Getting the Red Dirt and Mud Off Without Ruining Your Paint

Never, ever wash a mud-caked car in direct Aussie sunlight. In Feb, the panels will be 60 degrees. The soap will dry instantly and leave spots that are harder to get off than the mud. If you don't have a carport, wait until the arvo when the sun starts to drop.

Start with the wheels while the rest of the car is dry. If you spray the whole car first, the water dries on the paint while you're busy scrubbing the wheels. Use a hose to get the big chunks of mud out of the tyre treads and wheel arches first.

Check for any bird droppings or bat 'bombs'. These are highly acidic. If they're baked on, lay a wet paper towel over them for 5 minutes to soften them up before you even start the main wash.

Fill your buckets now. Put your soap in after the water to avoid too much foam at the top. You want a high-lubricity soap, I reckon Meguiar's Gold Class is a solid, easy-to-find option that works well.

Lay your hoses out so they don't catch on the tyres. There's nothing more frustrating than being mid-wash and having the hose snag on a muddy mud-flap.

Start from the bottom and work up. I know it sounds weird, but if you start at the top, the dirty water runs down and hides the mud below. Use the pressure washer to knock off the heavy clods. Pay massive attention to the wheel arches and inside the chassis rails.

Get that underbody tool under there. Spend a good 10 minutes just on the underside. If you've been on the beach, this is where you save your car from the 'iron worm' (rust). I've seen three-year-old Navaras with rusted-out chassis because they skipped this.

Spray a dedicated pre-wash or a diluted APC (All Purpose Cleaner) on the lower thirds of the car. Let it sit for 3-4 minutes, but don't let it dry! This breaks the static bond of the film that mud leaves behind.

Cover the whole car in a thick layer of snow foam. Start from the bottom and go to the top. This foam encapsulates the remaining grit and pulls it down the car safely.

Let that foam work for 5-7 minutes. This is a good time to grab a drink. Watch the foam turn brown as it pulls the red dust out of the crevices.

While the foam is on, use a soft detailing brush to go around the badges, door seals, and fuel cap. These are the spots where red dust lives forever if you aren't careful.

Rinse the foam off thoroughly. This time, start from the top and work down. Make sure you get all the soap out of the window seals and the cowl under the wipers.

Now you can finally touch the car. Dunk your mitt in the soapy bucket, wash a panel (start with the roof), then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket before getting more soap. Light pressure only, let the microfibre do the work.

After rinsing the soap off, spray an iron remover on the paint. If it turns purple, it's working. This is vital if you've been driving through red dirt, as it's often high in iron ore.

Give it one last thorough rinse. I like to take the nozzle off the hose for a final 'sheeting' rinse. It helps the water run off the paint, making drying much easier.

Use your leaf blower to blast water out of the mirrors, lug nuts, and light housings. This stops those annoying drips that ruin your finish later.

Lay your big microfibre towel across the flat surfaces and just pull it towards you. No need to scrub. For the sides, just pat it dry.