Dos and Don'ts of Cleaning a Ceramic Coated Vehicle

Ceramic coating bonds to the surface of the car and forms a barrier against UV, chemicals and scratches, which is why so many owners choose it to protect their investment. The catch: a ceramic coated vehicle needs to be cleaned a particular way, or the coating gives up early. Coated EVs follow the same rules.

Here are the do’s and don’ts.

Do’s and don’ts of cleaning a ceramic coated car

DO: Use pH neutral products

pH neutral washes are made for ceramic coatings and will not degrade their protective properties. Harsh detergents and acidic cleaners can strip the coating off the surface, so keep them well away. Product detail sits on Gtechniq coatings and Crystal Serum Ultra.

DON’T: Use abrasive materials

Rough sponges and towels leave micro-scratches on a ceramic coated surface. Invisible at first, they build up until the whole car looks tired. Use soft microfibre cloths or wash mitts that lift dirt and grime without marking the coating.

DO: Wash the vehicle regularly

The coating is hydrophobic and repels water and dirt, but contamination still settles. Regular washing removes the build-up before it can bond and damage the coating.

DON’T: Let water dry on the surface

Water left to evaporate on a ceramic coated car leaves mineral spots behind. Dry the car with a clean microfibre towel after every wash. There is more on graphene coating if you want the specifics.

DO: Use the recommended products

Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. They name products that are safe on their coatings, and using something else, or anything harsh, may void the warranty on your ceramic coating.

DON’T: Wash in direct sunlight

Sun dries the suds too fast, leaving streaky residue, and makes it hard to tell whether all the soap has rinsed off, which puts the coating at risk. Coverage and pricing sit on aftercare and paint protection film.

DO: Dry with a blower or air cannon

Forced air dries the car without touching it, so no scratches or streaks, and it clears the spots a towel misses, like door handles and side mirrors.

DON’T: Use automatic car washes

Convenient, yes. The bristles and brushes also scratch the surface and chew into the coating. Hand wash the car, or use a touchless wash if you must. What each package covers sits on the new car packages and paint protection.

Stick to those rules and the shine and the protection both last for years.

Using The Correct Washing Technique

Washing sounds simple. Done wrong, it undoes a coating faster than anything else. Full options are set out under car detailing and window tinting.

Start with the right tools

Have everything ready before you start: a bucket, a high-quality car soap, a microfibre wash mitt or sponge and a hose with a nozzle attachment. Dish soap and household cleaners damage the ceramic coating, so they stay inside the house.

Rinse off loose dirt and debris

Hose the car down thoroughly before any soap touches it. Loose grit is what scratches during the wash.

Use proper techniques for washing

Wash with the two bucket method: one bucket of clean water, one of soapy water. Load the mitt from the soapy bucket, wash gently, then rinse the mitt in the clean bucket before reloading. Trapped particles never get a second pass at the paint that way.

Work one panel at a time from the top of the vehicle down, so dirty water never runs over panels already cleaned. Use straight back-and-forth strokes; circular motions are where swirl marks come from.

Use pH-neutral car soap

High pH soaps strip the protective layers off the coating and shorten its life. pH-neutral only.

Install grit guards in buckets

Grit guards sit at the bottom of the wash bucket and trap the dirt you rinse out, keeping it off the mitt and off your ceramic coating.

Use a separate wash mitt or sponge for wheels

Wheels and tyres carry brake dust and grit that will scratch paint, so give them their own mitt.

Rinse frequently

Rinse often while washing so excess soap never dries on the surface and streaks.

Dry with a microfibre towel

Finish with a clean microfibre towel. Regular towels and chamois scratch the coating.

Avoid car washes with harsh chemicals

Automated washes are convenient, and that is the only good thing about them. The chemicals and materials they use damage the coating, so skip them altogether.

Maintain regular maintenance washes

Wash the car every 1-2 weeks so contaminants never sit long enough to work on the coating.

That is the whole technique: gentle products, gentle handling and a regular schedule.

Choosing the Right Soap and Shampoo

A ceramic coating is a solid investment, and the wrong soap can undo it. The detail lives on colour transformation, and background on how coatings work lives in our products and technology guides. Here is how to choose for a ceramic coated car.

Do’s for Ceramic Coating Shampoo

1. Look for pH neutral soaps: neither acidic nor alkaline, they lift dirt and grime without touching the coating.

2. Go sulphate-free: sulphates make the lather, but they can also strip protective layers like ceramic coating. Pick a sulphate-free shampoo every time.

3. Use a microfibre wash mitt or sponge instead of regular sponges or towels: soft on the surface and effective on dirt, with no scratching.

4. Dilute concentrated soaps: many car soaps come concentrated and must be diluted to the manufacturer’s instructions. Neat solution can damage the coating.

Don’ts for Ceramic Coated Cars

1. No dish soap: it is highly alkaline and strips the protective coating, leaving the car exposed.

2. No abrasive products: harsh chemicals, bleach or acids scratch and dull the coating.

3. No random towels: whatever cloth is lying around carries grit, and grit scratches the ceramic coating.

In short: pH neutral soap, sulphate-free shampoo, a microfibre mitt and properly diluted product. Keep dish soap, abrasive products, old towels and high-pressure water away from the car, and the coating holds its shine and protection for years.

Maintaining the Hydrophobic Properties of the Coating

The hydrophobic layer is a big part of what you paid for, and it needs looking after. Maintained properly, the coating keeps the car cleaner and lasts far longer.

Do these things to maintain your hydrophobic coating

1. Use a pH-neutral car shampoo, so harsh chemicals never get the chance to strip the hydrophobic properties off the coating.

2. Rinse with filtered or softened water. Hard water leaves mineral deposits that blunt the hydrophobic effect of the coating.

3. Dry with a soft microfibre towel rather than letting the car air dry or wiping it with an old towel. Microfibre dries the surface without scratches or swirl marks.

4. Use a ceramic coating booster spray every few months. Boosters share ingredients with the original ceramic coating and keep the hydrophobic layer strong.

5. Remove bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap and other contaminants promptly, before they eat into the protective layer of the coating.

Don’ts For Ceramic Coating Longevity

1. No harsh chemicals or cleaners; they break down the hydrophobic layer. Stay with gentle car shampoos and skip anything with high acidity.

2. No washing in direct sunlight, which bakes water spots onto the surface and dulls the hydrophobic behaviour of the coating. Wash in shade instead.

3. No automatic car washes. Their chemicals and brushes damage the ceramic coating. Hand wash, or touchless at worst.

4. No chamois or old towels for drying; both leave the scratches and swirl marks that cost the ceramic coating its effect. Soft microfibre only.

5. No letting dirt build up. A film of grime on top of the ceramic coating smothers its hydrophobic properties. Regular washes prevent it.

Do all that and the ceramic coating keeps beading water and shrugging off contaminants and UV for as long as it was designed to.

Related Guides

• our news and guides
• paint protection film
• car detailing
• window tinting
• aftercare
• new car protection packages
• colour transformation
• the paint protection overview
• all make and model guides
• the local area guides