Car care guide · Woks DetailingKeep itthat way.
How to look after coatings, film, tint and wraps after they leave the shop. We give you the exact cure times for your job at pickup.
Ceramic coating
A coating makes washing easier, but it isn't a force field. How you wash decides how long it performs.
About the serviceDo
- Hand wash with a pH-neutral car soap
- Use clean microfiber mitts and towels
- Rinse bird droppings and bug splatter off soon
- Come in for maintenance washes to keep it performing
Avoid
- Automatic brush car washes
- Harsh degreasers or dish soap on the paint
- Washing in direct hot sun when you can avoid it
- Washing before the cure time we give you at pickup
Paint protection film
Film is tough, but the edges are where it can lift if they're abused.
About the serviceDo
- Hand wash like a coated car
- Keep a pressure washer tip well back from film edges
- Let the sun or warm water help light swirls self-heal
- Ask about ceramic on top of the film
Avoid
- Blasting film edges up close with a pressure washer
- Picking at an edge that looks lifted: call us instead
- Abrasive polishes on the film
Do
- Leave the windows up for the cure time we give you
- Clean with an ammonia-free glass cleaner
- Use a soft microfiber on the inside
Avoid
- Rolling windows down early
- Ammonia cleaners or scrapers on the tinted side
- Worrying about a little haze at first: it clears as it cures
Vinyl wraps
Wraps last longest when they're washed gently and kept out of harsh chemicals.
About the serviceDo
- Hand wash with a gentle soap
- Dry with a clean microfiber
- Use products made for matte or satin film on those finishes
Avoid
- Automatic brush washes
- Pressure washing seams and edges up close
- Waxes or polishes on matte and satin film
Do
- Rinse salt off after big storms
- Clean salt stains out of carpets and mats before they set
- Book a coating in the fall so salt lets go easier
- Keep wheels coated so brake dust and salt don't bake on
Avoid
- Letting a white, salty car sit for weeks
- Scraping snow off paint with a hard brush