How To Maintain Your Coating

When it comes to game changers in the detailing industry, the introduction of coatings was one of the biggest. Paint coatings, glass coatings, wheel coatings, trim coatings virtually every surface of your vehicle now has a product that will coat and protect! Many coatings have a protective life that can be measured in years- as long as proper maintenance guidelines are followed. Now keep in mind, many coatings have their own maintenance routine, but many are the same and require just a few steps! Check out the full guide below for the proper way to maintain your coating!

Washing As with many other aspects of detailing, the way you wash your vehicle really helps to ensure the surfaces are clean and swirl free. And when it comes to a coating, it's doubly important that proper washing protocol is followed. Depending on the manufacturer of your coating, there may be a maintenance wash already designed to clean and maintain your coating. For example, BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating Wash is specially formulated to maintain the BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating. The BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating Wash contains ingredients that boost the hydrophobicity of the BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating, effectively extending the durability and life of that coating.

BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating Wash is quick to wash and easy to dry, creating and maintaining that perfect shine.

If your coating's manufacturer doesn't have a dedicated coating wash, using a high-quality wash, like BLACKFIRE Pro Ceramic Coating Wash or Wolfgang Uber SiO2 Coating Wash will help maintain the coating's finish. Most dedicated coating washes can be used on all exterior coated surfaces - including paint, wheels, glass, trim, and metals. Wash the entire surface using best washing practices- check out our, "How to Properly Wash & Dry Your Car" for more information! Topping/Layering Also new to the market are wet-spray-on products that provide even more protection, slickness, and shine with minimal application. Perfect for use over a paint coating, these toppers increase the coating's durability and hydrophobicity. Follow each individual product's specific instructions for application. Here, we're demonstrating the DP Hydro Wet Seal:

While the car is wet, spray DP Hydro Wet Seal directly onto the surface.		Rinse the panel with a strong jet of water to activate DP Hydro Wet Seal. You'll already start seeing the water beading/sheeting!

	Dry the surface with a drying towel (or a car dryer) and enjoy the sleekness and hydrophobicity

This step doesn't necessarily have to be used with a product made by the same manufacturer, but for synergistic purposes, it is recommended. Application is literally as easy as wetting the surface (or simply not drying after a wash), spraying the topper product on, and rinsing it away! Just like that, your paint/wheel/glass coating has been boosted and you can move on to your next step! Drying After applying your topper, be sure the surface is fully dried to prevent any water spotting or smudging. Be sure to use only the highest quality microfiber if using a towel, and a dedicated car dryer, like the BLACKFIRE Car Dryer if going electronic.

Drying your car has never been easier with the BLACKFIRE Car Dryer! Water is quickly blown off the surface before drying, leaving no chance of water spots or etching!

Use the BLACKFIRE Car Dryer to blast water out of the small nooks and crannies of emblems and grilles!

Maintenance Spray If you don't have time to wash your whole vehicle, but still would like to enhance the water sheeting properties and durability of your coating, using a coating maintenance spray would certainly do the trick! BLACKFIRE SiO2 Spray Sealant for instance, creates a hard-as-nails finish on coated surfaces and keeps dirt, dust, road grime, and other environmental contaminants from adhering to the surface.

BLACKFIRE SiO2 Spray Sealant is very easy to use! Simply spray onto clean and dry paint, and buff off for a sleek shine and protected finish.

BLACKFIRE SiO2 Spray Sealant can be used as a stand-alone protection product, or as a "booster" for your already coated paint! Just check out the depth and gloss created on this 2010 Black Cadillac CTS!

Booster In between washings, your coating can be boosted and enhanced by using a dedicated coating booster spray. Just like with the coating wash, many manufacturers have created a spray to be used with the same brand of coating. For example, Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Coating Booster can be used with all of the Pinnacle Black Label coatings – including Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating, Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Paint Coating, Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Glass Coating, and Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Wheel Coating.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 detailed by Mike Phillips using Black Label products. Use Black Label Diamond Coating Booster to maintain the glassy shine and slick finish created by Black Label Diamond Paint or Surface Coating.

And that's really it! Not all of these steps are necessary (except for washing, that's always necessary!) but following all of the above steps will really help your coating- be it paint, glass, wheel, trim, or metal- perform it's best for years to come!