Car Care Guide
Maintain Your Ceramic-Coated Vehicle with the Opti-Coat Maintenance Line
Your Opti-Coat ceramic coating is designed to provide long-term gloss, chemical resistance, and easier vehicle maintenance. Proper care helps keep the protected surface clean, clear, and performing as intended.
The Opti-Coat Maintenance Line is a complete range of products designed to safely clean, protect, and maintain ceramic-coated vehicles. It includes solutions for routine washing, wheel and tire care, mineral-deposit removal, glass, interiors, drying, and added protection.
Shop the Opti-Coat Maintenance Line
New Coating and Initial-Cure Care
After a new coating, Opti-Shield installation, paint protection film, or window tint installation, follow the specific post-installation instructions provided by your Authorized Opti-Coat Installer.
Avoid washing the vehicle, applying additional products, or using aggressive cleaners during the initial cure period specified by your installer. Cure requirements can vary by product, installation conditions, and service performed.
If you have questions about the appearance or care of a newly installed product, contact the installer before attempting to correct it yourself.
Start with Safe, Routine Washing
Frequent, gentle washing is the foundation of coating maintenance. Wash the vehicle as needed to prevent road film, bug residue, bird droppings, tree sap, mineral deposits, salt, and other contamination from remaining on the surface.
Rinseless Washing
Opti-Coat No Rinse Ceramic Rinseless Car Wash is an excellent choice for routine maintenance washing. It can be used without a hose or traditional rinse step and is safe for ceramic-coated paint, glass, trim, wheels, paint protection film, and vinyl.
For best results:
- Work from the top of the vehicle down, leaving the dirtiest areas for last.
- Use clean wash media and separate towels, mitts, or sponges for wheels and tires.
- Dry each section gently with a quality microfiber drying towel.
- In direct sunlight or high heat, work in smaller sections and do not allow the solution to dry on the surface.
Use the Opti-Coat Big Gold Sponge 2.0 or other clean, high-quality wash media. Do not return heavily soiled wash media to a clean wash solution without first rinsing it thoroughly.
Traditional Washing
For a conventional hose-and-bucket wash, use Opti-Coat M-Wash Ceramic Car Wash. Rinse away loose debris first, wash from the top down, and dry completely after washing.
For heavy mud, sand, caked-on dirt, or excessive road salt, remove the bulk of the contamination with a pre-rinse before touching the surface with wash media. Do not wipe heavy grit across paint, film, or coated surfaces.
In winter and coastal areas, wash road salt and salt spray promptly, including lower panels, wheel wells, wheels, and other areas where contamination accumulates.
If You Must Use an Automated Car Wash
Hand washing is preferred. If an automated car wash is necessary, choose a touchless car wash that does not use spinning brushes, cloth strips, or other friction media on the vehicle.
Touchless washes are the better automated option for ceramic-coated vehicles, but inspect the vehicle afterward and remove any remaining contamination safely. Dry the vehicle completely to help prevent water spotting, especially if the wash uses municipal or reclaimed water.
Avoid automatic brush washes. Dirty brushes and friction media can create scratches, marring, and contamination buildup on coated surfaces.
Dry Completely
Do not allow tap water, sprinkler water, or wash water to air-dry on the vehicle. Minerals left behind can create water spots and, if left untreated, may etch the coating or paint surface. Water-spot etching caused by tap water or sprinkler water is not covered under the warranty.
Use the Opti-Coat Ultimate Drying Towel or another clean, high-quality microfiber towel. Blot or glide the towel gently across the surface rather than applying excessive pressure.
For added gloss, slickness, and water behavior, apply Opti-Coat Hyper Seal Ceramic Paint Sealant to clean paint, PPF, vinyl, trim, and other compatible exterior surfaces according to label directions.
Care for Your Microfiber Towels
Quality microfiber is essential to safe vehicle maintenance. Wash towels with Optimum Renew Microfiber Detergent according to label directions to help remove oils, product residue, and embedded contamination while maintaining towel performance.
- Wash microfiber towels separately from clothing and other laundry.
- Avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets.
- Keep wheel, tire, and heavily soiled towels separate from paint towels.
- Retire towels that are contaminated, stiff, damaged, or no longer safe for delicate surfaces.
Clean, well-maintained microfiber helps prevent marring and allows maintenance products to perform properly.
Remove Contamination Promptly
Ceramic coatings make contamination easier to remove, but they do not make a vehicle maintenance-free. Remove bird droppings, bug residue, tree sap, tar, and other contaminants as soon as practical.
