What should you NOT do after ceramic coating?

You shouldn't assume that your ceramic coating is like a magical force-field around your car. Ceramic coatings are tough, but not indestructible.

If you are to get the best out of your ceramic finish, you should treat your car with care. It is washing that causes most of the age to your car's paintwork, and now you have a ceramic coating, your car will stay cleaner for longer, meaning you will have to wash it less and the process is easier. This means you have less opportunity to introduce wash marks.

Great care should be taken, however, to introduce scratches when you do have your car washed.

Don't take it to the £5 car wash, where they wash your car with a dirty sponge and highly caustic soaps.

If you must use a car wash, try to find a touchless wash, or at the very least a soft wash, and ensure it is well maintained.

It is better that you wash your car yourself with a pressure washer, and if you don't do it yourself, find somebody competent and diligent to do it for you. Use suitable car shampoo, don't wash the car in direct sunlight on a very hot day, and dry the car after it's washed.

Do not ignore contamination. Things like birds mess and tree sap can be highly corrosive, even to a ceramic coating, so it is better to safely remove them and not let them bake in the sun.

If you really want to keep your car looking pristine, you can learn the two bucket method, you may even want to get special buckets with grit guards, plus a load of fancy mitts, transport brushes etc. We will not argue with this as being one of the best and safest ways to wash your car, regardless of what kind of coating you have.

However, we realize that one of the attractions of a ceramic coating is that it makes life easier for you, and you are probably not going to want to make cleaning your car more complicated than it needs to be.  There is a middle ground, just be aware that if you are smearing a dirty sponge over your car, or using a harsh cloth, you can still introduce wash marks. In the video above, Gary uses no more than a self-service pressure washer, including the brush provided. He has, however, acquired a couple of very plush, large drying towels which allow him to finish the car quickly. Some things are worth the extra money and we highly recommend investing in large microfibre drying towels.

What this question is really about

People asking this usually want to avoid undoing the benefit of the coating - especially during the early cure period. The risks are highest in the first days, but poor habits later can also shorten its life.

What not to do during the initial cure period

• Do not wash with detergents or traffic film removers.
• Do not use quick detailers or toppers unless advised.
• Do not scrub bird mess dry. Soften and rinse gently if needed.
• Do not run it through a brush car wash.

Always follow the specific curing guidance given by your installer, as products vary.

What not to do long term

• Don’t assume it’s maintenance-free.
• Don’t use harsh alkaline or acidic cleaners routinely.
• Don’t dry with dirty or dropped towels.
• Don’t polish casually. Polishing removes coating in that area.

Common misunderstandings

• A coating is not scratch-proof.
• It does not stop stone chips.
• It does not make brush washes safe.
• It does not eliminate the need for washing.

The safer mindset

Treat the coating as a long-term protective layer that makes maintenance easier - not as armour that allows careless habits. Good washing technique and sensible product choice protect both the coating and the clear coat underneath.

Best-practice checklist

• Respect the curing window.
• Wash gently and consistently.
• Remove contamination promptly.
• Polish only when genuinely necessary - and re-coat afterwards.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 17/02/2026 15:05