A ceramic coating makes washing easier, but how you wash still decides how long it lasts and how good it looks. Here’s the routine we give every coating client.
First week: let it cure
Drive the car normally, but don’t wash it for about a week while the coating fully cures. If a bird dropping lands on it, gently rinse it off with water.
The routine
- Rinse first. Knock off as much loose dirt as possible with a hose or pressure washer before you touch the paint.
- Use a pH-neutral car soap. Avoid dish soap and harsh degreasers.
- Two buckets. One with soapy water, one with plain water to rinse your mitt so you aren’t dragging grit back across the paint.
- Clean microfiber or chenille wash mitt. Work top to bottom, lower panels last, since they’re the dirtiest.
- Rinse well. On a coated car, water will sheet off and take most of the soap with it.
- Dry with a soft drying towel or blower. Pat or drag gently. Don’t scrub.
How often
Every one to two weeks is ideal for a daily driver. In winter, rinse road salt off more often, even if it’s just a quick rinse of the lower panels and wheels.
Mistakes to avoid
- Automatic car washes with brushes. They’ll put swirl marks in the coating and the paint under it. Touchless is better in a pinch.
- Washing in direct hot sun. Soap and water dry on the paint and leave spots.
- Letting bird droppings or sap sit. The coating buys you time, but clean them off within a few days.
- Waxing over the coating. You don’t need to, and it can mask the coating’s slickness.
Keep it topped up
A coating-safe spray topper every few months helps keep the water beading strong. If the car is getting too much for you to keep up with, a periodic maintenance detail or mobile wash keeps the coating performing like day one.
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