Guide to Ceramic Coating Aftercare
Updated: Jul 29
This Guide will walk you through what to avoid and how to care for your car's ceramic or graphene coating in the first 24 hours after applying the coating, during the first 2 weeks as it cures, and throughout the year so that you maximize the coatings performance and durability for years-to-come.
Coating your vehicle with our ceramic or graphene coating is one of the best decisions you can make to improve the appearance of your car and protect your vehicles paint from harsh elements such as sun UV rays, bugs, bird poop and so on. Our ceramic coatings have superior durability, performance, and appearance enhancement compared to any conventional wax or polymer sealant, a ceramic coating is the ultimate form of protection for your cars finish.
But without proper care and maintenance, a ceramic or graphene coating will degrade faster and its benefits will eventually no longer be present. Just because a vehicle has a ceramic coating does not mean it can now be neglected, it still needs to be maintained. Having a coating means super easy maintenance, never wax again, extremely durable & long lasting protection, intense shine and more color depth. Follow this guide to maintain your coatings performance for many years to come.
DURING THE CERAMIC COATING CURING PROCESS
THE FIRST 24 HOURS
The first 24 hours after coating your vehicle is the most critical time during the curing process. Your vehicle is safe to drive, but the new coating is still hardening. It is pretty important to avoid any of the following...
Abrasives or washing - No wash mitts, soaps, bug removers should touch your vehicle during the curing process.
Hard mineral water - No hose water should touch the surface of the paint
Automatic car washes - Stay out of the car washes!
Avoid parking under trees or other locations where bird droppings/tree sap may fall on to the your new coating
If your coating comes in contact with bugs, bird poop, tree sap, gently lubricate the coated surface with a sealant such as OP Detail Spray and wipe the surface with a clean microfiber towel - the CREATURE EDGELESS is ideal for this kind of job. Any ceramic detail spray will work just fine. Advanced Auto sells these types of products.
THE NEXT 14 DAYS
For the next 14 days, your ceramic coating will be actively curing to reach its full hardness potential. It's recommended that you attempt to continue avoiding the same items listed above during this time period.
In the event that your vehicle has any dust, pollen, bird poop, tree sap, etc, rinse with clean water and a give it a gentle hand wash using a pH-Neutral soap such as ULTRA WASH and dry completely using a quality Microfiber Drying Towel. It's very important that you continue to avoid any products containing detergents or unbalanced pH levels during this period to avoid breaking down the coating.
FULLY CURED CERAMIC COATING | CARE & MAINTENANCE
EVERY 2-4 WEEKS - Ceramic Coating Maintenance Washes
It's recommended to perform a maintenance wash by hand every 2 to 4 weeks depending on your driving habits and conditions. This will maintain your ceramic coatings' deep shine and hydrophobic properties.
One of the great benefits of a ceramic or graphene coated vehicle is the ease of maintenance. Below you will see some basic washing instructions. If you get bug splats and you would like a product that safely and easily removes them from the surface of your paint, you can use a product called OP's Bug Blaster. It is safe for your coating and will make removing bugs from your paint extremely easy!
COATING | BASIC WASH METHOD:
Use only pH-neutral soaps like ULTRA WASH. Using a soap that isn't pH-balanced exposes your coating to harsh detergents that can break it down and decrease its lifespan.
You can use a pH-neutral soap containing polymer additives like the OP Eco Wash Concentrate to revitalize the hydrophobic properties of your coating. Eco Wash is also a great solution for a rinseless wash method. Avoid soaps with wax additives. The wax will not adhere to the coating.
Never wash in direct sunlight to prevent water-spotting and streaking effects
If you don't have the time or desire to wash the car yourself, avoid automated high-volume brush washes. Stick to hand wash or touchless car washes only.
When drying, avoid using drying towels that may cause abrasion. This means put your beach towel down lol... Buy a specific towel for drying of your vehicle. The OP XL DRYING TOWEL works great. Depending on the size of your vehicle, you may want to of these. Or you can search Amazon for Car Drying Towels!
EVERY 3-4 MONTHS - Seasonal Ceramic Coating Maintenance
Giving your coating seasonal maintenance every 3-4 months will help ensure long-term maximum performance & durability. After a maintenance wash, apply a spray sealant as a OP's Ceramic + to enhance and rejuvenate the protection, appearance, and performance benefits of your graphene or ceramic coating. You can expect OP's Ceramic + to offer up to 3 months of added protection! For longer lasting protection, use OP's Ceramic Detailer. This last 6-12 months.
OWNERS PRIDE SPOTLESS WASH
If you feel that your coating seems to be losing its hydrophobic properties on one or more panels, don't worry your coating is still there! This usually means the coating is just clogged with contaminants. You can use OP's Spotless to remove the the contaminants to bring back the surface of your coatings making it slick and hydrophobic again.
EVERY 12 Months - Ceramic Coating Decontamination
As your coating heats up during regular use, exposure to the sun, microscopic contaminants such as metallic particles/fallout/brake dust, and other environmental particles will embed themselves in the cars paint surface over time. This is not a maybe, it will happen and its normal. This negatively affects your coatings appearance and its ability to repel water, dirt, and other contaminants.
For this reason, it is necessary to perform a decontamination wash once per year. To perform a decon wash: Wash vehicle. Then use a pH-Neutral Iron Remover called Decon X or Adams Iron Remover on your vehicles painted surfaces. This will draw out and break down the metallic contaminants from the paint. Just spray it on and wait 2-4 minutes, then wash it again and rinse thoroughly. WARNING: NEVER LET THESE CHEMICALS GET ON PLASTICS OR PAINTED PLASTICS. IT WILL DISCOLOR THE PLASTIC. WARNING: Never use a clay bar on a ceramic coated vehicle. It will scratch the ceramic coatings surface.
Remember: Do not EVER,
- use Decon X in direct sunlight or allow to dry. - use Decon X on hot surfaces.
- spray on glass or shiny plastics.
DO NOT ever use a clay bar on a coated vehicle. Clay bars are an abrasive and will break down the coating plus leave scratches behind.
Once your vehicle is decontaminated and properly washed, you can now apply OP's Ceramic + or Ceramic Detailer for added protection or to rejuvenate any portions of the coating that have been exposed to excessive wear and tear.
GOOD LUCK!
We know this can be a lot to take in for most people. Understanding the process of washing a vehicle that has a ceramic coating can be a bit overwhelming. We hope our Guide to Ceramic Coating Aftercare was informative enough. We do our best to educate our customers at every angel.
RECOMMENDATION: When it comes to the Yearly Ceramic Maintenance, we recommend scheduling an appointment with us to ensure that its done properly and no damage is caused to your vehicle from the chemicals used in this process. If you book your own appointment through our website, be sure to add "1 Year Ceramic Maintenance (for ceramic coated Vehicles" to your Standard Exterior Detail. Or call us to schedule (863) 999-4299!
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