Ceramic Paint Coatings have revolutionized the way we protect and maintain our vehicles. There are MANY options out there in terms of what brand/system is best for you and your vehicle. The best way to find the one that fits you is to do your research, although they do all seem to offer similar performance each has their own unique twist.
Now, your car has been coated with Ceramic Wax or another Ceramic Coating. What is next? How do I maintain the coating I spent hours and hours, hundreds or even thousands of dollars to have installed on my vehicle? What if I mess it up?
The most common question I receive from my clients and DIYer’s alike is how to maintain their coated cars. Surprisingly there isn’t a ton of straight forward information on the best way to do this. The point of this post is to go over the recommend ways to best maintain a coated vehicle’s finish and describe the products in Ethos Car Care line up specifically formulated for this task.
Wash, Maintain, Rejuvenate
Coating maintenance can be broken down into these three simple categories. Although coatings do offer tremendous performance, they aren’t bulletproof or a “set it and forget it” solution. They require maintenance and DO NOT reward neglect.
Routine washing is recommended every week if possible. Since once a coating is applied, it is not recommended to polish or refinish the surface, it is imperative to keep the coated surface as contaminate and defect free as possible. This means not allowing the car to sit dirty for extended periods of time, and to clean or remove any potentially damaging substances like bird droppings or water spots.
Washing (Every 1-2 Weeks)
Whether using a standard two bucket method, or waterless wash system, the objective is simple. Remove debris as safely and efficiently as possible without instilling damage or adding any polymers or fillers that could affect performance of the coating.
Ceramic Shampoo was formulated to be a dedicated wash shampoo for ceramic coated finishes. Enriched with Sio2 ingredients and high purity surfactants, Ceramic Shampoo cleans and conditions ceramic coatings adding gloss and protection to the coating with each wash.
Unlike other car shampoos, Ceramic Shampoo will not interfere with the coatings hydrophobic properties, or leave behind any harmful residues. It is Ph Neutral and provides mountains of foam and lubricity to help reduce wash induced scratching.
Pairing Ceramic Shampoo with a foam gun or foam cannon greatly reduces the time spent washing*
Maintenance (Every 4-6 weeks)
The goal of this process is to get the vehicle clean and further condition the coating with Ceramic Refresh. Like Ceramic Shampoo, Ceramic Refresh was designed to condition and enhance ceramic coatings. Infused with over 10% Sio2 based protectants, Refresh helps to rejuvenate the coatings protective and hydrophobic properties by adding on another layer of protection which bonds to any brand of Ceramic Coating. Paired with Ceramic Wax, Refresh adds an incredibly rich, water repellant layer. Refresh is designed to be easy to use, first wash using Ceramic Shampoo, dry, then spray and buff Refresh to a high shine.
Like anything else, Coatings will age over time. Refresh rejuvenates and refreshes Ceramic Coatings with each application. Re-invigorating their shine, water and dirty repellency with each use!
Rejuvenation (Every 4-6 Months)
Overtime debris and fallout can adhere itself to the coating. This contamination may result in decreased hydrophobic properties or slight roughness to the touch. The goal with this service is to remove any fallout or contaminants and “Deep Clean” the coating surface. Similar to the "Maintenance Step" the goal is to wash and seal the coating, but in addition we will add a chemical decontamination step to further clean the coatings surface. This chemical cleaner is safe for use on any coating and helps remove embedded contaminants, iron deposits and other debris to deep clean the coating and prepare for Ceramic Refresh to further bond to the surface.
