You’ve invested in making your ride look amazing, and we want to help you keep it that way. Whether you’ve gotten ceramic coating, STEK PPF, or Exoshield, here’s what you need to know to maintain that showroom shine.
How To Keep Your Ride Looking Fresh After Our Services
Just Got Ceramic Coating? The First Few Weeks Are Critical
Products That’ll Trash Your Coating
Listen up - avoiding these will save you serious headaches:
🙅♂️ Gas station “wash tunnels” with those spinning brushes – they’re basically sandpaper on a stick.
🙅♂️ Washing when your paint is hot – if you can’t touch it comfortably, it’s too hot.
🙅♂️ “California Dusters” or any dry dusting – they just drag dirt across your paint.
🙅♂️ Dish soap – don’t listen to that one guy you saw on TikTok, it strips your coating’s protection.
🙅♂️ Rain-X and other silicone products – blocks the coating’s natural properties.
🙅♂️ Generic “quick detailers” from auto parts stores – most leave residue that kills your coating’s performance.
🙅♂️ Squeegees anywhere near your paint – they’re fine for windows only.
The JS Detailing Wash Method
Here's how we wash our own rides, and how you should wash yours at home:
For wheels with heavy brake dust:
- Spray iron remover on wheels, calipers, and barrels.
- Follow with wheel cleaner on tire and wheel faces.
- Let it work its magic – you’ll see it turn purple as it dissolves brake dust.
- Use appropriate brushes for different wheel areas (we sell a complete set).
- Rinse thoroughly.
For the paint:
- Rinse vehicle top to bottom to remove loose dirt.
- Hit any bug splatter with our bug remover spray (seriously, this stuff melts bugs on contact).
- Foam the entire vehicle using pH neutral shampoo (about an ounce per bucket with grit guard).
- Work top to bottom with a clean wash mitt.
- Rinse mitt frequently in bucket to keep from dragging dirt.
- Flip mitt to use both sides between rinses.
- Rinse vehicle thoroughly.
Drying (the key to no water spots):
- Use oversized drying towels (the big plush ones).
- Follow with a blower for mirrors, wheels, grilles, and crevices.
- Don’t forget door jambs!
Final Touch (optional but worth it):
- Ceramic quick detailer adds gloss and protection.
- Glass cleaner for streak-free windows.
- Adjustable tire shine – go glossy or matte, your choice.
Stuff That Actually Works
🏎️ 1320 Street Shine products – just all around great car care products. We’re proud to have helped with the testing and development of their products so you know they work great.
🏎️ Forced air blower for drying – game changer for preventing water spots handheld or leaf blowers are perfect for this.
🏎️ Regular maintenance – it’s easier to maintain a clean car than to clean a super dirty car. Ceramic coating maintenance spray – prolongs the life of your investment.
🏎️ Annual inspection – let us check on your coating’s performance.
Touchless Car Washes
To be honest, we recommend never going to an automatic car wash.
Touchless car washes are acceptable if you’re in a rush, but even those shouldn’t be used too often to maintain your car. They typically use harsh chemicals that may clog or damage your ceramic coating as well.
Self serve car washes are also a great option because you have control and you can bring your own detailing products with you.
Here’s a list of the Omaha touchless car washes we use in a pinch: