Keeping Your Ceramic Coating Alive in the Aussie Heat (Mar 2026)

Never, and I mean never, wash a coated car in direct Aussie sunlight. The water will spot before you can even grab your towel. If you can't get under a carport, do it first thing in the morning or late arvo.

Put your hand on the bonnet. If it's hot enough to fry an egg, it's too hot to wash. Spraying cold water on hot panels can cause thermal shock, and the soap will dry instantly, leaving ugly streaks.

Get your buckets filled and your foam cannon ready. You want a smooth workflow so the car stays wet throughout the process.

Blast the car down with just water. You want to get the heavy stuff off-the mud from the wheel arches and the loose red dust-before you ever touch the paint with a mitt.

Cover the whole car in a thick layer of snow foam. Let it dwell for 5 minutes (but don't let it dry!). This breaks down the static bond of the dust. Honestly, I wouldn't bother washing a coated car without this step; it's the best way to prevent swirl marks.

While the foam is dwelling, clean your wheels. Use a separate bucket for this. You don't want brake dust getting anywhere near your paintwork.

Pressure wash all that foam off. You'll be surprised how much dirt comes off without even touching the car.

Dip your mitt in the soapy bucket, wash a panel (start from the roof and work down), then rinse the mitt in the plain water bucket. This ensures you're always putting a clean mitt on the car.

You don't need to scrub. The coating makes the surface slick, so the dirt should just slide off. If it's stubborn, let the soap sit a bit longer rather than pushing harder.

Give it a thorough rinse. I like to take the nozzle off the hose for a final flood rinse; it helps the water sheet off the coating, leaving less to dry.

Lay your large microfibre towel across the flat panels and just pull it towards you. Don't rub. For the vertical bits, just pat it dry. If you've got a leaf blower, use it to blast water out of the mirrors and badges (your partner might think you're mad, but it works).

Every 3-4 months, apply a ceramic maintenance spray. Spray a little bit into a clean microfibre, wipe it over a panel, and buff off immediately. This keeps the hydrophobic properties (the water beading) at peak performance.