Ceramic Coating and Automatic Car Washes: Safe?

Touchless car washes are generally safe for ceramic-coated cars. Brush-type automatic washes are not recommended, regardless of whether your car has a ceramic coating.

Touchless washes and coated cars:

Touchless washes use high-pressure water and detergents without any physical brushes. They will not scratch your ceramic coating or the paint underneath. In fact, because the coating creates a hydrophobic surface, the touchless wash chemicals often work more effectively and rinse more cleanly. This is one of the practical benefits of ceramic coating: it makes automatic washing more effective.

Brush-type automatic washes:

These are the ones with the big rotating brushes that scrub your car. Even on an uncoated car, these brushes harbour dirt, grit and debris from every car that passes through. They create micro-scratches and swirl marks on every pass. On a ceramic-coated car, you are still damaging the clear coat and gradually wearing away the coating. The coating does not make your paint immune to mechanical abrasion.

The best approach:

For a ceramic-coated car, the ideal washing method remains a proper two-bucket hand wash with quality products. If you must use an automatic wash, choose a touchless facility and avoid the brush-style tunnels. Hand washing is still the gold standard and will keep your coating performing at its best for longer.

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We will provide you with a maintenance routine that protects your investment and keeps your coating performing at its peak.