Keeping Your Vinyl Wrap Looking Mint in the Aussie Sun

Never, ever wash a wrapped car in direct Aussie sun. The water will evaporate in seconds, leaving nasty water spots that are a massive pain to get off vinyl. If you can't get under a carport, do it first thing in the morning or late in the arvo.

Put your hand on the bonnet. If it's hot enough to fry an egg, it's too hot to wash. Let it cool down, otherwise you risk 'thermal shock' to the adhesive.

Always do your wheels first. They're the dirtiest part, and you don't want brake dust and grime splashing onto your freshly cleaned wrap later.

Start with a thorough rinse. If you've just come back from a trip and the car is covered in that fine red outback dust, take your time here. You want to flush as much grit off as possible before you even think about touching it with a mitt.

Chuck some snow foam on and let it dwell for 5 minutes. This softens up the bird droppings and salt spray. Don't let it dry! Rinse it off thoroughly.

One bucket with your soapy water, one with plain water to rinse your mitt. Dip, wash a panel, rinse the mitt in the plain water, repeat. It sounds like a hassle, but it's the only way to keep your wrap from getting those swirl marks.

Start at the roof and work your way down. The bottom sections behind the wheels are always the filthiest. Save them for last.

Be careful around the seams and edges of the wrap. If you're using a pressure washer, keep it at least 30-50cm away. I've seen blokes peel the corner of a door wrap right off because they got too greedy with the jet wash. (Made that mistake myself on a work van once, not a fun phone call to the boss).

Use your soft brush to gently clean around badges and window seals. Dust loves to hide there and then streak down the car the moment you start driving.

Give it a final, low-pressure rinse. I actually like to take the nozzle off the hose and let the water just 'sheet' off. It leaves less water on the car to dry.

Don't let it air dry, especially if you have hard water. Lay your big microfibre towel across the surface and pat it dry or pull it slowly toward you. No circular scrubbing motions.

Open 'em up and dry the insides. Water sitting in the petrol flap is a classic spot for causing wrap lift over time.

Once it's bone dry, apply a wrap-specific sealant. This is your UV shield. If you've got a matte wrap, make sure the product won't add gloss, you don't want a 'splotchy' finish.