Noob! Help with ceramic wash/maintenance.

[vilastrex]

Hey guys new to the forum here. I found it by searching ceramic coating maintenance on the one and only Google.

I recently had my 18' Suburban (black) Coated by my local CP dealer here in WI. What a joke that was. I took it in for the mandatory 2 week wash, while cleaning it they used a cleaner that messed the chrome grill up. What ever they used faded the chrome, they ended up replacing the grill. But after 8 trips there and back I am over it. I asked them what i should do for maintenance as far as washing, drying ect... all i got was use the hose and some dish soap. So here i am spending the day searching what to do and was hoping someone could tell me if I am on the right track.


So after some searching i believe I am going to get some CarPro Rest or Black Fire ermaic for the wash soap. I ordered some Rag Co Eagle 350 and 500 microfibers i also got two wash buckets with dirt guards. This is going to be my main wash method. I do have a pressure washer and foam gun but from what i have read this may be the best method.

Id also like to get a product for in between washes/ light washes. I was thinking ONR? Or CP Reload?

Don't beat me up too bad I am trying to learn the correct processes and using the correct methods/ products to keep the coating up to snuff and keep the car looking great.

Thanks for your time!

[Rsurfer]

[QUOTE=vilastrex;1646385]Hey guys new to the forum here. I found it by searching ceramic coating maintenance on the one and only Google.

I recently had my 18' Suburban (black) Coated by my local CP dealer here in WI. What a joke that was. I took it in for the mandatory 2 week wash, while cleaning it they used a cleaner that messed the chrome grill up. What ever they used faded the chrome, they ended up replacing the grill. But after 8 trips there and back I am over it. I asked them what i should do for maintenance as far as washing, drying ect... all i got was use the hose and some dish soap. So here i am spending the day searching what to do and was hoping someone could tell me if I am on the right track.


So after some searching i believe I am going to get some CarPro Rest or Black Fire ermaic for the wash soap. I ordered some Rag Co Eagle 350 and 500 microfibers i also got two wash buckets with dirt guards. Get a good mf or wool wash mit This is going to be my main wash method. I do have a pressure washer and foam gun but from what i have read this may be the best method.One of the safest way to wash. Rinse to get heavy dirt off the paint. Spray foam and let dwell for a few minutes, rinse and bucket wash. You may want to use the foam from your gun or use soap from a bucket. Do not use original foam on the paint with a wash mitt as you are rubbing the loose dirt into the paint.

Id also like to get a product for in between washes/ light washes. I was thinking ONR? Or CP Reload? Reload is a spray sealant and used as a booster for your CQuartz coating. You want Echo2o for a waterless wash or a quick detailer.

[vilastrex]

Thanks for the reply, i really do appreciate it.

As far as a good mf and wash mit can you define good? When i asked how to wash it from the CP installer all he said besides the dish soap was at least a 350gsm mf. That' why i got what i got...

I will get the Echo20 for a quick detailer. Should i still get the reload for a booster to use every so often?

[The Guz]

Check out Mike's recent post in this thread. There is some links on how to maintain a coated vehicle

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-and-frequently-asked-questions/124209-please-create-coating-s-directory-standalone-topic.html#post1646286

[fly07sti]

I really like the Meguiar’s MF wash mitts for most all washing. Also economical so you can use multiple mitts while washing, especially since you have a large suv. The incredimitt is also quite nice, but $25 a piece. As far as soap I personally use Reset or McKee’s Si02 soap.

[Bruno Soares]

If he really told you to use dish soap then the best thing you can do is run from that place and never return. I'd be surprised if he actually coated your vehicle properly.

[vilastrex]

I really like the Meguiar’s MF wash mitts for most all washing. Also economical so you can use multiple mitts while washing, especially since you have a large suv. The incredimitt is also quite nice, but $25 a piece. As far as soap I personally use Reset or McKee’s Si02 soap.

is there one soap you like better than the other?

[vilastrex]

If he really told you to use dish soap then the best thing you can do is run from that place and never return. I'd be surprised if he actually coated your vehicle properly.

That's the feeling i have. I had the Silver CP package witch wasn't cheep and i feel used. The car actually had to be stripped and re coated because of the water spots that they got on the car and couldn't get off....

