Ceramic Coating After Care in St. Louis Park, MN
Your coating does the hard work. A little simple care keeps the gloss and the water beading going for the life of your warranty, through salt, slush and summer sun.
The First 7 Days
The coating is still bonding and hardening, building the chemical resistance that protects your paint. Give it a quiet week.
No washing
Rain is fine. No soaps, sprays or chemicals yet.
Skip the trees
Sap and debris can etch a coating that hasn't cured.
Avoid fallout
Steer clear of industrial areas and construction dust.
No sprinklers
Hard water spots can etch into fresh coating.
Your Simple Wash Routine
After the first week, washing a coated car is easier than ever: dirt lets go with far less effort. Every week to two weeks, depending on your driving conditions.
Rinse first, always
Flush off loose grit before anything touches the paint. It is the single best way to prevent swirl marks.
Use a pH-neutral, coating-safe shampoo
Skip dish soap, degreasers and anything harsh. They wear the coating down over time.
Two buckets and a soft mitt
One bucket of soapy water, one of clean rinse water, a clean microfiber mitt. Work top to bottom.
Wash in the shade
Never on hot paint or in direct sun. Soap and water dry too fast and leave spots.
Rinse well, then dry
Don't let soap dry on. Use a plush microfiber towel or a filtered blower, never air dry.
Refresh with a ceramic booster
Every couple of months, the booster spray in your aftercare kit brings back the slick, beading top layer.
Match the Wash to the Dirt
Light dust
Foam it down with car shampoo, rinse, and dry with a blower. No contact needed.
Normal dirt
The full two-bucket hand wash above.
Mud or road salt
A foam pre-rinse first, then the two-bucket wash. Rinse the underbody too.
Bird bomb or sap
Spot-clean it now. Don't wait for wash day.
The Touchless Car Wash
A touchless automatic wash skips the brushes that swirl a coating, as long as you pick the right options. Make sure it is truly touchless or no-brush, skip the wax and sealant add-ons, and choose the spot-free rinse.
The blowers clear most of the water, not all, so dry the last drips with a microfiber on the way out. Touchless is fine when you're short on time; a hand wash about once a month keeps the gloss and beading at their best.
The Spot-Fix Guide
The coating buys you time, but the sooner you deal with it, the better.
Bird droppings
They're acidic. Within a couple of hours, mist with water or detail spray, lay a damp microfiber on top to soften it, then lift. Don't rub it dry.
Bug splatter
Pre-soak with a bug and tar remover, let it sit a minute, rinse, then wash the area as normal.
Tree sap
Dab a sap and tar remover on a soft pad and let it work. Never pick or scrape sap off dry.
Fuel at the pump
Rinse with water right away so it can't dry on, then wash the area with your normal shampoo.
Road salt and slush
Rinse the panels and the underbody the same week. A full wash when you can keeps salt from building up.
Snow and ice
A soft brush or plush mitt. Never a metal scraper on coated paint. Let de-icer do the work on glass.
Not sure what you're looking at? Send us a photo and we'll tell you what to do.
Do's and Don'ts
Do
- Rinse off salt, sap, bugs and bird droppings as soon as you can
- Use clean, dedicated microfiber towels and mitts
- Wash every week to two weeks, depending on driving conditions
- Use only pH-neutral, coating-safe products
- Come in for your check-up and your yearly visit
Don't
- Use automatic brush car washes: they cause swirl marks
- Reach for dish soap, degreasers or abrasive sponges
- Let bird droppings or sap bake in the sun
- Wax over the coating: it isn't needed and can mask the beading
- Wipe dust off a dry panel: rinse first
Visits That Keep It Performing
Both are part of your Essentials, Signature or Ultimate package. Book them when you pick up, or call us.
Performance check-up
A month after pickup we see the car again and make sure the coating has settled in and is doing its job.
Maintenance visit
One maintenance visit every year, for the life of the coating, included with your package.
When can I wash my car after coating? +
Wait at least 7 full days. The coating is curing and hardening during that time.
Can I still take it through a car wash? +
A touchless wash, yes. Skip any wash with brushes or cloth strips, and skip the wax add-ons.
My water isn't beading like it used to. Is the coating gone? +
Usually not. A film of road grime can sit on top and hide the beading. A proper wash and a booster spray normally bring it back. If not, call us.
Is the coating scratch-proof? Will it stop rock chips? +
No. It resists light marks and makes the paint easier to keep clean, but rock chips need paint protection film.
Do I still need to wax it? +
No. Wax isn't needed, and it can mask the coating's beading. Use the booster spray instead.
What keeps my warranty valid? +
Caring for the coating the way this guide describes. We go over your warranty terms with you at pickup, and they are on your paperwork.
What Our Customers Say
The after care support (maintenance wash and checkup) is a plus you likely wouldn't see elsewhere.
He explained everything to me, got the van in on time, finished it on time and kept in contact in between.
Read on Google reviewsNo pressure, no upselling, just straightforward, trustworthy advice. Instead of pushing the most expensive option, he recommended the coating that actually fit how we use the car.
Read on Google reviewsThese guys fixed the paint and put the ceramic coating on. My car looked BETTER than when I left the dealership!
Read on Google reviewsGet Your Quote Here
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