Ceramic coating & PPF care guide
Durable isn't
invincible.
Your professional guide to keeping a ceramic coated or PPF-protected vehicle looking brand new for years. Straightforward, easy to follow, and the exact method we use in our Chino shop.
Protection still needs upkeep.
Maintaining your ceramic coating and paint protection film (PPF) is the most important part of aftercare. These products are built to protect your vehicle and give it a durable surface, but they still need to be taken care of.
Think of it like the mechanical side of your car. A brand new Toyota is built to be reliable, but skip the oil changes and fluids and it wears out faster. Your coating and film work the same way. Following this guide keeps them performing for their full lifespan and keeps your warranty in good standing. Skipping it can cause premature failure and may void warranties.
Durable ≠ invincible. That's the whole guide in two words.
Wash it like you mean it.
Running a little long now and then isn't the end of the world. Just don't make it a habit.
- Every 2 weeks
- The sweet spot
- Once a month
- The minimum
- 4–6 weeks, once
- Not a problem
- 4–6 weeks, always
- Premature wear
Congrats. Now let it cure.
Thank you for trusting us with your investment. Here's what to expect, and what to look out for, in the first week after you pick up your vehicle.
Ceramic coating
- Day 1Avoid any water for the first 24 hours.
- Days 1–7Do not wash your vehicle.
- If it gets dirtyRain, mud or heavy soil? Call us and we'll tell you exactly what to do.
Paint protection film
- Days 1–7Minor bubbles, moisture or small marks are normal while the film cures.
- Days 1–7Do not wash your vehicle.
- Check upSchedule your check up for two weeks to a month after pick up. It's required to honor your labor warranty.
See something you're not happy with? Reach out right away. We do our absolute best on every job, but we don't live in a perfect world, and we'll always make sure you're fully satisfied.
Three steps. Zero guessing.
No need to look anywhere else. This is the same process we trust on the vehicles we protect.
The right chemicals & tools
The first step to success is not having to guess what works. We've already figured that out for you.
Adam's Essentials Detail Kit
Everything you need in one box. Choose the "Complete" size, it's the only one with everything this guide uses.
- Two-bucket setup: two 5-gallon buckets with grit guards, a premium microfiber wash mitt and car shampoo.
- Foam gun for the foam-down step.
- Wheels & tires: Wheel & Tire Cleaner, a wheel brush and a tire brush.
- Drying & spot care: Ultra Plush Drying Towel, CS3 (a ceramic-infused drying aid and waterless wash) and Detail Spray.
- Plus trim dressing, interior cleaner and extra microfiber towels.
Washing the right way
Where you wash, when you wash, what touches your paint and the order you do it in. Get these right and the process is almost foolproof.
Where & when
- Shade or indoors. Never in direct sun.
- Cool panels. Hot panels flash-dry soap and water before you can rinse, leaving spots and streaks.
- Summer? Aim for early morning or evening.
The two-bucket method
One bucket with soap, one with clean rinse water, and grit guards in both if you have them. This keeps grit off your paint instead of dragging it around.
pH-neutral car soap only, like the Car Shampoo in the kit. No dish soap and no "wash & wax" products; wax fillers dull a coating's slickness and beading.
- DunkLoad the mitt in the soap bucket
- WashOne section, straight passes
- RinseMitt in the rinse bucket
- RepeatBack to soap, next section
The wash, step by step
- Wheels and tires first. They get their own mitt or brush and their own bucket. Never the mitt you use on paint.
- Pre-rinse the whole car, top to bottom, to knock off loose dirt and grit before you touch it.
- Foam down with a foam cannon if you have it.
- Start at the top and work down. Lower panels and rockers are the dirtiest, so save them for last.
- Straight, overlapping passes, not circles. Straight lines keep any fine marring far less visible.
- Rinse thoroughly. Don't let soap dry on the surface.
Drying the right way
Drying is where most swirl marks actually happen, so this is not the step to rush.
- Never air dry. Minerals in the water dry into spots that can etch a coating over time.
- Big, clean microfiber towel, or better, a filtered air blower or dedicated car dryer.
- Use a drying aid. Mist a ceramic-safe drying aid or quick detailer so the towel glides instead of drags.
- Pat and gently pull the towel. Don't scrub back and forth.
- Blow out the gaps. Panel gaps, mirrors and PPF edges hold water that drips and spots after you're done.
Most swirl marks come from drying, not washing.
More often than you think.
The coating and film do the protecting. Washing is what keeps them able to.
Keeps contamination from building up and keeps your coating slick and beading.
The least a coated or PPF-protected vehicle should be washed. We highly recommend every two weeks; washing only once a month can still take a toll over time.
Daily drivers, vehicles near the coast, and during dusty or pollen-heavy stretches.
4–6 weeks now and then won't hurt. Making it your normal will.
The stuff that can't wait.
Some contaminants will etch or stain even a coated or filmed surface if they sit long enough. Get them off immediately if possible, and within 12–24 hours at most.
Keep a microfiber towel and a bottle of detail spray in your car so you can take care of it on the spot. A light scratch from wiping can be fixed. Etching and staining can't.
- 01Spray detail spray on the spot. Never wipe it dry, you'll grind it in.
- 02Let it soften for a moment.
- 03Lift gently with a clean microfiber.
- Bird droppings12–24 hr max
- Bug splatter12–24 hr max
- Tree sap12–24 hr max
- Water & sprinkler spots12–24 hr max
- Road tar & fuel12–24 hr max
Won't come off easily? Call us before you start scrubbing.