[SWETM]

This is much of personal preferences on how to do the maintance washes. And you did the right thing to leave the company that did the washing for you. If they where to be useing dish soap as to wash your vehical with you might have a clogged up coating behavior with bad water beading and sheeting from it. Dish soap is very hard to rinse off clean. But don't worry as you can revive it if they didn't installed marring and scratches or left the dish soap dry on the paint. The last part could be what damage the chrome grill.

Carpro Reset car soap is very great and also a great choice for keeping the coating behave at it's best. I would recommend you do this up to 3-5 first washes without useing any topper or drying aid during this time. If you see a low performance from the coating after the 5th wash. You maybe need to be doing a thorough decon wash with some other products.

How long have you got the coating on?

One thing that I try to do is to get the paint as clean as possible before I touch it with wash mitts. So my recommendation is to get a great prewash foam to do this. The options on AGO is Gtechnic W4 Citrus Foam or Gyeon Foam or Griots Garage BOSS Foaming Surface Wash. I foam this on with the PW and foamcannon on it. And do so without any pre-rinse to get the foam to dwell as long as possible before it dries on the paint and it's slowly runs off. The foam I like to have not to thick as a shaving cream or very runny so it sheets of to fast. So somewhere in the middle is my sweet spot in the thickness of the foam. Read the instructions on the products of how you dilute it and then you have the chemical mix setting on the foamcannon to adjust to the foam you like.

When the foam has dwelled enough after around 4-8 minutes. The warmer temperature the shorter dwell time you get. This that comes know is something I rave about. This is the recommended on mostly every prewash product here in Sweden to do this. And that's I start from the bottom and work my way up with the water pressure from the PW to clean with. So every part of the paint gets hit with the PW as you would clean it with a wash media. I don't use the widest 40 degree nozzle tip but the 25 degree or 15 degree nozzle tip and not any smaller than this. And around a feet away from the vehical with the nozzle tip. The benefit with this is that the desolved dirt don't re-attach as easy on clean paint than a dirty one. And you also see where you have have cleaned with the water pressure from the PW easier. This is only with prewash products and decon products you do this. The touch wash you do as useally and start from the top and work your way down and also rinse this way. And dilute the CP Reset at the recommended 1:500 and measure the amount you need in your wash bucket. Cause if you just pour it in you useally use way to much of it. So when you have done the clean rinsing the prewash foam off you go to the bucket wash. If you have enough of the mf towels you don't rinse them but just put them in the rinse bucket and reach for a fresh and clean one. This way your wash bucket always is clean with just the car soap solution and you don't risk to get any dirt in it at all. I use 6-8 mf wash mitts and this can be expensive in the beginning and you can use the nice mf towels you have ordered too.

If you don't blowdry your vehical I recommend to get you a large Griots Garage PFM Drying MF Towel and the 2-pack of the smaller ones 16×16 PFM Drying MF Towels. On the horisontall panels you hold the PFM at the widest corners and lay them out as far as you reach. And drag it towards you. This gets you a bone dry paint after just one drag so effective they are to soak up water very fast and holds a lot of water without leaves any droplets of water behind. Start from the top and work your way down. On the vertical panels the smaller ones is easier to control and not drop them and not so heavy as the bigger ones gets when they get more and more saturated with water. You just gently wipe it and just the amount of pressure so you don't drop it. If you use a bigger towel you can hold it on the panel and padding it a little so it reach all of the contours and crevices. I don't use any drying aid as many does as these and other high quality mf drying towels should not be marring your paint with these drying techniques. For getting the least water amount on the paint. You can take a water hose and just the hose and little water pressure. And start when you have done the last rinse after the wash. Start from the top and follow the water flow sheeting as it runs off. With a ceramic coating you don't get so much of water left on the paint.

If you would get some water spots while you drying the paint cause of high temperatures or in your case a big vehical. Get you a bottle of Carpro EcH2O and dilute with destilled water at 1:20. And do a wipe down with this as a QD and if you don't have a very high water hardness. It will remove the water spots. And this ads gloss too and can be used as bringing up the gloss a little after the wash. You can use EcH2O as a rinseless wash and waterless washes. Leaves a very little amount of protection from the SiO2 that you also have in your coating. A great product to have if you have a ceramic coating of any brand.

