A ceramic coating makes washing easier, but only if the car is washed the right way. Here is how to look after one.
Give it time to cure first.
Ask your installer how long your coating needs to cure and what to avoid in that window. As a general rule, keep the car dry and out of sprinklers and heavy rain until that time has passed, and do not wash it before then.
Wash by hand, gently.
- Rinse the whole car first to lift loose dirt before anything touches the paint.
- Use a pH-neutral car soap and a clean microfiber wash mitt, working from the roof down.
- Use two buckets if you can: one for soap, one for rinsing the mitt.
- Wash in the shade and rinse before the soap dries.
- Dry with a clean microfiber towel or a blower. Do not let water air-dry in spots.
What to avoid.
- Brush car washes. The brushes put swirls into the paint, which is exactly what the coating is meant to help you avoid.
- Harsh or acidic cleaners and anything labeled as a paint stripper.
- Scrubbing dry dirt. Rinse first, always.
- Wax or polish unless your installer says it is fine for your coating.
Deal with the hard stuff quickly.
Bird droppings, tree sap and bugs are easier to remove the sooner you get to them. Soften them with a wet microfiber, then lift them off rather than rubbing. In winter, rinse road salt off regularly. A coating helps salt and grime release, but it does not make the paint immune to them.
Know what a coating does and does not do.
A ceramic coating adds gloss and makes the paint easier to clean. It is not chip protection. If rock chips are your concern, that is what paint protection film is for, and the two can work together.
Thinking about a coating? Read about our ceramic coating service at the Chardon shop.
