How to Look After Your Paint Protection Film (PPF) Without Relining It

Never, ever wash your car in direct sunlight. If the panels are hot to the touch, you're going to get water spots and the soap will dry before you can rinse it. Wait for the arvo or do it in the garage.

Always wash your wheels first. They're the dirtiest part of the car. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust all over your clean PPF.

Do a quick walk-around. Look for any lifting edges. If you find one, be extra careful not to blast it with the pressure washer.

Give the whole car a good soak with plain water. You want to knock off as much loose dirt, salt, and dust as possible before you even touch the paint. If you've been out in the bush, spend extra time in the wheel arches.

I reckon snow foam is a game changer for PPF. It dwells on the surface and lifts the grit. Let it sit for 5 minutes but don't let it dry. If you don't have a foam cannon, just move to the next step.

Dunk your mitt in the soapy bucket, wash a panel, then rinse it in the plain water bucket. Start from the roof and work your way down. This keeps your wash water clean so you aren't rubbing dirt back into the film.

Don't scrub. PPF is 'self-healing' to a point, but you don't want to test it. Use the weight of the mitt and let the soap do the work.

When you're washing near the edge of a film piece, wash 'off' the edge, not 'into' it. This prevents your mitt from catching the film and lifting it.

Rinse the car from the top down. Make sure all the soap is gone from the gaps between panels. Dried soap can leave a nasty white residue on the film edges.

Take your big drying towel and lay it flat across a panel, then just pat it down. Don't drag it across like you're drying a dog. This minimizes friction on the film.

If you've got a blower (even the missus' hairdryer on a cool setting works), use it to blow water out from under the badges and film edges. This stops those annoying drips from leaving streaks later.

Apply your PPF sealant. I usually give it a light spray on a microfibre pad and wipe it on. This adds a sacrificial layer that protects the film from UV rays and makes the next wash easier.

Take a lap around the car. Check for any streaks or spots you missed. If you see a bit of red dust still tucked in a corner, hit it with a bit of detail spray and a clean cloth.