Wait

• PPF: no wash for at least 72 hours; many installers prefer 5 to 7 days.

• Tint: keep windows up 3 to 5 days and avoid cleaning glass for about a week.

• Ceramic: avoid washing for 5 to 7 days so the coating can cure.

Washing

• Hand wash whenever you can. Use a pH neutral shampoo, soft mitt, and microfiber towels for drying for all three surfaces.

• Avoid brushed automatic washes. For PPF and ceramic, they can scratch the surface or lift edges. If you must, use touchless only, and not often.

• Treat edges gently. Keep high pressure water, snow brushes, and aggressive towels away from film edges and tint edges.

Use safe cleaners

• Glass: ammonia free for tinted windows.

• Paint and PPF: pH neutral, no strong solvents or abrasive polishes unless your installer approves.

• Deal with contamination quickly. Bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap, and fresh tar can stain all three. Soak with warm water and a gentle cleaner as soon as you can.

Schedule

Get on a regular schedule.

• Ceramic coated cars: wash every 1 to 2 weeks in normal use.

• Untreated or only PPF: at least every 2 weeks.

• Quick detail spray or topper monthly if recommended by your installer.

Avoid

• Strong solvents, gasoline, or aggressive tar removers used directly on film or coating without testing.

• Abrasive polishes and compounds unless a professional detailer is doing correction.

• Stiff brushes and dirty sponges.

• Dry wiping dusty panels with a bare towel. Always use lubrication.

• Wax or sealant products that are not safe for PPF or coatings. Always read labels.

First 7 days after install

1. No washing for at least 72 hours. Hand wash only after that, and only if the film looks fully settled.

2. Avoid high pressure washers in this period. Use low pressure hose only if you must rinse.

3. Do not pick at edges, corners, or trapped bubbles. Small haze and bubbles usually disappear as the film cures.

4. Avoid parking under trees with heavy sap if you can in the first few days.

Routine washing (after curing)

1. Wash method

   1. Pre-rinse to remove loose dirt.

   2. Foam or pre-soak if available.

   3. Two bucket wash (one for soap, one for rinse) with a soft wash mitt.

   4. Rinse thoroughly, then dry with clean microfiber drying towels.

2. Water pressure limits

   1. Keep pressure under about 2,000 psi.

   2. Use a wide fan tip (around 40 degrees) and stay at least 12 inches from the surface.

   3. Never aim directly at film edges or from a shallow angle into an edge.

3. Automatic washes

   1. Avoid brushed tunnels. They drag dirt from other cars across your film and can cause swirl marks and edge lifting.

   2. If you must use a wash, choose touchless only and inspect edges afterward.

4. Drying

   1. Use plush microfiber towels, pat or lightly drag, do not scrub.

   2. Avoid chamois that grab at edges.

   3. Blower drying is ideal if you have it, just keep distance reasonable at film edges.

Stain, bug, and tar removal on PPF

1. Bird droppings and bug splatter

   1. Soak a microfiber in warm, mildly soapy water.

   2. Lay it on the spot for a few minutes to soften.

   3. Wipe away gently, repeating if needed. Avoid scrubbing.

2. Tree sap or tar

   1. Use a PPF safe tar remover or citrus based cleaner.

   2. Apply to a towel first, not directly on edges.

   3. Test in a small area, and follow with a mild wash.

3. Swirl marks and light scratches

   1. Many modern PPFs are self healing with heat. Warm sunlight or gentle warm water can reduce light swirls.

   2. For deeper issues, talk to your installer before using any polish.

Protection on top of PPF

1. Wax or sealant

   1. Many film makers allow wax or sealant, but only non abrasive, synthetic products.

   2. Avoid products with petroleum solvents like naphtha or kerosene over about 5 percent, and avoid dyed waxes.

2. Ceramic coating over PPF

   1. Many shops apply ceramic coatings designed for PPF. These help with hydrophobic behavior and ease of cleaning.

   2. Use only coatings stated as safe for PPF and follow the installer’s schedule.

3. Maintenance interval

   1. If using a topper or sealant, reapply every 3 to 6 months unless your installer sets a different interval.

First week after install

1. Keep windows closed. Avoid rolling them down for at least 3 to 5 days so the film can bond to the glass.

2. Do not clean the inside glass for 7 to 10 days. Moisture under the film needs time to evaporate. You may see haze or small bubbles during this time. This is normal.

