace the whole thing because it looked like a sore thumb on an otherwise clean car. Don't be that person. Thing is, snorkels and racks are made of different materials than your car's paint. You've got textured plastics, powder-coated aluminium, maybe some stainless steel, and plenty of rubber seals. You can't just hit 'em with the same harsh chemicals you use on your wheels and hope for the best. Especially now it's March and the humidity is dropping but the UV is still biting, it's the perfect time to get that salt and dust off before it settles in for the winter. A customer once brought in a LandCruiser that had been sitting near the coast after a Fraser trip. The salt had actually started pitting the powder coat on his Rhino-Rack because he'd just 'rinsed' it without getting into the T-channels. It took me six hours just to get that rack looking semi-decent again. Trust me, twenty minutes of proper care now saves you a thousand bucks in replacements later. Anyway, let's get stuck into it.
02

The Gear You'll Actually Need

What You'll Need

0/12
A Sturdy Step Ladder — Don't try to stand on your tyres. I've seen too many mates end up in the ER because they slipped off a muddy 33-inch mud-tyre. Get a proper 3-step ladder.
pH Neutral Car Wash — I reckon Bowden's Own Nanolicious is the go here. It's gentle but has enough lubricity to slide the grit off without scratching.
Soft Bristle Detailing Brushes — Get a pack of various sizes. You need these for the snorkel grille and the bolt heads on the rack.
Long-Reach Wheel Brush — Sounds weird, but a soft wheel brush is perfect for getting between the roof and the rack where your hand won't fit.
Pressure Washer (Optional but handy) — If you use one, don't go full blast on the snorkel intake. You're trying to clean it, not drown your air filter.
Clay Bar or Clay Mitt — For getting those baked-on bugs off the front of the snorkel. Use plenty of lube (soapy water works).
Microfiber Wash Mitt — Keep one specifically for the 'dirty' jobs like this so you don't contaminate your paint mitt.
Plastic Restorer/Protectant — Solution Finish is the gold standard for black plastics, but for a quicker job, 303 Aerospace Protectant is brilliant for UV protection.
All-Purpose Cleaner (APC) — Diluted 10:1. Something like Meguiar's APC. Good for breaking down old grease and bug guts.
Compressed Air or a Leaf Blower — Essential for blowing water out of the rack channels so it doesn't drip for three days.
Non-Acidic Bug Remover — Gtechniq W8 is a cracker for those dry, crusty Aussie grasshoppers.
Waffle Weave Drying Towel — Dedicated for the rack. It'll probably get a bit stained from the aluminium/rubber, so don't use the missus's good hand towels.
03

Prep Work (Don't skip this)

Tap each step to mark complete
01

Park in the shade

Never, ever wash a roof rack in the direct sun. The powder coat gets hot enough to fry an egg, and your soap will dry instantly, leaving nasty streaks. Wait for the arvo or do it under a carport.

02

Check your seals

Before you spray any water, check the snorkel entry point into the guard. If the sealant is cracked, be careful with the hose. You don't want water sitting inside your guard panel.

03

Remove the accessories

If you've got recovery boards, shovels, or awnings attached, take 'em off. You can't clean under them properly while they're mounted, and salt loves to hide in those gaps.

04

The 'Thump' Test

Give the rack a good shake. If it's wobbling, tighten the mounts now. Cleaning involves a bit of elbow grease, and you don't want a loose rack shifting while you're scrubbing.

05

Pre-rinse the whole car

Get the bulk of the loose dust off the roof and snorkel first. Use a low-pressure rinse to avoid pushing grit deeper into the seals.

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04

The Step-by-Step Deep Clean

Tap each step to mark complete
01

Soak the snorkel head

Spray your bug remover onto the snorkel intake and the front-facing tube. Let it dwell for 3-5 minutes, but don't let it dry. This softens up the organic matter (bugs) that's basically been kiln-fired by the sun.

02

Detail the snorkel grille

Use your small brush and soapy water to get into the slats of the snorkel head. This is where spiders love to hide, and where dust builds up. Scrub gently in a circular motion.

03

The 'Under-Rack' Rinse

Using your long-reach brush or a bent hose attachment, get under the roof rack. This is the 'dead zone' where leaves and salt accumulate. It's often the first place a roof starts to rust.

04

APC the T-Channels

Spray your diluted APC into the channels of the roof rack. These channels hold red dust like nothing else. Use a stiff detailing brush to agitate the dirt out of the corners.

05

Scrub the snorkel body

Use your wash mitt and plenty of soap on the main tube. If it feels rough even after washing, that's where the clay bar comes in. Run the clay over the plastic to pull out the embedded grit.

06

Clean the rack slats

Wash each slat of the rack individually. I usually start from the front and work back. Don't forget the underside of the slats, salt spray loves to sit there out of sight.

07

Rinse thoroughly

Rinse from the top down. Make sure you're flushing all the soap out of the snorkel's water drain holes (those little slits at the bottom of the head).

08

Dry the high spots

Use your leaf blower or compressed air to blast water out of the rack's bolt holes and channels. If you don't, you'll get 'weeping' streaks down your windows as soon as you start driving.

09

The 'Microfiber Wipe'

Take your drying towel and wipe down the snorkel and rack. Check for any missed spots or 'ghosting' from old mud.

