Ceramic coatings are no longer a professional only item and more and more products are coming out in the “quick” coating category. From shampoos to sprays to rinse off options, I wanted to break down the benefits and downsides of each to help determine the best option for each situation. Please also note that we call these items “coatings” as they are sio2 based, however, if you want a true coating experience you will need to reach for a ceramic coating product. The products below are designed for quick and easy application of sio2 protection.
Shampoos Coatings
Shampoos infused with SiO2, use it like a normal wash & wax shampoo but with much better results and longer lasting performance. Typically just for maintenance washes as it’s not adding a ton of protection, but this also makes them extremely slick to help reduce scratches from washing.
Some of my favorites:
Waterless Wash option:
Spray Coatings
These are coatings that are in a more standard form factor like a detail spray/sealant. Either a trigger or fingertip sprayer these are easy to use, usually work on a ton of surfaces and work great. They also still offer a very good amount of protection. Your not going to get the years a standard coating would offer but you can also coat all exterior surfaces in 30 mins and not have to worry about high spots, coating thickness, etc.
If you are doing rinse less washing, this is going to be your best bet. As a professional, I wouldn’t even offer sealant/wax anymore. Just offer this or an upgraded longer life coating. These products have just evolved so much farther than any sealant/wax and the industry and manufacturers are trending this way anyway.
Some of my favorites:
Spray on, Rinse Off Coatings
Just like it sounds, these are coatings where you just literally spray it on, and rinse it off, or spray it inline with your water. By far the easiest option if you have access to water. However, this comes with a longevity hit as these get you around 3-4 months. Yet you can also coat the entire exterior of a car in minutes and are some of the slickest finishes I’ve ever seen. On my personal vehicle I don’t even have a standard coating on it, one because I’m often testing products, but two because these are so easy and perform so well, I’m happy to apply every few months
Some of my favorites:
From a professional standpoint, I would offer a spray on/rinse off coating like CarPro HydrO2, in place of something like a sealant, or a standard coating like the Gtechniq CSL/EXO Combo , then use a coating shampoo for maintenance. If its not a client that you will be able to maintain (distance, client needs, etc.) then you can even offer a maintenance care package along with the standard coating install. Since thus are so easy it is highly unlikely they will ruin the coating.
Whatever you choose, just know that this is just the beginning, manufactures will continue to innovate with the demand for this category and these “easy” coatings will start to get more durable and maybe even new form factors will come out. All of these options are great for different purposes and would be a great additional to any arsenal.