Guide
Work vehicle cleaning: a practical guide for company cars and vans
Work vehicle cleaning is easy to put off because the car still drives the same when it is dirty. But a company car is often the first thing a customer sees, and a cab shared between drivers collects dust, crumbs and fingerprints fast. A short weekly routine keeps it presentable and protects the vehicle's value.
A weekly interior routine
- Remove rubbish, receipts, bottles and anything loose from door pockets and under seats.
- Shake out or vacuum floor mats, then vacuum the carpet, seat bases and the gaps beside the seats.
- Wipe the dashboard, centre console and door trims with a damp microfibre cloth and an interior cleaner suited to plastics.
- Clean the inside of the windscreen last, with a separate glass cloth, so you are not smearing dust from the dash onto the glass.
- In utes and vans, sweep or blow out the tray or cargo area and check tie-down points.
Touch points people miss
When several drivers share a vehicle, the touch points matter as much as a kitchen bench. Give these a wipe at every clean:
- Steering wheel and horn pad
- Gear selector and handbrake
- Indicator and wiper stalks
- Interior and exterior door handles
- Seatbelt buckles and height adjusters
- Touchscreen, radio controls and climate dials
Check the owner's manual before you use anything stronger than a damp cloth on screens and leather. Some disinfectants and glass cleaners can cloud anti-glare coatings or dry out leather. The principles in our cleaning vs disinfecting guide apply here too: clean first, then disinfect if you need to.
Exterior care
Wash in the shade, or early or late in the day, so water and shampoo do not dry on hot panels and leave spots. Use a dedicated car shampoo rather than dishwashing liquid, which strips wax and dries out rubber seals. The two-bucket method, one bucket of soapy water and one of clean rinse water, keeps grit off your wash mitt and reduces swirl marks.
Bird droppings, bat droppings and tree sap are worth removing promptly. Left to bake on a panel in the sun, they can etch the clear coat. A quick detailer spray and a clean microfibre towel kept in the glovebox lets drivers deal with them on the day.
Where you can, use a commercial car wash that recycles water, or a bucket instead of a running hose, and check whether your local area has any water-use rules.
Paint protection: wax, sealant or ceramic coating
Australian sun is hard on paint, and work vehicles often sit outside all day. There are three common levels of protection:
| Option | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wax | A natural or synthetic layer applied by hand or machine | Low cost, regular reapplication |
| Paint sealant | A synthetic polymer that generally outlasts wax | A middle ground with less upkeep |
| Ceramic coating | A liquid coating that cures into a hard, protective layer | Longer-term protection and easier washing |
Ceramic coating takes the most preparation. The paint usually needs to be decontaminated and corrected before the coating goes on, because the coating locks in whatever is underneath. If you want to see what that process involves, Isaac's Pro Detailing explains its ceramic coating process, from surface preparation to curing, on its own website.
When to bring in a professional
A weekly wipe-down keeps a vehicle tidy, but some jobs are better left to a detailer: stained upholstery, odours that keep coming back, heavy tar or overspray on paint, and swirl marks or oxidation that need machine polishing. For a fleet, booking each vehicle in for a full detail on a regular cycle is often easier to manage than leaving it to individual drivers.