5 ceramic paint protection maintenance tips

A ceramic coating makes a car easier to look after. It does not make it maintenance free, and the difference between a coating that performs for its full life and one that gives up early is almost entirely down to how the car gets washed.

Five things worth getting right.

1. Stay out of automatic car washes

Brush based automatic washes drag grit across your paint. They will put swirl marks into the exact surface you paid to protect, and they are the fastest way to undo correction work. If you must use one, touchless is the lesser evil.

2. Use two buckets and a pH neutral shampoo

One bucket for your wash solution, one with clean water to rinse the mitt between panels, so grit ends up in the bottom of a bucket instead of back on the car. Use a pH neutral car shampoo, not dish soap or a harsh degreaser, both of which strip protection.

3. Wash more often, not harder

Regular light washes are far better for a coated car than waiting until it is filthy and then scrubbing. The coating is doing its job by making dirt release easily, so give it the chance before contamination has time to bond.

4. Deal with contaminants quickly

Bird droppings, tree sap and bug splatter are acidic and will etch a finish if left, coating or not. A coating buys you time to get them off cleanly. It does not make them harmless. Keep a quick detailer and a microfibre in the car.

5. Dry it properly

Letting a car air dry leaves water spots, and on the Gold Coast our water leaves mineral deposits that sit on the surface. Dry with a clean, plush microfibre drying towel, and wash it separately from your other cloths so it stays soft.

One more thing

Keep your wash media clean. A wash mitt dropped on the driveway is finished, because it has picked up grit that will go straight into your paint. Rinse your mitts and towels after every wash and replace them when they stop feeling soft.

If your coating is not performing the way it used to, get in touch. It is often a decontamination job rather than a reapplication.