You've made the investment in a ceramic coating for your vehicle. Now, how to you properly wash your ceramic coated car, truck or SUV so it looks its best all the time? Ceramic Pro, the leader in the ceramic coating industry has put together a great set of tips to accomplish the perfect wash on your ceramic coating. American Dent Specialists is a Ceramic Pro authorized installer and we specialize in both maintaining and inspecting your ceramic coating after the installation is complete. Check out these tips below or schedule a maintenance wash with our auto detailing team.

Tip #1 – Never Take Your Car to an Automated Car Wash

The quickest way to ruin any ceramic coated vehicle is to take it to one of those drive through car washes – especially if it has brushes or those curtain-looking mop-type cleaning rags. These car washes can wreck a ceramic coating in a matter of seconds. The soaps used are usually pH aggressive, kind of like an industrial detergent. Second, those washing media materials are built for longevity – not soft cleaning.

Tip #2 – Always Use a pH Neutral Car Shampoo with No Wax Added

Ceramic Pro products are going to harden to the strength of quartz. A glass coating will also block UV rays – like that of a paint protection film. Some spray coating products are not capable of this strength. However, once either does harden, it will leave a very flat or hydrophobic surface. This results in fewer contaminants sticking to the top layer of the coating, making it easier to remove debris like brake dust on the car paint surface.

As such, there is no need to use an aggressive or harsh car shampoo or clay bar to clean the surface. Always defer to using a pH neutral car shampoo that contains no added wax. The wax many leave a residue on top of the coating, which will reduce the hydrophobic properties, leading to more debris sticking to that wax – making it dirtier.

Tip #3 – Wash the Vehicle in Low Light Hours

When you wash your vehicle, it’s always best to do so in low sunlight conditions. Either a cloudy day, early in the morning or close to sunset is your optimal time to wash and dry the vehicle. This is since sunlight will quickly dry soap on top of the coating, can cause water spots, and lead to streaks.

Tip #4 – Use the Same SiO2 Boost Spray

Consistency is critical with any car care product. While many car enthusiasts like to try different products to use on their car, this isn’t a smart idea with ceramic boost or maintenance sprays. Before you buy, contact the manufacturers of the ceramic coating you had applied or did yourself, and ask them which product they recommend. Using multiple spray coatings can cause compatibility issues, leading to damaging the coating and possibly leading to paint correction.

Tip #5 – Always Use Clean Media

Anytime you are washing, drying, or applying any product to a coated vehicle, it’s critical to avoid cross contamination of other cleaning supplies. As such, anytime you’re going to use a microfiber towel, wash mitt, even the buckets, make sure they are completely clean, and free of other cleaners, degreasers, or debris.

Final Thoughts on Keeping a Ceramic Coated Vehicle Clean

Making the proactive and smart decision to ceramic coat your vehicle is one that takes time, research, and of course, an investment of hard-earned money. If you’re going to pay a professional to coat the vehicle with a high-quality professional-grade nano ceramic coating, seek their advice on how to best maintain their coatings.