PPF & Ceramic Coating Aftercare

Maintain your new coating & PPF with ease

Maintaining your car should be easy. That's one of the best parts of a ceramic coating and/or PPF on your vehicle.

We have some easy aftercare instructions and tips to maintain your PPF & ceramic coating.

Ceramic Coating/PPF Aftercare

Congratulations on your PPF and/or ceramic coating. Here we will discuss how to care for your new protective materials.

Both our ceramic coatings and PPF are designed to protect your factory clear coat, to provide a protective shield against the elements, and to keep your vehicle looking new for many years. To maximize the effects of your coating and to ensure your investment is long-lasting, a few basic maintenance steps should be taken. With simple care, your coating and PPF will reward you for years to come.

Curing Process

A new ceramic coating will take about 7-10 days to cure to its full strength. During that time, some precautions should be taken.

Curing time is 7-10 days depending on environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature. Take special care during this time period. The coating will help prevent your clear coat from getting water spots as it is hydrophobic, however, it can still get hard water spots. Be especially diligent during the curing process to prevent water spots, which may be costly to remove.

During the curing process avoid the following:

-Parking under trees especially if they are shedding. You don’t want tree sap on a fresh coating.

-Allowing bird droppings, sap or pollen to sit on the car and bake in the sun.

-Washing or abrading the paint.

If you notice that your car gets water spots, bird droppings, bugs, tree sap, or other contaminants during the first 5-7 days, immediately remove it following our care instructions. Keep in mind the coating is still curing. Be gentle when working on the paint.

Newly installed PPF will take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to fully cure, depending on conditions.

Over the next few weeks, you will want to keep your eye out for a few things as the PPF cures. The PPF is installed with soapy water and some moisture is left behind during the installation process. You may see some small moisture pockets, or bubbles, these are completely normal. Most, if not all, will cure out on their own over time. Most important thing to do is leave them be and DO NOT poke at them. We always want to allow them to cure naturally, but if any remain after a few weeks, we will manually remove them.

Another thing to watch for’ if you notice any edges lifting/peeling, please let us know right away so we can address it before it gets worse. This isn’t very common, but it is possible during the curing process and we want to make sure we correct it in the event any lifting occurs.

Car Washing Techniques

-Wash no less than 2 times a month to avoid excessive contamination build up.

-Avoid washing in direct sunlight to minimize streaking and water spotting.

-Wash from the top down leaving the dirtiest sections for last to avoid cross contamination.

-Use the “two bucket” method – one bucket for rinsing your sponge/mitt and one for soapy water. Always wash the wheels last, using a specific sponge/mitt for them.

Drying

-Always dry completely and never leave to air-dry. Tap water contains minerals that may leave deposits creating water spots.

-Use quality microfiber towels for best results and avoid aggressive wiping, allowing the material to absorb the water.

Waterspot & Dropping Removal

-Never use aggressive products to polish the coating or remove surface contamination.

-Never use excessive force to remove water spots.

-If you dry your car after each wash, you shouldn't get water spots. However, if you get water spots, use some vinegar to remove them as soon as possible. If you cannot remove them, call us so we can take care of it for you.

-Bird droppings, tar, sap, etc. should be removed as soon as possible using vinegar or isopropyl alcohol to avoid staining or hardening on the coating. Any staining left behind from the bird droppings will break down over a few days without affecting the coating.

A Few Last Care Tips After Curing is Complete

-Your ceramic coating and PPF is extremely slick, this means most things will rinse off and be pulled off by its self-cleaning effect. Use water or a little white vinegar to remove bird droppings, bugs, and tree sap. Rubbing alcohol 60%-70% works well for sticky things like sap. Followed by wiping it off with a soft edge-less microfiber towel.

-For best results the car should be washed at least twice a month to avoid excessive contamination build-up. Use only car wash soaps. Avoid automatic car washes, high PH detergent style cleaners, and bug/tar removers. Avoid washing in direct sunlight to minimize streaking and water spotting. Wash from the top down, leaving the dirtiest sections for last & avoid cross-contamination. Wash the dirtiest areas last and clean wash mitts well, afterward.