How do I wash my car after a ceramic coating?
Quick answer: Rinse first, pre-wash to loosen grime, then contact wash with pH-neutral shampoo using a microfibre mitt and the two-bucket method. Avoid brushes, harsh acidic or alkaline cleaners and automatic washes. Dry with soft microfibre or air. Use the manufacturer’s maintenance spray occasionally. Avoid washing for the first week after application.
We recommend washing your car yourself by hand.
Start off by wetting the car and rinsing it off. A pressure washer, even a cheap one, would be a good investment, or use pressure washers at a self-service car wash. If you don't have access to either of these, a hose pipe with a jet nozzle will do at a pinch. Rinsing it off will remove the vast majority of the dirt and grit that can cause scratches.
Next, we recommend spraying the car down with a good quality car shampoo. Don't use a sponge or even a wash mitt to apply the soap, a trigger spray or pump-up sprayer allows you to get the shampoo on the car without causing wash marks.
You need to introduce agitation to loosen anything that has stuck to your car's paintwork, and for this we recommend a wash mitt or soft transport brush. Gently brushing the dirt loose with overlapping strokes, and wash out your mitt in clean water to remove any grit, as wiping a dirty mitt over your car can potentially cause scratches. With this done, give the car another good rinse off.
The best way to dry the car is with softened water. You can use an inline hose filter, otherwise you can use a drying agent.
If you are unable to do any of this, we recommend going to a good hand wash and asking them to follow this process. They shouldn't mind at all, as this is less work than they normally need to do to wash a car.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 20/10/2025 16:57