What kind of PW do you have?

/ Tony

[vilastrex]

This is much of personal preferences on how to do the maintance washes. And you did the right thing to leave the company that did the washing for you. If they where to be useing dish soap as to wash your vehical with you might have a clogged up coating behavior with bad water beading and sheeting from it. Dish soap is very hard to rinse off clean. But don't worry as you can revive it if they didn't installed marring and scratches or left the dish soap dry on the paint. The last part could be what damage the chrome grill.

Carpro Reset car soap is very great and also a great choice for keeping the coating behave at it's best. I would recommend you do this up to 3-5 first washes without useing any topper or drying aid during this time. If you see a low performance from the coating after the 5th wash. You maybe need to be doing a thorough decon wash with some other products.

How long have you got the coating on?

One thing that I try to do is to get the paint as clean as possible before I touch it with wash mitts. So my recommendation is to get a great prewash foam to do this. The options on AGO is Gtechnic W4 Citrus Foam or Gyeon Foam or Griots Garage BOSS Foaming Surface Wash. I foam this on with the PW and foamcannon on it. And do so without any pre-rinse to get the foam to dwell as long as possible before it dries on the paint and it's slowly runs off. The foam I like to have not to thick as a shaving cream or very runny so it sheets of to fast. So somewhere in the middle is my sweet spot in the thickness of the foam. Read the instructions on the products of how you dilute it and then you have the chemical mix setting on the foamcannon to adjust to the foam you like.

When the foam has dwelled enough after around 4-8 minutes. The warmer temperature the shorter dwell time you get. This that comes know is something I rave about. This is the recommended on mostly every prewash product here in Sweden to do this. And that's I start from the bottom and work my way up with the water pressure from the PW to clean with. So every part of the paint gets hit with the PW as you would clean it with a wash media. I don't use the widest 40 degree nozzle tip but the 25 degree or 15 degree nozzle tip and not any smaller than this. And around a feet away from the vehical with the nozzle tip. The benefit with this is that the desolved dirt don't re-attach as easy on clean paint than a dirty one. And you also see where you have have cleaned with the water pressure from the PW easier. This is only with prewash products and decon products you do this. The touch wash you do as useally and start from the top and work your way down and also rinse this way. And dilute the CP Reset at the recommended 1:500 and measure the amount you need in your wash bucket. Cause if you just pour it in you useally use way to much of it. So when you have done the clean rinsing the prewash foam off you go to the bucket wash. If you have enough of the mf towels you don't rinse them but just put them in the rinse bucket and reach for a fresh and clean one. This way your wash bucket always is clean with just the car soap solution and you don't risk to get any dirt in it at all. I use 6-8 mf wash mitts and this can be expensive in the beginning and you can use the nice mf towels you have ordered too.

If you don't blowdry your vehical I recommend to get you a large Griots Garage PFM Drying MF Towel and the 2-pack of the smaller ones 16×16 PFM Drying MF Towels. On the horisontall panels you hold the PFM at the widest corners and lay them out as far as you reach. And drag it towards you. This gets you a bone dry paint after just one drag so effective they are to soak up water very fast and holds a lot of water without leaves any droplets of water behind. Start from the top and work your way down. On the vertical panels the smaller ones is easier to control and not drop them and not so heavy as the bigger ones gets when they get more and more saturated with water. You just gently wipe it and just the amount of pressure so you don't drop it. If you use a bigger towel you can hold it on the panel and padding it a little so it reach all of the contours and crevices. I don't use any drying aid as many does as these and other high quality mf drying towels should not be marring your paint with these drying techniques. For getting the least water amount on the paint. You can take a water hose and just the hose and little water pressure. And start when you have done the last rinse after the wash. Start from the top and follow the water flow sheeting as it runs off. With a ceramic coating you don't get so much of water left on the paint.

If you would get some water spots while you drying the paint cause of high temperatures or in your case a big vehical. Get you a bottle of Carpro EcH2O and dilute with destilled water at 1:20. And do a wipe down with this as a QD and if you don't have a very high water hardness. It will remove the water spots. And this ads gloss too and can be used as bringing up the gloss a little after the wash. You can use EcH2O as a rinseless wash and waterless washes. Leaves a very little amount of protection from the SiO2 that you also have in your coating. A great product to have if you have a ceramic coating of any brand.

