Look after it.
It looks after you.
The right wash routine keeps your film, coating and tint performing for years — and keeps your warranty intact. Here’s everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
The first two weeks.
Everything is still curing. Give it this small window and it’ll reward you for years. Your handover sheet has the specifics for your install.
Let it cure.
- No washing for the first 7 days
- Avoid sprinklers, bird droppings & sap — rinse off gently if they land
- No waxes or sealants over the coating — ever
Let it settle.
- No washing for the first 48 hours
- Keep pressure washers away from film edges for 7 days
- Small bubbles or haze are normal — they settle within 2–3 weeks
Windows up.
- Keep windows up for the first 3 days
- A light haze or moisture spots are normal early on
- Don’t clean the inside glass for 14 days
The wash routine.
Four steps, twenty minutes. This is the whole secret to a coating that beads like day one.
Pre-rinse
Rinse or snow foam first to lift loose grit before anything touches the paint.
pH-neutral wash
Two buckets, a quality mitt and a pH-neutral shampoo. Straight lines, light pressure.
Shop shampoos →Top up quarterly
A ceramic topper every 3 months restores slickness and keeps protection at full strength.
Ceramic care →Never do these.
- Automatic brush car washes — the fastest way to scratch film and dull a coating
- Household detergents or degreasers — they strip the coating’s top layer
- Claying or polishing coated paint — that’s a job for us, not a Sunday afternoon
- High pressure on film edges — keep the lance a hand-span back from every edge
- Waxing over the coating — it smothers the ceramic; use a proper topper instead
- Ignoring bird droppings & sap — rinse them off the same day, cured or not
Every protection package includes store credit at The Detail Store — sized to set you up with the full routine: shampoo, mitt, drying towel and a quarterly topper. Bring your booking confirmation and we’ll put the kit together for you.
Questions, answered.
As a rule: 48 hours for film, 7 days for a fresh coating — whichever is later for your package. Your handover sheet confirms the exact dates for your install.
Warranties cover the materials and the workmanship. Damage from brush washes or harsh chemicals isn’t a product fault — so following the routine on this page is what keeps you fully covered. If you’re ever unsure, email us before you try something.
Nothing exotic — a pH-neutral shampoo, a clean mitt, a plush drying towel and a quarterly topper. That’s exactly what your aftercare credit is sized for.
Yes — it’s actually the gentlest pre-rinse there is. Just keep the lance about 30cm off the panel and never aim it directly at a film edge.
Rinse it off the same day with water or a quick detailer — don’t scrub. Droppings and sap are acidic and can etch even protected surfaces if they bake in the sun.
Start with the right protection.
PPF, ceramic coating and tint — fixed prices by car size, explained simply.
See packages & prices