How to Properly Clean and Protect Your Door Panels (Mar 2026)

Never, ever clean your interior in direct sun. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore back in the day, the cleaner dried instantly and left white streaks that took me hours to fix. Get under a carport or in the garage.

Empty the door pockets. You'd be surprised what people leave in there, old Maccas wrappers, 5-cent pieces, enough sand to fill a beach. Give it a quick vacuum first.

Use your blower or compressed air to get the loose dust out of the window switches and speaker grilles before you get anything wet. It makes life much easier.

Start with the vacuum. Use the brush attachment on the door cards and the pockets. If you've been out west, that red dust is everywhere, and if you hit it with liquid too early, you'll just make mud.

I always start with the metal jams first. Spray a bit of APC on the hinges and the sill. Use an old brush to agitate the grease and dirt, then wipe it clean with a dedicated 'dirty' microfibre. No dramas if it's a bit greasy, just get the grit out.

Starting from the top and working down, spray your cleaner onto your brush or scrub pad, not directly onto the panel if you can help it. This avoids overspray getting on your glass.

Work the cleaner in circular motions. Focus on where your arm rests and the handle, these are the high-traffic areas where skin oils and sweat build up.

For those black scuff marks at the bottom from people kicking the door open, use your scrub pad with a bit more pressure. If they're really stubborn, a tiny bit of APC and a magic eraser (carefully!) usually does it.

Don't soak these! Use a nearly dry brush to flick the dust out. If you get liquid behind the mesh, it can mess with the electronics or cause mould.

Again, be careful here. Use a slightly damp microfibre or a soft brush. Never spray liquid directly into the switches. I've seen mates short out their window motors doing that. Not a cheap fix.

Use a clean, damp microfibre to wipe away the cleaner residue. You want the surface to be 'neutral' before you put any protection on.

Go over it with a fresh dry towel. Ensure there's no moisture sitting in the crevices.

Chuck some 303 or your preferred protectant onto an applicator pad and wipe it over the plastics. Let it sit for a minute, then buff it off with a clean towel. This gives it that factory satin look, not that cheap shiny 'used car yard' look.

Don't forget the rubber seals around the door. Wipe them with a damp cloth and apply a rubber protectant. It stops them from drying out and sticking in the heat.

Check the inside of the window. You probably got some cleaner or fingerprints on it during the process. Give it a quick wipe with glass cleaner so it's crystal.