Keeping Your Ride Mint in the Aussie Heat

Never, ever wash your car in direct sunlight if it's over 25 degrees. The soap will dry, the water will spot, and you'll end up with a bigger mess than you started with. If you don't have a garage, get up at 6 AM or wait until the sun is almost down.

Give the car a thorough rinse with cool water. This brings the surface temperature down. If the water is steaming off the bonnet, it's still too hot to touch.

I always do the wheels first. They're the dirtiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust and grime back onto your clean car.

Scan for bird droppings or bat mess. These need to be pre-soaked with a bit of quick detailer or wet paper towel to soften them up. Don't just scrub them dry!

Fill your wash bucket with the recommended amount of soap, and your rinse bucket with plain water. Throw your mitts in to soak.

Hit the dry car with an iron remover on the wheels and lower panels. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes (don't let it dry!). Rinse thoroughly. This gets the heavy grit off without you touching the paint.

If you've got a foam cannon, use it. It dwells on the paint and lifts that fine Aussie dust. Let it dwell for 5 minutes then rinse.

Start from the roof and work your way down. Wash a panel, then rinse your mitt in the plain water bucket before getting more soap. This keeps the dirt out of your soap bucket.

In summer, rinse every panel as soon as you've washed it. Don't wait until the whole car is done or the soap will burn into the clear coat.

Focus on the mirrors, bumper, and the top of the windscreen. Use a dedicated bug sponge (the soft mesh kind) and plenty of lubrication.

While the car is still wet, use a clay bar or mitt with some soapy water as lube. Run it over the paint. If it feels like sandpaper, keep going until it's smooth as glass.

Give it one last thorough spray to get all the clay residue and loosened dirt off. Pay attention to the door shuts and fuel cap.

Use your big microfibre towel. Lay it flat across the bonnet and pull it towards you. Don't 'rub' like you're drying your hair. We want to minimise friction.

If you've got a leaf blower or a dedicated car dryer, use it to get water out of the mirrors and badges. It stops those annoying 'drip marks' later.

This is the most important step for February. Apply your sealant. I'm a big fan of ceramic spray sealants because they're easy to use and handle the UV well. Work one panel at a time.

Apply a UV protectant to all black plastic trims. Our sun turns black plastic grey in about six months if you don't stay on top of it.

Clean the inside and outside of the glass. Use two towels, one to wipe the product on, one to buff it off for a streak-free finish.

Wipe down the dash and doors. If you've been out near the red dirt, use a soft brush to get the dust out of the air vents.

Apply Aerospace 303 to the dash. This is basically sunscreen for your interior. It stops the plastic from cracking under the heat.

Wipe down the rubber door seals with a damp cloth. It stops them from sticking in the high heat.

Give the carpets a good vacuum. If you've been to the beach, use a stiff brush to flick the sand out of the carpet fibres before vacuuming.

Apply your dressing. Don't overdo it, you want a nice satin finish, not a greasy mess.

Walk around the car with a fresh microfibre. Buff off any high spots from the sealant and check for any spots you missed.