The Ultimate Summer Weekly Maintenance Routine

Never wash a car that is hot to the touch. In Australian summer, this means washing before 9:00 AM or after 6:00 PM. Move the vehicle into total shade. If the panels are hot, the water and chemicals will evaporate instantly, leaving caustic streaks and permanent water spots (calcium deposits) that are incredibly difficult to remove.

Walk around the vehicle and identify high-risk areas. Look for bat droppings (often purple/black and large) or bird lime. If found, do not scrub them. Pre-soak these specific spots with a wet paper towel or a dedicated bug-and-tar remover for 5 minutes before you even begin the main rinse.

Prepare your wash buckets. Use a 200:1 ratio for your car shampoo (approx. 50-100ml per 20L bucket). For your snow foam lance, use a 1:9 ratio of concentrate to water. If you are in a hard-water area (common in parts of SA and WA), slightly increase the shampoo concentration to compensate for the mineral content.

Set your pressure washer to a wide fan spray. Thoroughly flush the wheel arches, focusing on the inner lip where salt and red mud accumulate. This prevents these contaminants from being blown back onto the clean paint later in the process.

Clean wheels first while the rest of the car is dry. Apply pH-neutral wheel cleaner to cool rims. Let dwell for 2-3 minutes (do not let it dry). Agitate with a soft brush, reaching into the barrel to remove brake dust. Rinse thoroughly. Cleaning wheels first prevents dirty water from splashing onto clean paint later.

Apply a thick layer of snow foam to the entire vehicle, starting from the bottom and working up. This foam encapsulates loose dust and salt, pulling them off the surface via gravity. In 35°C+ heat, you may only have 3-4 minutes of dwell time before it begins to dry.

Rinse the foam thoroughly from the top down. Use the pressure washer at a 45-degree angle to the paint, keeping the nozzle at least 30cm away. This 'touchless' phase should remove 90% of the surface grit, significantly reducing the risk of swirl marks during the contact wash.

Dip your mitt into the soapy bucket, wash one panel (starting at the roof), then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket to release trapped grit. This ensures you are always putting a clean mitt onto the paint. Use straight-line motions only; circular motions create visible 'spider web' scratches.

In high Australian heat, do not wait until the end to rinse. Wash the roof and glass, then rinse. Wash the bonnet, then rinse. This prevents soap film from drying on the surface, which can lead to staining on plastic trims and rubber seals.

If the vehicle feels 'gritty' after washing, spray an iron remover on the lower panels. It will turn purple as it reacts with embedded metallic particles from brake rotors. This is vital for white or silver cars common in Australia to prevent 'rail dust' rust spots.

Remove the nozzle from your hose and let a gentle stream of water flow over the panels. This 'sheeting' method uses surface tension to pull most of the water off the car, leaving much less work for your drying towel and reducing contact time.

Lay your large twisted-loop microfibre towel flat across the bonnet or roof and pull it toward you. Do not apply pressure. The towel should do the work. This prevents the physical friction that causes micro-marring in soft clear coats.

Use a dedicated car blower or compressed air to blow water out of wing mirrors, door handles, and light clusters. In coastal areas, trapped salt water in these crevices is the primary cause of 'hidden' rust and unsightly 'weeping' streaks.

Apply a Si02-based ceramic detailer. Spray 2-3 mists per panel onto a fresh microfibre cloth, wipe on, and buff off immediately. This adds a sacrificial layer that reflects UV radiation and makes the surface hydrophobic, helping to repel the next week's dust and rain.

Clean exterior glass with a dedicated glass cleaner and a low-pile 'waffle weave' towel. Use two towels: one for the initial wipe and one for a final dry buff to ensure no streaks remain, which is critical for visibility during low-sun summer afternoons.

Apply a water-based tyre dressing using a foam applicator. Avoid solvent-based 'slingy' dressings. A water-based product provides a deep satin finish and includes UV blockers to prevent the sidewalls from browning (blooming) or cracking in the heat.