Keeping Your Paint Prime: Exterior Care for the Aussie Autumn

Never, ever wash your car in direct sunlight if you can avoid it. The water and soap will dry too fast, leaving nasty water spots that are a nightmare to get off. If you have to do it outside, wait until late arvo when the panels are cool to the touch.

I always start with the wheels. If you wash the body first then move to the wheels, the water on the body dries and leaves spots while you're scrubbing the rims. Use a separate bucket for your wheel brushes.

One bucket with soapy water, one with plain water. This is the 'Two Bucket Method'. You dunk your mitt in the soap, wash a panel, then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket to drop the dirt before going back for more soap. Simple, but it works.

Give the whole car a massive rinse. You want to knock off as much loose dirt and dust as possible. If you've just come back from a trip up north and the car is covered in red dust, spend double the time on this. If you start rubbing that dust with a mitt, you're basically sanding your car.

If you've got a foam cannon, chuck some foam on now and let it dwell for 5 minutes. It breaks down the oils and grit. If not, don't sweat it, just move to the next step.

Start at the roof and work your way down. The bottom of the car (the sills and bumpers) is always the filthiest. You don't want to pick up that road grime and then rub it on your bonnet. Wash one panel at a time.

Don't scrub the paint like you're cleaning a burnt lasagne dish. Let the mitt glide over the surface. If a bug doesn't come off, don't force it. We'll deal with that later.

I usually rinse each panel as soon as I've finished washing it. This keeps the soap from drying, especially on these warm Aussie days.

Once the car is clean but still wet, put your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and rub it over the paint. If it feels like sandpaper, you've got bonded contaminants. Use a clay mitt with plenty of soapy water as lubricant to gently 'shave' those bumps off until it's smooth as silk.

One last rinse to get all the clay residue and loose bits off. Use a steady stream of water rather than a spray; it actually helps the water sheet off the car better.

Lay your big microfibre towel flat across the bonnet and just pull it towards you. It'll soak up 90% of the water without you having to rub. Get into the door jambs too, the missus will appreciate not getting water on her shoes next time she hops in.

Now the important bit. For our UV, you need a sealant. I'm a big fan of the modern ceramic sprays. Usually, you just spray a little bit onto a microfibre pad, wipe it over the panel, and buff it off immediately. Do this in sections.

Clean your glass with a dedicated glass cleaner (Stoner Invisible Glass is the best, hands down). Then, if you've got black plastic trim, hit it with some UV protectant. Autoglym Bumper & Trim Gel is a classic that actually lasts.