Cleaning a bakkie or 4x4 after a gravel road trip

A weekend on Karoo dirt roads or a bush-camp track leaves fine dust in places a normal wash never reaches: door shuts, tailgate hinges, under the rubber seals and deep in the load bin. Wiping it while it is dry is like cleaning with sandpaper. Soak, foam, flush, then wash — and do it soon, because mud packed into the chassis holds moisture against the metal.

1. 1

   Underbody and arches first

   Flush the wheel arches, sills, chassis rails and suspension with plenty of water to soften and move packed mud. Work from the front to the back so it all runs out behind.

2. 2

   Load bin and liner

   Rinse the bin, then spray APC Pro at 1:10 on a rubber or plastic liner, agitate with a stiff brush and rinse. Lift out removable liners and flush the dust trapped underneath.

   Bay tip · Open the tailgate and rinse the hinge and latch area — it collects a surprising amount of grit.

3. 3

   Door shuts and seals

   Open each door and wipe the shuts with a microfibre and diluted APC Pro, then rinse gently at low pressure. Dust here ends up on your clothes and in the cabin.

4. 4

   Snow foam the body

   Foam the whole vehicle and give it a full dwell in the shade. On a dust-caked bakkie, a second foam pass is worth the extra five minutes.

5. 5

   Wheels, then two-bucket wash

   Clean wheels and tyres with Wheel Rescue and the brushes, then two-bucket wash the body with Pure Wash. Dry straight away.

6. 6

   Cabin dust-out

   Vacuum seats, vents and footwells, then wipe the dash and plastics with Pure Cabin on a towel. Run the fan on high with the doors open to push dust out of the vents.

   Bay tip · Have the cabin and engine air filters checked after a long dusty trip.

Safety: Wear gloves and eye protection with APC Pro. Do not let it dry on paint or glass; rinse thoroughly. Take care around hot exhausts and brakes straight after a drive — let the vehicle cool first.