Keeping Your Ceramic Coating Mint: The Honest Maintenance Guide

Never, ever wash a ceramic-coated car in direct Aussie sun. The soap will dry in seconds and leave spots that are a nightmare to remove. If it's a hot day, do it early morning or late arvo.

Touch the panels. If they're too hot to keep your hand on, they're too hot for water. Hose the car down with cool water first to drop the temp if you have no choice.

Always start with the wheels. They are the dirtiest part. If you do them last, you'll splash brake dust and grime back onto your clean paint.

Fill one with clean water (Rinse) and one with your pH neutral shampoo mix (Wash). Use the recommended ratio, more soap isn't always better.

Walk around and look for bird bombs or bug guts. If they've been baked on, you might need a dedicated bug remover spray before you start.

Spray your wheel cleaner on dry wheels (if the product allows). Let it dwell for 2-3 minutes. Use your wheel brush to get into the barrels.

Blast the whole car with water. Your goal here is to remove the 'loose' grit. If you've been off-roading or down a dusty track, spend a good 5 minutes just on the wheel arches.

Coat the car in a thick layer of snow foam. This isn't just for the 'Gram; it encapsulates the dirt and drags it off the paint. Let it dwell for 5-8 minutes, but don't let it dry.

While the foam is dwelling, use a soft sash brush to go around badges, window seals, and the fuel cap. It makes a huge difference.

Rinse the foam off from the top down. By now, about 80% of the dirt should be gone without you even touching the car.

Dunk your mitt in the soapy bucket, wash a panel (start at the roof), then rinse the mitt in the clean water bucket. This keeps your wash suds clean.

Don't scrub. Let the mitt glide. The coating is slick for a reason, the dirt should slide right off.

Give it a thorough rinse. Use a 'sheeting' motion with the hose (take the nozzle off if you can) to let the water roll off in one big sheet.

Every 3 months, spray an Iron remover on the lower panels. If it turns purple, it's working. Rinse it off thoroughly after 3 minutes.

Use your air blower to get water out of the door mirrors, fuel flap, and grilles. This prevents those annoying 'drip lines' later.

Lay your large drying towel flat on the bonnet and pull it towards you. Don't rub. Just let the towel soak up the water.

This is vital. While the car is dry (or slightly damp depending on the product), mist 2-3 sprays per panel of your Si02 booster. I once forgot this on a black Commodore I was doing for a mate, and the gloss just wasn't the same. Never again.

Use a fresh, dry microfiber to buff the booster. This adds a layer of 'sacrificial' protection over your ceramic.

Clean the outside glass with a dedicated glass cleaner. If your glass is coated too, just use water or a very mild cleaner.

Apply a water-based tyre shine. Avoid the solvent-based 'slingy' stuff from the servo; it'll end up all over your coated guards.

Don't forget to wipe down the door jams. A clean car with filthy jams is a half-job in my books.