Keeping the Outback Out: The Real Way to Fight Dust and UV Damage

Chuck everything out. I mean everything. Receipts, old masks, gym bags, and especially the kids' crumbs. You want a blank canvas.

Park in the shade if you can. If you apply protectants to a boiling hot dashboard in the 40-degree heat, they'll just flash off and leave streaks. (Learned that lesson the expensive way on a client's Range Rover).

Take the mats out and hit them with a pressure washer if they're rubber, or give them a serious beating if they're carpet. Leave them to dry in the sun while you work.

Give yourself some airflow. You'll be kicking up a lot of dust during the 'blow-out' phase and you don't want to be breathing it all in.

Before you touch a cloth, use compressed air to blow out the gap between the seats, the vents, and under the pedals. You'll be amazed at the cloud of dust that appears.

Start from the top and work down. Use the brush attachment on the dash first, then move to the seats, and finish with the floors. Use the drill brush on the carpets to 'agitate' the sand to the surface.

Take a clean, dry microfibre and wipe every hard surface. This picks up the loose dust that the vacuum missed. If you go straight in with a wet cloth, you'll just create mud.

Lightly mist your APC onto a cloth (never spray directly onto the dash, it can spot). Wipe down all plastic, vinyl, and rubber. This removes the old oils and grime so the protectant can actually bond.

Use your soft brush to get into the air conditioning vents. If they're really dusty, wrap a thin microfibre around a flat-head screwdriver to get into the slats.

If you've got leather, use a dedicated cleaner and a soft brush. Work it into a lather to pull the dirt out of the 'grain' of the leather. Wipe off with a damp cloth.

This is the most important step. Apply your 303 or Gtechniq C6 to an applicator pad. Work it into the plastic and vinyl in circular motions. Look, don't overdo it. A little goes a long way.

Wait about 5-10 minutes, then take a fresh, dry microfibre and buff the surfaces. This removes the excess and leaves that 'factory' matte finish that doesn't attract dust.

Apply a UV-resistant leather conditioner. In the Aussie sun, leather dries out and cracks like a salt pan. This keeps it supple.

Spray your fabric protector onto the carpets and floor mats. This creates a hydrophobic barrier so spilled coffee or red dust doesn't soak into the fibres.

Clean the inside of the windscreen twice. Dust and 'off-gassing' from plastics create a film that makes glare much worse at sunset.

Don't forget the door shuts! Wipe them down and apply a bit of spray wax. This is where most dust enters the cabin while you're driving.

Check your rubber door seals. If they're dry, apply a tiny bit of silicone grease or a rubber conditioner to keep them pliable and airtight.

Grab your headlamp and look under the seats one last time. It's usually where I find a stray Maccas chip or a handful of red dust.