Ceramic Coating Maintenance Guide

MAINTENANCE WASHING

Routine washing is crucial. We recommend that customers maintain a wash routine that consists of a proper hand wash at least every two weeks. As your coating becomes covered with dirt and contamination, you will notice a decrease in hydrophobic properties (i.e. water beading & sheeting). It is important to remove these surface contaminates often.

Using a specially formulated shampoo will help to effectively clean your coating and it rinses away easily without leaving behind gloss enhancers or other surfactants. This is an ideal coating maintenance shampoo and what we use at our installation shop.

You will notice that your vehicle will be very easy to wash because the dirt will wipe away trouble-free from the coating and your wash mitt will slide effortlessly across the surface. Likewise, drying is also much easier because the majority of the water can be easily sheeted from the surface. We recommend using the Master Blaster or an electric leaf blower to quickly blow the remaining water from the surface.

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WATER SPOTS & DECONTAMINATION

Water spots are always a potential hazard. Hard water spots are a common occurrence if water is allowed to dry on the vehicle’s surface and is not washed shortly afterwards. Sometimes the mineral deposits can become so tough that even a thorough washing will not remove them. Be sure to always wash your vehicle in a cool shaded area to eliminate the potential of water spotting. If water spots occur please contact us to consult.

Coatings resist bonded contamination (dirt, fallout, etc...) better than most traditional forms of protection, however they can still become contaminated over time. Luckily, this contamination can be easy to avoid by washing your vehicle correctly and safely by following the guidelines that were provided to you.

n most cases certain products will remove the majority of bonded contaminates from the surface of your coating, but it is possible that your vehicle may also require more aggressive methods to remove these. Again, you can contact us to consult if this is the case. We are fully prepared to handle these issues as they arise. We typically recommend a quick decontamination at least once each year. If you'd like we can schedule this added on service to maintain your vehicle yearly.

ADDITIONAL PROTECTION

Many people are interested in applying additional protection on top of the coating. It is important to remember that when you are topping your coating with another product, you are covering or masking some of the properties of the coating.

For example, if you apply a wax on top of your coating, you will be observing the properties of the wax until it wears off and the coating is exposed. If you choose to top your coating you will still have a great base layer of protection beneath your “topper” since the coating will still be present, but the beading, sheeting, dirt/dust attraction and other properties that you observe will be characteristic of whatever product you have used to top the coating with.

While a typical spray wax may work fine, there are other products that tend to perform much better on top of paint coatings. Our personal favorite CarPro HydrO2 and CarPro Reload. These two products are silica-based, therefore they are excellent “coating toppers” because their properties are very similar to the coating that is beneath them.

When used on top of your coating, CarPro HydrO2 and CarPro Reload will provide additional protection, slickness, amazing hydrophobic properties, and best of all – they are extremely quick and easy to use! If you decide to top your coating these products can be used as often as you’d like, but we typically suggest using one or the other every 2-4 months.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS

Avoid high volume brush style car washes, and high PH detergent style cleaners.
Use only recommended mild PH neutral soaps such as "CarPro Reset" shampoo. We also recommend using the MicroFiber Madness "IncrediMitt" with the Reset shampoo. It is important to use the correct mixture ratio with Reset shampoo. Fill wash bucket with 3 to 4 gallons of water and add approximately 1oz (30mL) of Reset as the bucket fills to mix the shampoo solution and activate the foam.
For best results, wash with the recommended "Rinse Free Car Wash, "Wipeout" on a weekly basis to avoid excessive contamination buildup. We also recommend using the "Optimum Big Red Sponge" with the Wipeout product. Mix 1oz (30mL) of Wipeout to 2 gallons or water.
Avoid washing in direct sunlight to minimize streaking and water spotting and only wash when the vehicles surface is cool to the touch.
Wash starting at the roof and eventually working downwards, leaving the dirtiest sections last to avoid possible cross contamination. If needed use more than one sponge or mitt when washing depending on how dirty your vehicle may or may not be.
Always dry vehicle with the recommended "Dreadnought Drying Towel" or an air blower such as the Master Blaster. Or we recommend using an electric or battery powered leaf blower (not gas operated) to prevent gas and oil fumes from falling onto the vehicles now clean surface.
Never use aggressive products to polish the coating or to remove surface contamination. If the surface of the vehicle loses its hydrophobic effects normally there is a reason. Contact us for support.
It is strongly suggested to use the 2 bucket washing method with "grit guards". You can read more about how to use the 2 bucket washing method below.
2 buckets are used during the wash process to help minimize the chance of wash scratches by “flushing out” the dirt picked-up by the previous wipe. Here are the steps:

Bucket #1 is filled with CarPro Reset Shampoo and water (use a grit guard in this bucket).
Bucket #2 is filled with only water
The wash mitt from bucket #1 is used on the paint and collects dirt.
The now dirty wash mitt (after every panel) is dunked in bucket #2 and shaken to release the trapped dirt from the mitt.
The now clean wash mitt is dunked in bucket #1 again to reapply the soap.
REPEAT this process for every panel.

VEHICLE INSPECTION SCHEDULE:

To uphold the ceramic coating warranty, you must visit the certified installer who applied your original coating every 12 months during the duration of warranty – unless you have had a change of address. If this is the case please email or contact us for proper direction.

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