Ceramic coating maintenance guide

Ceramic Coating Maintenance Guide and Washing TechniqueS

Congratulations on your brand-new ceramic coating! Below are steps that you should follow to maintain your warranty and extend the lifespan of your ceramic coating. 

Avoid Getting the Vehicle Wet for 24 hours.

The ceramic coating needs to cure for at least 24 hours. During the first 24 hours after the ceramic coating is applied, you must avoid getting the vehicle wet. If parked outside, avoid parking under trees and near any sprinkler systems. Keeping the vehicle in a covered garage is ideal.

Maintenance Washing

We recommend waiting at least one week before washing your vehicle after a ceramic coating has been applied.

After that, routine washing is crucial to maintaining the appearance of your vehicle. We recommend maintaining a wash routine every 2-3 weeks. As your coating becomes covered with dirt and contamination, it is important to remove these surface contaminants often. Please only hand wash your vehicle!

  • Avoid automated touch-based car washes. (high volume brush-style car washes). 

  • We also do not recommend using touchless automatic washes. Many touchless washes use high pressure jets that may damage your paint. They also tend to use really strong chemicals and detergents to help break down dirt and grime. These chemicals can be very aggressive and damage your vehicle. We recommend only hand washing and using mild PH-neutral saps.

  • Use only mild PH-neutral soaps. We recommend using either Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II or Chemical Guys HydroSuds Ceramic SiO2 Shine Car Wash Soap

  • We recommend using a Foam Cannon. Many of them easily hook up to any standard hose, so there are no additional tools or machines required to produce foamy cleaning fun. The Chemical Guys Torq Foam Blaster 6 Foam Wash Gun should work well.

  • Avoid washing in direct sunlight to minimize streaking and water spotting. It’s always best to wash the car when the sun is at its lowest levels, early morning or early evening. 

  • We recommend hand washing the vehicle with mild soap using a two-bucket method. The two-bucket method of washing a car is proven to reduce swirl marks and produce the best wash results. The two-bucket wash method uses one bucket for soaking your wash mitt – while the other is used to clean the wash mitt after each section you wash on the car. The ‘rinse’ bucket is filled with clean water, has grit guards, and is used only to rinse the dirt or debris from the wash mitt after each section. Wash from the top down, leaving the dirtiest sections for last to avoid cross-contamination. We recommend purchasing Chemical Guys Two Car Wash Bucket Kit from Amazon.

Drying

  • Always dry completely with microfiber towels and never leave to “air” dry. Tap water contains minerals that may leave deposits, creating water spots.

  • Only use quality microfiber towels for best results and avoid aggressive wiping, allowing the material to absorb the water. Use one damp microfiber first to dry the vehicle and then a second microfiber to finish drying the vehicle. This process will give you the best results.

Spot Removal

  • Never use aggressive products to polish the coating or remove surface contamination.

  • Never use excessive force to remove spots.

  • Bird droppings, tar, sap, etc., should be removed as soon as possible to avoid temporary staining or hardening on the coating. Any staining left behind from bird droppings will break down over a few days without affecting the coating.

After Washing

Do not wax over the ceramic coating. It is unnecessary, and the wax will not bond to the coating.

Bi-Annual Inspections & Maintenance DetailS

Bi-Annual Inspections and Ceramic Coating Maintenance Details are the recommended process for ensuring the coating is maintained, and care for the vehicle is executed correctly. For ceramic coatings installed by our company, Inspections are required at least once a year to maintain your warranty. We recommend our ceramic coating maintenance details every 4-6 months. These include an exterior wash, decontamination, gloss renewal, and inspection. Although durable and long-lasting, these inspections and maintenance details ensure maximum gloss and protection from the ceramic coating.

To schedule your maintenance detail, visit okellysautodetaiiling.com/book or contact us via email hello@okellysautodetailing.com