Keeping Your Black Car From Looking Like a Disaster

Never, ever wash a black car in direct Aussie sun. The panels get so hot they'll flash-dry the soap, leaving nasty white spots. If you don't have a carport, do it at 7am or late arvo.

Clean your wheels before you touch the body. If you do the body first, you'll be spraying brake dust and grime back onto your clean paint while you're scrubbing the rims.

Scan for bird droppings or bat guts. These are acidic and will eat through black clear coat in hours. If you find some, pre-soak them with a bit of quick detailer to soften them up.

Blast the car with just water first. You want to knock off the loose red dust and grit. Focus on the wheel arches and lower sills where the heavy stuff hides.

Cover the whole car in a thick layer of snow foam. Let it dwell for about 5-8 minutes, but don't let it dry. This softens the dirt so it slides off.

Rinse the foam off. At this point, the car should look mostly clean. This 'touchless' stage is the secret to avoiding those swirl marks.

One bucket with soapy water, one with plain water for rinsing your mitt. Dip in soap, wash a panel (top to bottom), rinse the mitt in the plain water, repeat. Use almost zero pressure.

While the car is still wet, mist a tiny bit of detailing spray or drying aid over the panel. This acts as a lubricant between the towel and the paint. (I learned this the hard way after scratching a black BMW with a dry towel).

If you've got a leaf blower, use it to blow water out of the mirrors and badges. Otherwise, lay your big drying towel flat on the bonnet and just 'drag' it towards you. Don't scrub.

If the paint feels like sandpaper, use an iron fallout remover. On black cars, you won't see the 'purple bleeding' as easily, but trust me, it's working.

Apply your sealant or wax. For black cars, I reckon a high-quality synthetic sealant like Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection works wonders for that mirror finish without the hazing you get with some cheap waxes.

Don't be that person with a shiny car and filthy door jams. Wipe them down with a damp microfibre. Your partner will thank you when they don't get grease on their clothes getting in.

Chuck some tyre shine on, but go for a matte or satin finish. Super glossy tyres on a black car look a bit tacky, in my opinion. Wipe off the excess so it doesn't sling down your clean doors.