What You'll Learn
Aussie Conditions
Look, most people think a quick soapy wash is enough, but iron particles are a different beast entirely. They bake into your paintwork, especially with our brutal Aussie sun, and eventually start to oxidise. This guide is for anyone who wants to keep their paint smooth as glass and prevent long-term corrosion. We're going to walk through the chemically-assisted decontamination process that I use in my own shop every single day.
The Invisible Enemy on Your Paint
The Gear You'll Actually Need
What You'll Need
While you're here...
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Get it out of the sun
I cannot stress this enough. If the panels are hot to the touch, stop. Move into the garage or wait until the arvo when the sun's lower. If iron remover dries on your paint or plastic trim, it's a nightmare to get off.
The Initial Rinse
Give the whole car a heavy blast with the pressure washer. You want to get rid of all the loose grit, red dust, and bird droppings first so you aren't just dragging dirt around.
The Contact Wash
Give the car a proper hand wash with a good pH-neutral soap. We need the paint to be as clean as possible so the chemical can get straight to work on the metal particles without fighting through layers of road film.
The Decontamination Process
Dry the car (partially)
You don't need it bone dry, but if it's dripping wet, the iron remover will just slide right off. Give it a quick once-over so the chemical stays where you put it.
Work panel by panel
Start with the roof or the bonnet. Spray a generous amount of iron remover onto the surface. You'll smell that lovely 'rotten egg' scent pretty quickly, that's how you know it's working.
The 'Bleeding' Effect
Wait about 3-5 minutes. You'll see the clear liquid start to turn bright purple or red. This is the chemical reaction where the product is dissolving the iron. It looks like the car is bleeding.
Agitate if needed
If the car is really bad, I'll sometimes use a soft, damp microfibre to gently spread the product around. Don't scrub, just move it.
Rinse thoroughly
Blast it off before it dries. Make sure you get into the cracks, door handles, and around the badges. That purple liquid loves to hide in gaps and leak out later.
The Wheel Deal
Do your wheels separately. They'll have 10x more iron than the body. Spray them till they're purple, let them sit, then brush and rinse. I made the mistake once of doing the wheels last on a black Commodore and the wind blew the overspray onto the dry paint, never again. Do them first or very carefully.
Mechanical Decontamination
Even after the chemical, some bits will still be stuck. Get your clay bar or mitt and some lube. Glide it over the paint. If it's still 'grabbing' or making a noise, there's still crap in the paint.
Final Rinse
One last high-pressure rinse to get rid of any leftover clay lube or chemical residue.
Dry it properly
Use your plush microfibre towel. At this stage, the paint should feel like a fresh sheet of glass. If it doesn't, you've missed a spot.
Watch Out
The Baggy Test
Watch Out
Protecting That Fresh Finish
Common Questions from the Shed
Can I just use a clay bar instead of the chemical stuff?
Is it safe for ceramic coated cars?
How often should I do this?
Will it remove rust spots on my chrome?
Do I have to buy the expensive 'bleeding' wheel cleaners?
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