3. Avoid pressing on the film. No suction cups on the inside glass, and no stickers until cured.

Cleaning tinted windows

1. Products to use

   1. Use ammonia free glass cleaner.

   2. Or use a mix of water and a small amount of mild soap.

   3. Use clean microfiber towels only.

2. Products to avoid

   1. Any cleaner with ammonia or strong solvents. These can damage the film and tint color over time.

   2. Abrasive pads, paper towels, or anything that can scratch.

3. Technique

   1. Spray cleaner on the towel, not directly on the window, especially near edges.

   2. Wipe in straight lines, not tight circles, with light pressure.

   3. Use a second dry towel to finish and prevent streaks.

Everyday habits

1. Be gentle with seat belts. Do not let them snap against the tinted glass.

2. Avoid hard plastic accessories that rub against the tint.

3. In winter, do not use ice scrapers on the inside of the glass. Use the defroster to melt interior frost.

When something looks wrong

Contact your installer if you notice:

1. Large bubbles that do not shrink after two weeks.

2. Film lifting at edges.

3. Major dust or hair trapped that was not visible at delivery.

First week after coating

1. Avoid washing for 5 to 7 days. The coating needs this time to cure fully on the paint, wheels, and PPF if coated.

2. Keep the car away from rain if possible in the first 24 hours. If it gets wet, rinse lightly and dry with clean microfiber as soon as you can.

3. Do not apply any waxes, sealants, or quick detail sprays in this period unless your installer gave you a specific product and instructions.

Regular wash routine

1. Frequency

   1. Target every 1 to 2 weeks in most climates.

   2. If you drive in winter salt, coastal areas, or heavy pollution, wash more often.

2. Products

   1. pH neutral shampoo labeled as safe for ceramic coatings.

   2. No strong degreasers or acid wheel cleaners on coated paint.

   3. Use a dedicated, mild cleaner for wheels if they are coated.

3. Method

   1. Pre rinse and foam pre wash if possible. Let the foam dwell, then rinse.

   2. Two bucket wash with soft mitt.

   3. Rinse thoroughly, then dry with clean microfiber drying towels.

   4. Consider using a drying aid or coating safe spray to add slickness and reduce towel drag.

4. Automatic washes

   1. Avoid any wash with brushes. They will create swirls in the coating, even though the coating is harder than bare clear coat.

   2. Touchless is acceptable in a pinch, but hand washing is preferred as your main method.

Maintaining coating performance

1. Coating toppers

   1. Many installers recommend a ceramic spray topper or maintenance spray every 1 to 3 months.

   2. Use only products that state they are compatible with coatings.

2. Decontamination

   1. Over time, iron fallout and road film can reduce beading.

   2. Use coating safe iron removers a few times a year if your installer recommends them.

   3. Avoid using clay bars unless guided by your installer, since they can slightly dull soft coatings.

3. Polishing and re-coating

   1. Machine polishing will usually remove or thin the coating. Do this only when you are ready for a new coating cycle.

   2. If beading is very weak even after decontamination, ask your installer if it is time for a maintenance polish and fresh coating.

Winter care

1. Rinse salt off as soon as possible. Salt can stain PPF, contaminate coatings, and attack exposed metal.

2. Use touchless washes if temperatures are too low for driveway washing, but still dry with microfiber to avoid spotting.

3. Avoid scraping ice on PPF edges or tinted windows. Use plastic tools only on bare glass, and keep them away from edges.

Summer and high UV

1. Try to park in shade to reduce heat cycles on PPF and coatings.

2. Clean bug splatter often. On hot paint, acids in bugs can mark coatings, PPF, and clear coat in a few hours.

3. Use a quick detailer or topper after long road trips if safe for your surfaces.

Coastal or industrial areas

1. Rinse more often due to salt air or heavy fallout.

2. Consider iron removal products two to four times per year under installer guidance.

Walk around your car monthly and look for:

PPF

1. Edges lifting, especially around front bumper, wheel arches, and hood.

2. Yellowing or staining spots.

3. Deep chips that go through film.

Tint

1. New bubbles or fingers at the edges.

2. Scratches from seat belts or objects.

3. Corners peeling.

Ceramic coating

1. Panels where water does not bead or sheet like before.

2. Heavy water spots that do not rinse away.

If you see any of these, contact your installer.

Small issues are easier and cheaper to fix early.