What kind of PW do you have?

/ Tony

Holy info! Thank you. The coating has been on for a month. The PW i have is a industrial id have to check the PSI but i can strip paint when its turned up. i have it turned all the way down for the cars.

What mf towels would you recommend?

[fly07sti]

is there one soap you like better than the other?

I use Reset when I want a “stronger” wash and use McKee’s for “normal/maintenance” washes.

[vilastrex]

Well I got all the goods and I’m going to give it a shot tomorrow! Thanks for all the help!

[SWETM]

For drying towels I like the twisted loop nap mf drying towels. Griots Garage PFM Drying MF Towel is the high standard of these and a big benefit is that they are double sided. Gyeon Silk Dryer Towel is the one sided one. Don't remember the of The Rag Company one Twisstress maybe and many others has this kind of loop. What makes them so incredible is when say you dry the hood. Hold it in the widest corners and lay it out as far as you reach and drag it towards you. This gets you a bone dry paint after that one pull. They gets heavy as they hold up a lot of water without leaves any droplets of water behind. But when you come to the vertical panels it can be a little tricky to handle them without nudge them on the ground and that's not so good LOL. But GG PFM Drying MF Towel comes in a 2-pack with the size of 16×16. So a combo of a bigger one and the 2-pack of the smaller ones is an awesome setup to have at hand. I have a big one sided one to the horisontall panels and then 2 Sonax Super Dry Towel. Can't get the GG in the EU and in Sweden where I live without huge shipping cost and customs cost and taxes costs sadly. I have one great plusher mf drying towel that I sometimes use on the vertical panels and pad drying with it. Just hold the mf towel to the paint and lightly pad or press on it and it's soak up water bone dry and hold even more water than the PFM style drying towels.

For mf towels to wash and apply toppers and QDs with the ones from TRC you have is great. Find out which gsm suits the product you use best. Mike Phillips has the forrest green edgeless mf towels as favorites to many products. A 12-pack of these will be good to have. A shorter mf nap mf towel which can come in handy when you need to be cutting through compound and polish and waxes and sealants that has a little harder wipe off. I have many like these from a domestic detailing company which I find useing more often than the Carpro ones that's like the TRC ones that you have.

12 Pack Forrest Green Edgeless Microfiber Polishing Cloths (https://www.autogeek.net/mf-green-12.html)

Griot's Garage Extra-Large PFM Edgeless Drying Towel (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-garage-extralarge-pfm-towel.html)

Griots Garage PFM Terry Weave Drying Towel (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-garage-pfm-drying-towel.html)

Griots Garage PFM Terry Weave Towel, Set of 2 (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-pfm-2pack.html)

GYEON Silk Dryer 28 x 36 Inches (https://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-large-silk-dryer.html)

https://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-silk-dryer.html

You can buy TRC towels here too if you want to.

https://www.autogeek.net/the-rag-company.html

/ Tony

[vilastrex]

So I got the car washed! Wow I’m impressed by the Gyeon Foam, that stuff works! Also impressed by the CP Reset. The car looks outstanding however I noticed it don’t have the glass feel to it. It’s clean to my eyes I don’t see any water spots or dirt.it does repel water pretty well I wouldn’t say it’s as good as when it was first coated tho.

Should I look at getting a booster??

[SWETM]

So I got the car washed! Wow I’m impressed by the Gyeon Foam, that stuff works! Also impressed by the CP Reset. The car looks outstanding however I noticed it don’t have the glass feel to it. It’s clean to my eyes I don’t see any water spots or dirt.it does repel water pretty well I wouldn’t say it’s as good as when it was first coated tho.

Should I look at getting a booster??

Glad you where happy with Gyeon Foam and Carpro Reset. They are really great products. I like these kind of products that don't leave anything behind. Then apply a great topper when you want or need to.

Do you know which ceramic coating you had applyied? It's seems they have named their own packages. Are you fully set on Carpro topper or could another product be an option? Some don't like Carpro Reload which would be the first option. Carpro Elixir is their QD but seems to be working well on the coating for some weeks. Do you want a longer lasting topper or something like you could apply after every other wash?