For light contamination between washes, use Opti-Coat No Rinse as directed for a quick, safe cleanup. Do not aggressively rub dry dirt or contamination across the surface.
If a mark remains after washing, use the appropriate maintenance product and follow the label directions:
- Opti-Coat MDR Mineral Deposit Remover for mineral deposits and water-spot contamination.
- Opti-Coat FerreX Iron Remover for iron fallout and embedded ferrous contamination.
- Opti-Coat Power Clean All Purpose Cleaner for heavier cleaning needs on compatible surfaces.
Do not use abrasive polishes, compounds, aggressive solvents, or excessive force on a coated surface unless you have been advised to do so by an Authorized Opti-Coat Installer.
Understanding Water Behavior
Water beading and sheeting can change over time as road film, minerals, oils, and other contamination build up on the surface. Reduced water behavior alone does not necessarily mean a ceramic coating has failed.
Proper washing and decontamination can often restore the surface’s water behavior. If the vehicle remains rough, stained, or difficult to clean after normal maintenance, contact an Authorized Opti-Coat Installer for an inspection and recommendation.
Care for Wheels and Tires
Wheels and tires collect some of the vehicle’s heaviest contamination. Use separate brushes, wash media, and towels for these areas to avoid transferring brake dust and grime to paintwork.
Use Opti-Coat Power Clean and Opti-Coat FerreX as needed and according to their label directions. Finish with Opti-Coat Tire Gel for a clean, durable tire appearance.
Always ensure wheel and tire products are thoroughly rinsed or removed from unintended surfaces.
Maintain Glass, Trim, and Exterior Details
Use Opti-Coat Glass Ceramic Clean & Protect to clean and protect exterior glass. Use a dedicated glass towel to reduce streaking and avoid transferring oils, tire products, or other residues onto the glass. Interior glass can be cleaned with Opti-Coat No Rinse or Optimum Waterless Wash.
Clean trim, emblems, and textured exterior surfaces gently. Avoid aggressive brushes and harsh cleaners that may leave residue or cause discoloration.
Maintain the Interior
Regular interior care prevents body oils, spills, dust, and grime from building up on protected surfaces.
- Use Opti-Coat Protectant Plus Ceramic Interior Protectant to clean and maintain leather, vinyl, plastic, and other compatible interior surfaces.
- Use Opti-Coat Fabric Ceramic Clean & Protect for carpets, upholstery, and compatible fabric surfaces.
- Vacuum regularly and blot spills promptly. Do not scrub a spill deeply into fabric or leather.
Always test a new product in a small, inconspicuous area when working on delicate materials.
PPF and Window Tint Care
Paint protection film and window tint should be maintained with gentle washing, clean microfiber, and compatible products.
Do not use abrasive polishes, aggressive scrubbing, or harsh cleaners on film or tinted glass. Follow your installer’s post-installation instructions during the initial cure period and do not roll tinted windows down until your installer confirms it is safe to do so.
For concerns involving film edges, lifting, bubbles, stains, or tint appearance, contact the installer rather than attempting a repair yourself.
What to Avoid
To preserve the appearance and performance of your protected vehicle:
- Do not use automatic brush washes.
- Do not wash with dirty towels, mitts, sponges, or brushes.
- Do not allow water, cleaning products, or contamination to dry on the vehicle.
- Do not use harsh household cleaners, aggressive solvents, or excessive pressure when removing contamination.
- Do not use polishes, compounds, abrasive cleaners, or abrasive pads on ceramic-coated vehicles unless specifically directed by an Authorized Opti-Coat Installer.
- Do not assume that water spotting, staining, scratches, or contamination will disappear without proper cleaning or professional evaluation.
When to Contact Your Installer
Contact your Authorized Opti-Coat Installer if you notice persistent water spots, staining, roughness, unusual loss of gloss, scratches, paint damage, or contamination that does not respond to normal maintenance.
Your installer can inspect the surface, recommend the proper service, and help determine whether professional decontamination, correction, or warranty documentation is needed.
Product-care guidance does not replace your Opti-Coat warranty terms or your installer’s post-installation instructions. For warranty questions, inspections, or persistent concerns, contact an Authorized Opti-Coat Installer.
Maintain the Ultimate Finish
A ceramic coating makes vehicle care easier, but regular maintenance is still essential. The Opti-Coat Maintenance Line gives you the products needed to wash, protect, and care for every major surface of your vehicle.