Keeping Your Black Car Looking Mint in the Aussie Sun

Never, ever wash a black car in direct sunlight. The water will evaporate in seconds, leaving nasty mineral spots. Find a carport or wait until the arvo when the sun's low.

Wash your wheels before the paint. Why? Because if you wash the paint first, the water will dry and spot while you're busy scrubbing the rims. Use a separate bucket.

Give the whole car a good blast with the hose or pressure washer. You want to get rid of the loose 'red dust' or salt spray before you even think about touching it with a mitt.

Cover the car in a thick layer of snow foam. Let it sit for 5 minutes (don't let it dry!). This loosens the grit. Rinse it off thoroughly.

Spray an iron remover on the paint. If you see purple streaks, that's the iron particles from brakes dissolving. Rinse again. (Trust me, this makes the claying step much easier).

Dip your mitt in the soapy water, wash a panel, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket. Work from the roof down. Use zero pressure, just let the mitt glide.

Lay your large drying towel flat across the bonnet and pull it towards you. Don't 'scrub' the car dry. If you have a leaf blower, use that to get water out of the mirrors and badges.

Use plenty of clay lubricant. Slide the clay bar over the paint until it feels smooth. On black paint, be extra gentle. If you drop the clay, chuck it in the bin immediately. No exceptions.

Use blue painter's tape to cover plastic trim, rubber seals, and badges. Polishing pads will stain plastic white, and it's a nightmare to get off.

Don't go gung-ho on the whole car. Pick a small area on the boot or bonnet. Try your least aggressive polish and pad first. Check the results with a bright torch. If it looks good, proceed.

Apply 4 small dots of polish to your pad. Work in a 50cm x 50cm square. Use slow, overlapping passes. Don't rush it. Black paint requires patience.

Use a fresh microfiber to buff off the residue. Use your IPA spray to remove oils. If you still see swirls, you might need a slightly heavier compound, then follow up with the fine polish.

If you want that insane depth, use an ultra-fine finishing polish on a soft black foam pad with very low machine speed. This 'levels' the paint to a mirror finish.

Wipe the whole car down with IPA. The paint should feel 'squeaky' clean. This ensures your wax or coating actually sticks to the paint, not the polish oils.

Whether it's a ceramic coating or a high-end carnauba wax, apply it thin and even. On black paint, 'more' is not better. It just makes it harder to buff off and can cause streaking.

Use the 'two-towel' method. One towel to remove the bulk of the product, the second clean towel to give it a final buff. This prevents 'high spots' on coatings.

Clean the windows with a dedicated glass cleaner. Apply a non-sling tyre dressing. Avoid the cheap, greasy silicon stuff; it'll just flick up onto your freshly polished black doors.