Caring for a
coated car.
Here's the whole routine: wash like you normally would, skip the harsh stuff, and never wax again. That's it. The details below just explain why — and the few things worth avoiding.
The routine, in full.
A ceramic coating makes upkeep easier, not more complicated. The one thing that keeps it performing is a normal, regular wash — dirt, road film, and fallout are what dull any finish, and the coating's job is to make them let go easily.
- Rinse first. Knock off loose grit before you touch the paint, so you're not grinding it in.
- Wash with a normal car shampoo and a clean mitt, top to bottom. You'll notice it takes about half the time — dirt releases instead of clinging.
- Dry with a clean microfibre or a blower. On a coated surface most water sheets off on its own; getting the rest before it evaporates avoids spots.
Do & don't.
Do
- Wash regularly with a pH-neutral shampoo
- Use a clean, soft microfibre mitt and towel
- Rinse bird droppings and sap off promptly
- Use a touchless wash when you're short on time
Don't
- Wax over it — the coating is the protection
- Use brush-style automatic tunnel washes
- Use harsh, abrasive, or acidic cleaners
- Clay bar or compound it yourself
Why skip the wax?
Wax exists to give bare paint a temporary protective layer. Your coating already is that layer — a permanent one. Adding wax on top doesn't help; it sits over the coating, dulls the gloss, and can interfere with the way water beads and rolls off. Leave the coating to do its job.
The brush-wash warning.
If you take one thing from this page: avoid the brush-style tunnel car washes. Those stiff spinning brushes drag grit across every panel and are the number-one cause of the fine swirl marks that dull a finish. A coating is hard and slick, but it isn't scratch-proof. A hand wash or a touchless automatic keeps it looking the way it did the day it was applied.
The first rain is the proof.
You can't see a coating, but you can see what it does. The first time it rains, water pulls into tight beads and rolls off, taking loose dirt with it. That behavior is your at-a-glance health check — as long as water still beads and sheets, your coating is working.
Not coated yet?
Upland CLOSE is a graphene-infused ceramic coating, professionally applied and backed by a 5-year warranty. Tell us where you are and we'll match you to the nearest certified applicator.
Find an applicator →Common questions.
Do I need special products to wash a coated car?+
How often should I wash it?+
My coating stopped beading — is it gone?+
Is my coating covered by a warranty?+
An APAR Brand · Houston, TX