How to Prepare Your Car for a Ceramic Coating (Owner's Checklist)
To prep your car for a ceramic coating, the single most important thing is to stop adding anything to the paint the week before — no wax, sealant, spray detailer, tire shine, or automatic car washes — because every layer you add is one we have to strip before the coating can bond. The rest is common sense: keep it garaged if you can, clear the cabin, and flag any aftermarket paintwork. Here's the exact checklist we send clients in the week leading up to their appointment.
Do / don't the week before, at a glance
If you read nothing else, this is the whole checklist. The theme: stop adding anything to the paint, and don't sweat the contamination we're going to remove anyway.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Let the paint run naked — no products for a full week | Apply wax, sealant, spray detailer, or tire shine |
| Hand-rinse or rinseless wash only, or skip washing entirely | Run it through a tunnel, touchless, or gas-station wash (they add wax/sealant) |
| Park in the garage if you have one | Worry about bird droppings, sap, or sprinkler spots — we handle those |
| Lock in your ownership plan (coating is a 3–10 year decision) | Book a coating if you're trading the car in the next 6 months |
| Tell us about any aftermarket paintwork or respray | Hide repaired panels — they correct differently and affect timing/warranty |
| Clear personal items out of the cabin | Bother scrubbing the car clean — decon redoes it from scratch |
The big rule: stop adding stuff to the paint
Every wax, sealant, spray detailer, and tire shine applied to your car is a layer we have to remove before ceramic can bond. That removal is part of the prep — iron decontamination, clay bar, and an isopropyl alcohol wipedown — and it takes longer when there's more to strip. A week of nothing on the paint saves 30-60 minutes of prep time and makes the bond stronger.
Why automatic washes are off-limits
Tunnel washes almost always apply some kind of hot wax or carnauba spray as part of the cycle. Touchless washes usually do the same. Even some gas-station car washes add a polymer sealant in the final stage. All of that has to come off. The week before your install, a rinseless wash at home or no wash at all is the move.
The rest is common sense
Beyond that, the prep list is short. Keep the car out of the weather if you can. Clean out the cabin if you don't want us moving your stuff around. Let us know about any aftermarket paintwork. Repainted panels correct differently than factory panels, and we just need to budget the time.
What happens when you arrive
We do a walkaround together, document existing damage (chips, deeper scratches, any paint we can't fully correct), confirm the tier and any add-ons, and issue a final written estimate. From there the car goes into the bay and you don't need to hear from us again until the install is complete — usually end of day two or morning of day three.
Related reading
For what your money actually buys at each tier, see the 2026 ceramic coating cost guide, or browse the full lineup on our paint protection page. The prep we run on your car once it arrives starts with vehicle decontamination. And once the coating is on, the aftercare guide covers the first weeks that make it last.
Book your install
Use our online scheduler or call (702) 831-0641. We confirm same-day and can usually fit appointments within 1-2 weeks.
Book Ceramic CoatingQuick Answers
You don't need to. We do a full decontamination wash as part of the install — whatever you did at home would be redone. A dirty car is fine. A heavily waxed or sealed car adds an extra stripping step, which is why we ask you to skip wax products the week before.
Not required. Some packages include light interior work. If you have a specific concern (stain, smell, heavy dog hair), mention it in advance so we can scope time for it.
Founder & Lead Detailer, Aqualine Performance. Pacific F2000 driver and track instructor at Dream Racing (Las Vegas Motor Speedway).
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