Saving Your Dash From the Aussie Summer

Never, ever clean your interior while the dash is hot to the touch. The cleaner will just flash off (dry out) and leave streaks that are a nightmare to get off. Find a shady spot or do it in the garage.

Open all the doors. If you've got an air compressor, blow out the vents and cracks first. If not, give the dash a good 'thump' with your hand while holding the vacuum nozzle nearby to catch the flying dust.

Vacuum the whole dash, top of the steering column, and around the screens. Getting the loose grit off now prevents you from scratching the plastic when you start wiping later.

I learned this the hard way on an old Euro car where the 'soft touch' coating just melted. Test your cleaner on a hidden spot down low near the kick panels first.

Don't just spray cleaner everywhere. It'll get inside your buttons and behind your screens. Spray it onto your microfibre towel first.

For textured vinyl, spray a bit of cleaner onto your soft brush and work it in small circles. This lifts the red dust out of the 'grain' of the plastic.

Wipe away the lifted dirt with a clean microfibre. Flip the towel often. You'll be surprised how black that towel gets even if the car looks 'clean'.

Use your brush to get into the air con vents. This is where that 'old car smell' often hides, it's just dusty moisture sitting in there.

Most modern cars have massive infotainment screens. Use a specific glass cleaner or just a damp microfibre. Don't use chemicals on these; they have anti-glare coatings that are easily ruined.

This is the filthiest part of the car. Use a bit more elbow grease here. Your skin oils build up and make it look shiny and gross. A deep clean should leave it looking matte.

Once the surface is clean and dry, apply your UV protectant (like 303) to a fresh applicator or cloth. Apply a thin, even coat over all vinyl and plastic surfaces.

Let the protectant sit for about 2-5 minutes. It needs a moment to bond with the surface.

Take a clean, dry microfibre and buff the whole dash. You don't want it looking wet or greasy, that just attracts more dust and creates a shocking glare on the windscreen.

Don't forget the top of the door cards where you rest your arm. This area gets loads of sweat and sunscreen marks (which are a bugger to remove if left too long).

Stick your head in from the passenger side and look at the dash from a different angle. You'll usually spot a smudge you missed.