What paint correction can and cannot fix
A simple fingernail test tells you most of what you need to know.
Washing a coated car at home
Two buckets, a pH-neutral shampoo and no dry wiping.
A ceramic coating makes washing easier, but it can still be scratched by a bad wash. Most of the swirl marks we polish out come from careless drying, not from dirt.
Use two buckets: one with shampoo, one with clean water to rinse the mitt between panels. This keeps the grit you lift off the car from going back on. A grit guard at the bottom of each bucket helps further.
Pick a pH-neutral car shampoo. Dish soap and detergents strip the slick top layer of the coating and dry out rubber seals. Wash from the roof down, and do the wheels last with a separate mitt.
Never wipe a dry, dusty car with a cloth. Ahmedabad dust is fine and sharp, and a dry wipe drags it across the paint. Rinse first, always.
Dry with a large, clean microfibre towel, patting or dragging it gently in one direction. Wash your microfibres separately without fabric softener. If you follow this every week or two, the coating will stay glossy and your yearly inspection will be quick.
