Benefits of a Ceramic Car Wash

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Benefits of a Ceramic Car Wash

The only thing that can make cruising around in your prized ride more delightful is cruising around with it stunningly shiny. Properly washing and detailing your vehicle at home is a great way to keep it looking the way you want. And, because an at-home car wash means you’re going over your vehicle from top to bottom, you can check for any cosmetic issues like damaged trim or chipped paintwork.

If you’ve stuck to the basic hands-free automated car washes in the past, you may have noticed a range of cosmetic issues surfacing after the dirt and grime is rinsed away. While swirling and micro scratches are just a bothersome eyesore, chipped paint can expose the metal underneath to rust and corrosion. At best, this can decrease your resale value and, at worst, you’re dealing with costly body damage.

The latest advancements in car wash detergents and polymers have led to improvements in the way we maintain our vehicles, both with professional car washes and at home. Enter, the ceramic car wash. Check out all the benefits of ceramic coating and ceramic car washes here plus shop NAPAOnline.com for everything you need to get a resilient, brilliant shine on your vehicle.

What is a Ceramic Coating and How Does It Perform?

In the 1900s, enamel coating was used to help protect vehicles from rust and corrosion. As automotive paint developed,

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became the most common way to safeguard the paintwork and buff out small scratches. Harvested from palm trees native to Brazil, this wax has a wide variety of uses in the cosmetics, food and medical industries. In the 1950s, scientists developed blends of silicone dioxide and titanium dioxide that would one day become the

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we know today.

Then came the 1980s, a big decade for vehicle wax (and not just thanks to the “wax on, wax off” technique featured in “The Karate Kid”)! Teflon coatings were developed; however, these coatings deteriorate with repeated washing and only provide approximately six months of durability. Then a new ceramic coating known as nano ceramic hit the market. Using a synthetic silicon dioxide blend, this unique formula creates a chemical bond with automotive paint, and the resulting polymer layer provides a super-protective lacquer-like coat with a brilliant candy-shell shine that really turns heads.

A nano-ceramic coating is the perfect addition to any car enthusiast’s cleaning routine. The initial application fills in swirling and micro scratches plus the hydrophobic properties repel water and protect against harmful UV rays. Best of all, ceramic coatings help maintain a beautiful finish for months and even years at a time. With proper maintenance, you can enjoy fewer and less labor-intensive vehicle washes.

Because applying ceramic coatings requires a long curing time in a stable environment, many drivers avoid this process at home by having the formulation applied professionally. But for those brave souls, NAPAOnline.com has

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, ceramic car wash and

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, as well as soaps that work with your existing ceramic coat, such as

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. You can find every product you need to apply and maintain a successful ceramic coat at NAPA.

NAPA Expert Tips: Sustaining That Showroom Shine

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Even if you choose to skip a ceramic coating altogether, you can still get great results at home using a

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or ceramic car wash like the

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and

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.

The key to getting all the benefits of a ceramic car wash is using the proper

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. Use two

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outfitted with

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so the water does not fill with small contaminants that can cause swirling and micro scratches to appear on paintwork. Grit guards keep dirt trapped at the bottom of the bucket and out of the washing mixture and rinsing water. A good

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, a

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and

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delivers a professional-grade vehicle wash at home.

• Tip #1: Always use a foaming prewash. Using a
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  that hooks directly to your hose nozzle makes this first step easy.

• Tip #2: Wash in the shade. To avoid UV damage and water spots, you should try to wash your vehicle in the shade or in the early morning or late evening. Worst case, keep a pop-up tent on hand to make a perfect shady area for wash days, right in your driveway.

• Tip #3: Wash tires separately. Start with washing your tires because they are the dirtiest parts of your vehicle, and you don’t want all that dirt and grime to end up back on your freshly washed vehicle. Begin with a preliminary cleaning, then add polishes and
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  once the whole vehicle is cleaned and waxed.

• Tip #4: Avoid washing with circular motions. If you follow these steps, you should have little or no debris contacting your paintwork. However, if there is a bit of debris present, the micro scratches will appear less obvious if they are in a line rather than a light-diffusing swirl pattern.

The experts at NAPA know how much fun it is to drive a pristine, gleaming machine. A well-maintained vehicle inside and out will love you back and get you down the road longer. So, let us help you keep your ride shining and protected. Shop our range of ceramic car washes and ceramic coating kits plus get in and out faster than ever! Participating NAPA Auto Parts stores now offer a convenient

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option so you can get back on the road in no time.

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