Say Goodbye To Pesky Water Spots!

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Car detailing while simple, can become problematic with uncontrollable environmental conditions such as the weather. If detailing in direct sunlight, sometimes it's hot enough to dry water quicker than you can clean. Or if it rains, your car ends up covered in water which then dries, forming water spots. 

Water spots are mineral deposits (usually containing calcium, magnesium, sodium and bicarbonate) left behind when the sunlight evaporates the H2O molecules from the water drops left on the vehicle. 

They appear as hazy white or brown splotches on the vehicle, requiring a thorough wash and sometimes even a spray of water spot remover to eliminate them from your paint or glass. 

Water spot removers (WSRs) are specially formulated to dissolve and remove the leftover minerals, leaving your car as shiny as can be. Many different WSRs contain various agents, utilising acids (vinegars), detergents, or even abrasives to ensure all deposits have been removed. 

Now that we know what water spots are, the question is how can we prevent them? This is where the beauty of ceramic and graphene coatings come in:

1) Their hydrophobicity promotes water spot resistance, repelling water and dirt from the surface. This reduces the risk of mineral deposits hardening and sticking to the surface

2) They provide a protective barrier between your vehicle and the elements, limiting the amount of dirt, grime and traffic film that sticks to the vehicle

3) The molecular structure of the coating, usually due to SiO2 (silicon dioxide) and TiO2 (titanium dioxide), which gives them their hydrophobicity, allows for water beading and sheeting, repelling water off the vehicle 

4) While ceramic coatings can be formulated specifically for gloss enhancement, graphene coatings still rise to the challenge, providing extreme, everlasting gloss. There's no question about it, your car will shine brighter than the sun

Curing time is crucial, the final stage of the ceramic coating process. This time period allows the coating to set or cure, hardening as it fully bonds to the clear coat. 

After I've applied DIY Detail's 3-Year Graphene Coating, you must wait:

-At least 1 hour to drive or expose the vehicle to water (initial cure)

-At least 7 days before the vehicle can be washed (full cure)

Wetting the vehicle directly after coating can risk destabilizing the bonds and may cause the coating to fail. Washing the vehicle without waiting at least a week for the coating to fully harden will have this same effect, breaking down the bonds before they fully cure. 

Curing is such an important process, so it's important you stay patient and wait it out before enjoy all the long-lasting benefits!

One of the most common complications that occur after a ceramic coating installation is the formation of high spots, which are raised or elevated sections of the coating due to an overaccumulation of product. The coating is therefore uneven, and must be levelled. 

This is not at all an issue, and can be easily corrected by:

1) A light re-application of product, once again in a circular motion 

2) Application is immediately followed by a buff with a plush, long nap microfibre towel, followed by the thinner, short nap towel. 

Think about it, really think about the process and what I'm actually doing to your car. I'm applying a ceramic coating to your car, a product that bonds and hardens to your clear coat. What would happen if that surface wasn't clean? Do you think it would bond properly if the surface was irregular, inconsistent and contaminated? 

Does a Band-Aid stick to wet skin? No, because it hasn't been prepped, it hasn't been cleaned and dried, ready for optimum bondage. The Band-Aid will fail to do its job, the adhesive won't stick, and it will peel off, leaving your wound exposed to the world. It's the same concept. 

It's imperative the surface is not only cleaned, but decontaminated. Technically, polishing isn't necessary, but it is strongly advised as this ensures the surface is smooth and uniform, free from irregularities, ensuring the ceramic coating properly bonds and performs to the best of its ability. Therefore, paint correction or polishing is also an essential part of the paint preparation process. 

It's simple, ceramic and graphene coatings don't bond or perform as they should if the vehicle isn't properly prepared. It must be done right to achieve maximum results from the coating. 

So there's no rush, no need to get stressed out because it's been hours and the vehicle has yet to receive the coating. Don't worry, the meticulous process ensures your car gets the love it deserves, and I leave knowing I've done my due diligence, knowing you're fully satisfied with the benefits of a graphene coating, that will last many years thanks to the preparation done beforehand.