How do I Maintain my Ceramic Coating?
You’ve taken the plunge and got your car ceramic coated. It’s been a week or so and now it’s time to start maintaining your investment. Whats next? Searching the internet for answers and product recommendations can be quite overwhelming. It seems like there’s “ceramic” in every type of product nowadays. But guess what….its really not that hard at all.
The most important part of maintaining your ceramic coated car is….drum roll please……properly washing your car!!! Yes, it’s really that easy. And what about all those “ceramic” based soaps, sprays, etc? Leave them alone. Don’t buy into the gimmick and don’t waste your money on them. These products really aren’t necessary to maintain your ceramic-coated car.
Here is a great maintenance schedule to maintain your ceramic coated vehicle:
Every 2 – 3 weeks: Proper two bucket wash and dry your car.
Every 3-6 months: Use a good Iron remover to decontaminate along with your normal wash routine.
Yearly: See your pro detailer for a decontamination wash and allow them to inspect and ensure the coating is doing its thing. Sometimes waterspout remover or other chemicals may be necessary.
I often get asked about product recommendations to maintain a ceramic coating. What’s great is that we have so many great brands out there. So are some general guidelines:
- Use a grit guard in your rose bucket to properly clean the mitt between panels.
- Soaps that contain wax, ceramic, or gloss enhancers aren’t needed. Meguiar`s Gold Class and Griots Garage red or pink soap are great over-the-counter options.
- A foam cannon is a great tool, but it is not a replacement for car washing. It also isn’t necessary. Although it does make washing a little easier. A pressure washer is far more important.
- Microfiber towel care is absolutely important. Use towels designed for drying to dry and never mix paint towels with dirtier job towels. It’s also important to wash them properly.
Lastly, let’s talk about detail sprays/ceramic boosters. A good rule of thumb is to use products recommended by or designed by the company that manufactures your ceramic coating. It’s called product synergy. And yes, many of these products will work with different brands. A good rule of thumb to remember is to not overuse the product. One spray per panel is all that’s needed and these products generally don’t need to be used every single wash.
Feel free to reach out to Carolina Finest Detailing with any questions or concerns.