10

Treat the snorkel plastic

Apply your plastic protectant. If the snorkel is starting to grey, use Solution Finish. If it's still healthy, a coat of 303 Aerospace will keep the UV from killing it. Apply with a foam applicator and buff off the excess.

11

Protect the powder coat

If you've got a metal rack, I reckon a quick spray sealant like Gtechniq C2V3 is the go. It makes the surface slick so the next lot of dust just blows off.

12

Check the rubber seals

Apply a bit of rubber conditioner to the gaskets where the rack meets the roof. It stops them from perishing and keeps the water out.

The Old 'Bat Dropping' Trick

If you've got bat droppings on your roof rack or snorkel, do NOT scrub them dry. They're incredibly acidic. Place a wet microfiber cloth soaked in warm soapy water over the dropping for 10 minutes. It'll dissolve the acid so you can just wipe it away without eating your finish.

Watch Out

When rinsing your snorkel, never point a high-pressure hose directly into the intake 'mouth'. Most snorkels have a water separator, but they aren't designed to handle 2000 PSI of direct water. You'll soak your air filter and could hydraulic the engine if you're really unlucky.
05

Going the Extra Mile: Advanced Tips

If you're a bit of a perfectionist like me, there's a couple of things you can do to really level up. First, consider ceramic coating your snorkel. I know it sounds like overkill, but a dedicated trim coating like Gtechniq C4 makes plastic almost immune to UV fading for about two years. It also makes bug removal about ten times easier because they can't 'bite' into the plastic. Another thing is the hardware. Roof rack bolts are notorious for getting a bit of surface rust or 'tea-staining' in Australia. I like to take the bolts out once a year, give them a soak in some WD-40 Specialist Rust Remover, and then apply a tiny dab of anti-seize before putting them back in. Made this mistake myself on a black Commodore rack years ago, the bolts seized so hard I had to drill them out. Absolute nightmare. Lastly, if your snorkel has that 'chalky' look and a protectant isn't fixing it, you can actually use a very fine polishing compound on a hand pad to 'level' the oxidized plastic before applying a restorer. Just be careful not to flatten the texture too much.
06

What's in my Kit?

Look, I've tried most things on the shelf at the local auto shop. Some are gold, some are rubbish. For the snorkel, stick to 'Solution Finish' if it's faded, honestly, I wouldn't bother with those cheap 'back to black' sprays that wash off in the first rain. For the rack, Bowden's Own 'Happy Ending' is a great 'wet' sealant you can spray on while the rack is still wet and rinse off. It leaves a decent layer of protection without you having to climb all over the roof to buff it. For bug removal, 'Autoglym Magma' is actually a wheel cleaner, but it's safe on paint and works wonders on iron fallout and some organic grime on metal racks.
07

Keeping it Clean

Aftercare is where most people drop the ball. Once you've done the big deep clean, the trick is not letting it get that bad again. I reckon a quick spray-down after every trip to the beach or a dusty track is non-negotiable. You don't even need soap most of the time, just a good high-pressure rinse to stop the salt from crystallizing in the channels. Get yourself a 'top-up' spray like 303 and hit the snorkel every couple of months. It takes two minutes and basically acts like sunscreen for your gear. Your partner will thank you when you're not spending all Saturday morning scrubbing the car, and when it comes time to sell the rig, having accessories that aren't faded or rusty will add a few grand to the price. It's just common sense, really. Anyway, that's the bulk of it. If you look after the bits that look after you, your gear will last a lifetime.
08

Common Questions from the Workshop

Can I use a heat gun to restore my faded snorkel?
No! Don't do it. People on YouTube swear by it, but all you're doing is pulling the internal oils to the surface. It looks good for a week, then the plastic becomes brittle and cracks. Use a proper restorer like Solution Finish instead.
How do I get red dust out of the T-channels?
A soft toothbrush and a vacuum with a brush attachment is the best way to do it dry. If it's wet, you need high-pressure water and a lot of patience. Once clean, spray some dry silicone lube in there to stop the dust sticking next time.
My roof rack is whistling after I cleaned it. Why?
You probably moved the 'wind noise' strips (those rubber inserts in the channels) or took them out. Make sure they are pushed all the way in and there are no gaps. Even a 5mm gap can cause a whistle at 100km/h.
Is it safe to use a pressure washer on my awning?
I wouldn't. Use a garden hose and a soft brush. Pressure washers can strip the waterproof coating or tear the stitching on the bag.
Should I wax my snorkel?
Not if it's textured plastic. Wax will get stuck in the pores and turn white, and it's a mongrel to get out. Use a dedicated plastic sealant or trim restorer.
What's the best way to remove tree sap?
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a microfiber cloth is the go-to. Just don't let it sit too long on the plastic. Dab it, let it dissolve the sap, and wipe it away.
How often should I tighten my roof rack bolts?
I check mine every time I do an oil change (every 10,000km) or after any long corrugated track. Vibrations are the enemy of roof racks.
Can salt spray really damage aluminium racks?
Absolutely. It causes 'white rust' (aluminium oxidation). If the powder coat is scratched, the salt gets underneath and starts lifting the finish. Always rinse after coastal trips.

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