08-05-2022, 12:15 PM | #1 |
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Ceramic Coating - Car Wash Frequency
I'm planning on getting full front PPF and ceramic coating the rest of the car. I've been doing some research and most places suggest hand washing the car twice a month, but I know I definitely do not have the patience to keep that up for long! How often does everyone here wash their car? My detailer offers an affordable exterior wash and will be doing that once a month, is that enough?
Also I read somewhere that you need to wash your car right after a rain storm to avoid water spot/beading? I live outside of Philly where it rains fairly often and do not want to spend my summers washing the car every other day! |
08-05-2022, 05:06 PM | #2 |
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I usually wash my car every other weekend and have been doing so for almost a year now. The PPF and ceramic coating make it pretty easy to clean and dry. Although I've been giving thought to just having a mobile detailer come out to the house every other week just so I can get some of that time back each weekend to spend with the family.
Others on here like Vic55 get their car washed after every time they drive it. I haven't heard anyone say that you need to wash it right after it rains… 🤷🏻
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08-05-2022, 05:23 PM | #3 | |
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I wash mine hourly sir ... All joking aside, I usually wash mine once a week but if its not driven then it could be upwards of 2 weeks or more. But if I do expose the car to the rain, I like to wash it fairly fast only because its ugly as fuck after it rains. But with the proper ceramic treatments you wont have to immediately wash it to avoid spotting IMHO.
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08-05-2022, 08:47 PM | #4 | |
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What do you mean ugly? Is it just water spotting? |
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08-05-2022, 08:54 PM | #5 |
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So in Cali where rain is sparce, the roads get really dirty and dusty so those first rain days create really dirty water splashes on the car vs a few days of rain into a storm.
But with the ceramic coating I dont see issues when my detailer shows up and cleans it.
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08-06-2022, 03:32 PM | #6 |
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Gotcha! Luckily in PA it rains every 3-4 days so I think I'll be okay. I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger and just get it, worst case it is only $600
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08-08-2022, 01:25 PM | #7 |
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Regarding washing, there are specific shampoos that are safe for ceramic coatings and recommended. Cquartz Reset for example or Gyeon Bathe. I think the key here is not get something relatively PH neutral and without and additives like waxes or gloss enhancers - these wont stick to the ceramic coating anyway.
Ceramic coatings are still vulnerable to water spotting, particularly if you live in an area with hard water. If you are a DIYer there are "toppers" you can apply on top of your ceramic coating (Cquartz Gliss, etc.) that add more slickness to the coating. It's always best to wash with soft/filtered water if possible and don't let things like bird droppings or rain water sit for too long. There are also Si02 spray toppers that are much more convenient to apply every other month of so.
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08-08-2022, 11:32 PM | #8 |
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I wash my car weekly but I don't have ceramic coating on my car. I get what ceramic coatings do for ease of wash but what scars me with them are they can scratch also and correction can be expensive. I used Turtle Wax for paint correction and stay up on keeping car coated with SIO2 products.
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08-15-2022, 09:10 PM | #9 |
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OP, I have PPF on full front clip and rocker panels, plus ceramic coating elsewhere. I typically hand wash weekly with soft water and CarPro Reset. I rarely get water spotting on panels which dry before I can dry them myself, in which case I use CarPro Spotless.
Tanzanite Blue shows rainwater and road salt residue as badly as black, but it comes clean with my normal wash regimen. In winter I resign myself to driving a dirty car as soon as it leaves our driveway. |
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08-17-2022, 04:52 PM | #10 | |
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damn! that thing is shinyyy... I love Topper, it just do miracles |
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08-19-2022, 03:25 AM | #11 | |
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08-19-2022, 10:04 AM | #12 |
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I used Turtle Wax Graphene and had some streaking(the normal Spray ceramic coating may be better). May try Griots or Ethos next in a year or so. I top with OG drying aid with adds a sealant as well, every month or two. I wash about every 2 weeks just because of the wheels alone.
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