The short list. Please read it.
These are the things that can kill a coating, tear a film edge, or void a warranty.
Automatic car washes
Brushes are abrasive and loaded with everyone else's grit. Touchless washes use harsh chemicals that dry out the surface, like washing your face with dish soap.
Pressure washing edges
Keep the tip a foot or two back and angle it along the panel, never straight into a PPF edge or seam.
Dish soap & harsh cleaners
Or anything abrasive. pH-neutral car soap only.
Polish, wax & scratch removers
They're designed to cut into a surface and will thin or strip a coating. Carnauba wax will stain PPF.
Dry-wiping dust
Always add a waterless wash or quick detailer first. A dry towel drags dust across the paint.
Picking at PPF edges
Don't pick at an edge or corner. If one starts to lift, bring it in.
Letting it bake on
Droppings, sap and bugs left in the sun are how stains and etching happen.
Mystery products
Unsure about something? Ask us first. It's free, and it beats a repair bill.
Coating & film, long term.
A few product-specific things that keep your protection looking and acting brand new.
Keep the beading alive
Over time, road film and buildup can flatten out a coating's water beading. That doesn't mean it failed. It means it needs a refresh.
Top it up
A ceramic booster or SiO2 topper spray every few months, or every few washes, restores slickness and beading.
Wash with the kit
Using CS3 from the kit as your drying aid adds a light layer of ceramic protection every time you wash.
Still flat?
If a topper doesn't bring the beading back, book a maintenance service with us.
Film-specific tips
PPF is tough, but it has a few habits of its own worth knowing.
Self-healing
Light swirls and fine scratches disappear with heat: a warm day, a warm rinse, or a hair dryer on low.
Edges
Don't pick at them. If an edge ever starts to lift, don't pull it. Bring it in.
Yellowing vs. staining
Modern film has UV inhibitors and won't yellow like the old stuff. Staining comes from contaminants left on too long, which is exactly why spot care matters.
Annual professional maintenance.
Once a year, bring your vehicle in for a full decontamination and inspection. It's the tune-up that keeps your coating and film performing, and your warranty in good standing.
Book your annual service- 01
Deep clean
Full decontamination of the coating and film.
- 02
Refresh
Restore hydrophobic performance and slickness.
- 03
Inspect
Check the PPF for any lifting edges and address them.
- 04
Protect your warranty
Keep your coverage in good standing.
Call us first.
We'll walk you through the whole process. Claims must be filed within 30 days of the issue appearing, so don't wait.
Feynlab warranty
- File within
- 30 days of the issue appearing
- Claim fee
- $100 inspection fee, refunded if the claim is approved
- How
- Call us first and we'll guide you through it
Pure PPF warranty
- File within
- 30 days of the problem appearing
- Who files
- We do, as your authorized installer
- If approved
- Pure PPF provides replacement material for the defective area
The manufacturers' posted terms are always the most current and have the final say on any claim.
Aftercare, answered.
Don't see your question? Call or text us. We'd much rather answer a question than fix a problem.
How soon can I wash my car after coating or PPF?
Wait 7 days before washing after either service. For ceramic coatings, also keep the vehicle away from any water for the first 24 hours. If it gets dirty from rain, mud or heavy soil during the first week, call us and we'll tell you what to do.
Can I use an automatic car wash?
No. Brush car washes are abrasive and loaded with grit from other vehicles, and even touchless washes use aggressive chemicals that dry out and degrade a coating. Hand wash with the two-bucket method and a pH-neutral soap instead.
How often should I wash a coated or PPF car?
We highly recommend every 2 weeks. Once a month is the minimum, but washing only monthly can still take a toll over time. Wash more often for daily drivers, vehicles near the coast, and during dusty or pollen-heavy stretches. Going 4 to 6 weeks occasionally is fine, just don't make it a habit.
What soap should I use?
A pH-neutral car soap only, like the Car Shampoo in the Adam's Essentials Detail Kit we recommend. Avoid dish soap, harsh cleaners and "wash & wax" products, since wax fillers dull a coating's slickness and beading.
Can I wax or polish my coated car?
No. Polishes, compounds and scratch removers cut into the surface and will thin or strip a ceramic coating, and carnauba wax will stain paint protection film. Use a ceramic booster or SiO2 topper spray instead.
My water beading dropped off. Did the coating fail?
Usually not. Road film and buildup can flatten beading over time. A ceramic booster or SiO2 topper every few months restores it. If a topper doesn't bring it back, book a maintenance service with us.
Will my PPF turn yellow?
Modern paint protection film has UV inhibitors and won't yellow like older films. Staining is different: it comes from contaminants like droppings and sap left on too long, which is why you should remove them immediately if possible, and within 12 to 24 hours at most.
What if a PPF edge starts lifting?
Don't pick at it or pull it. Bring it in so we can address it. Lifting edges are one of the things we check during your annual professional maintenance.
How do warranty claims work?
Call us first. Claims for both Feynlab ceramic coatings and Pure PPF film must be filed within 30 days of the issue appearing. Feynlab charges a $100 inspection fee that's refunded if the claim is approved. For PPF, we file the claim as your authorized installer, and approved claims receive replacement material for the defective area.
Something look off?
That's what we're here for. Reach out any time you see any of these. It's always free to ask.
- A PPF edge lifting or peeling
- Water no longer beading or sheeting
- Stains or water spots that won't wash off
- Any damage
- Before trying a new product