YOUR COATING IS PROTECTED — Here's how to keep it performing for years to come.
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Ceramic Coating Owners

Your Ceramic Coating Aftercare Guide

Your ceramic coating is doing the hard work. A little simple care keeps that deep gloss and water-beading protection performing for the full life of your warranty — here's everything you need to know.

The First 7 Days Hand Wash Routine Touchless Wash Do's & Don'ts Maintenance Program FAQ
Schedule Your Check-Up 📞 Questions? Call Us
2×/yrPro maintenance, scheduled for you
// WHAT YOU'RE PROTECTING

Your Coating Works 24/7

A healthy coating beads water and shrugs off the stuff that wrecks paint. Simple aftercare is what keeps it doing this.

Coated≈110° · beads & rolls off
Uncoated≈30° · water sheets & sits

See the difference? Tight beads mean water, dirt, and contaminants have almost nothing to grab onto — they roll right off. Gentle washing is how you keep your paint beading like the panel on the left.

☀️
UV & oxidation✓ Resisted
🐦
Bird droppings✓ Resisted
🐛
Bug splatter✓ Resisted
🧂
Road salt✓ Resisted
💧
Water spots✓ Resisted
// Ceramic Curing Protocol
07

First
Days

The curing window.

Cure Timeline
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
◄ No Wash ZoneCleared ►

No Washing

Rain ok — no soaps or chemicals.

No Trees

Sap & debris can etch.

No Fallout

Avoid industrial areas.

No Sprinklers

Hard water spots etch.

Why It Matters
Ceramic Coating
Clear Coat
Your Paint

The coating is still bonding and hardening — developing the chemical resistance that protects your paint.

Day 07 — Cleared to Wash Normally

Fully bonded and ready for normal washing.

30-Day Check-Up Included.
Ongoing Care

Your Simple Wash Routine (Hand Wash)

After the first week, washing a coated car is easier than ever — dirt releases with way less effort. Follow these steps every two weeks, or whenever it's visibly dirty.

// Which wash do I need?
Light dust→Foam down with car shampoo, no contact needed, rinse soap, dry with leaf blower
Normal & dusty→Full two-bucket wash
Mud / road salt→Foam pre-rinse, then two-bucket
Bird bomb / sap→Spot-clean now — don't let it sit
// The two-bucket method
WashSoapy water
↻
RinseGrit guard
  1. Load the mitt in the wash bucket.
  2. Clean one panel, working top to bottom.
  3. Rinse the mitt in the rinse bucket — grit sinks past the guard.
  4. Back to clean soap with a clean mitt, and repeat.
// Step by step

Rinse first, always

Pre-rinse the whole vehicle to flush off loose grit before you touch the paint. This is the single best way to prevent swirl marks.

Use a pH-neutral, ceramic-safe shampoo

Skip dish soap, degreasers, and anything harsh — they strip the coating's performance over time. A dedicated car shampoo is all you need.

Two buckets + a soft mitt

One bucket of soapy water, one of clean rinse water (grit guards help). Use a clean microfiber wash mitt and work top to bottom.

Wash in the shade

Never wash hot paint or in direct sun — soap and water dry too fast and leave water spots that are tough to remove from a coating.

Rinse thoroughly, then dry

Don't let soap dry on the surface. Dry with a clean, plush microfiber towel or a filtered blower — letting it air-dry invites mineral water spots.

Refresh with a ceramic booster

Every couple of months, a ceramic boost spray (it's in your aftercare kit) restores the slick, water-beading top layer between washes.

Short On Time?

The Touchless Car Wash

Short on time? An automatic touchless wash skips the brushes that swirl a coating — as long as you pick the right options. Here's how to use one without giving up gloss.

// Read the wash menu
"Touchless"→Safe — no brushes touch the paint
Spot-free rinse offered→Pick it — dries with fewer spots
Use the basic or mid-level wash→It doesn't add wax that you don't need
Soft-cloth or brushes→Skip it — that's a contact wash
// The touchless cycle
🧼
Pre-SoakFoaming detergent lifts grime
→
💦
Jet RinseHigh-pressure blast, zero contact
→
✨
Spot-FreeDeionized final rinse

No brushes ever touch your paint.

// Step by step

Make sure it's truly touchless

Look for "touchless," or "no-brush." Spinning brushes or cloth flaps drag grit across the paint and swirl a coating.

Skip the wax & sealant add-ons

Your coating already beats them, and the fillers can smear its slickness. A plain wash with a spot-free rinse is all you want.

Choose the spot-free rinse

The deionized "spot-free" option dries with far fewer mineral spots — exactly what a coating struggles to shed on its own.

Blow dryers will clear most of the water, not all

Plan to dry the remaining drips around the vehicle for the best finish.

Hand-dry on the way out

A plush microfiber towel or a filtered blower stops mineral water spots before they set into the coating.

Keep it occasional

Touchless is perfect when you're short on time, but a hand wash once a month keeps the gloss and beading at their best.

Keep It Simple

Do's & Don'ts

✓ Do

  • ✓Rinse off salt, sap, bugs, and bird droppings as soon as you can.
  • ✓Use clean, dedicated microfiber towels and mitts.
  • ✓Stick to a regular wash schedule — about every two weeks.
  • ✓Use only pH-neutral, coating-safe products.
  • ✓Bring it in for your scheduled maintenance 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 sit and bake in the sun.
  • ✕Wax over the coating — it isn't needed and can mask the hydrophobics.
  • ✕Wipe dust off a dry panel — rinse first to avoid scratching.
// Ongoing Care Protocol

Keep Your Coating Performing

Maintenance Roadmap — Included
NOW30 DAY6 MO12 MO
pickupcheck-upserviceservice
↻ Recurring twice a year, scheduled for you.

45-Min Performance Check

We confirm the coating settled & is performing.

Complimentary Coating Maintenance

Included with your check-up, on us.

Wash Protocol
Best

Hand Wash

Gentle soap, two buckets, dry fully.

Touchless

Quick & safe — always dry after.

Rule: gentle soap + safe drying = best results.

Aftercare Questions

When can I wash my car after coating? ▾
Wait at least 7 full days. The coating is curing and hardening during that time, so let it set before the first wash.
Can I still take it through a car wash? ▾
Avoid automatic tunnel and brush washes — the brushes are the number-one cause of swirl marks, and degrade the coating. A touchless wash is okay, but a proper two-bucket hand wash once a month is great.
Do I still need to wax it? ▾
No. The coating replaces wax and outperforms it. Adding wax on top isn't necessary and can actually mask the slickness and beading. If you want a refresh between washes, use the ceramic boost spray in your kit.
What soap should I use? ▾
A pH-neutral, ceramic-coating-safe car shampoo. Steer clear of dish soap, degreasers, and any "wash & wax" products with fillers.
My water isn't beading like it used to — is the coating gone? ▾
Usually not. Reduced beading is almost always surface contamination sitting on top of the coating, not coating failure. A proper wash often restores it, and a maintenance visit brings it right back to new.
How often should I get a maintenance visit? ▾
Every 6 months keeps the coating performing and the water-beading strong. Give us a call and we'll get you on the schedule. We do have a premium maintenance program for more frequent visits if you prefer to be hands off entirely.

Questions About Your Coating?

Our team is here to help you keep your coating in great shape. Reach out anytime.

📞 Call (763) 321-6523
📍 7600 W 27th St #222, St. Louis Park, MN 55426 ✉ info@finaltouchautoworks.com 🕘 Mon–Fri 9 AM – 6 PM
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