Wash 'N' Gloss Car Shampoo Ceramic Infused Car Shampoo

The great thing about silica-based (SiO2) ceramic coatings is that they're specifically developed to help your vehicle look better for longer. The hardy protection layer they install is essentially chemically bonded silicon dioxide, which is like glass, so it smooths the surfaces enough to prevent water molecules and grime from bonding. Regardless of application to paint, glass, vinyl or any other exterior surface, this is why they bead to the extreme and offer the longest lasting protection of any product. What's most important here is that grime will sit on top of the ceramic layer rather than sticking, and this makes cleaning easier. But it's still important to carry out safe maintenance to stop heavy grit and grime from being rubbed in and abrading the coating and the paintwork, causing the infliction of defects. Using coating-friendly pre-wash products, such as Citrus Power Bug and Grime Remover and Avalanche Snow Foam will also prevent damage to coatings because they don't contain harsh acidic or alkaline cleaning agents that may etch into the top layer. It's the same story for the shampoo you use in your two-bucket wash. Lather Car Shampoo is a great choice as it will never damage previously-applied coatings, but alternatively you can use Wash 'N' Gloss Car Shampoo or our Caramics Enhancing Shampoo to actively top-up and prolong the life and performance of your SiO2 coating as you wash paintwork, glass and all other exterior surfaces. Other products that are great for topping up during routine maintenance include Aqua Coat Hydrophobic Rinse Aid, Lavish Ceramic Foam, Caramics Gloss Enhancer, Caramics Glass Cleaner and Ceramic Spray Wax. When it comes to paint correction, all you have to remember is that Si02 coatings have to be allowed to chemically bond to the topcoat or lacquer layer, so it's crucial to use a compound or a polish that doesn't contain any waxes or fillers, because these extra layers will block the chemical bonding process. For paint correction, polishing and refinement before adding a coating, we'd recommend using products that only reveal a true finish, such as One Step All-in-One Compound, or our Revitalise System V2 Compounds (which are also available separately). Don't forget that SiO2 coatings are extremely durable and can only be fully removed through abrasion, this means that polishing your vehicle using any abrasive after applying a ceramic coating will remove the Si02 layer, meaning that reapplication of protection will be required after you polish. For more on how to prepare a car for a ceramic coating, see our guide: Detailing & Ceramic Coating a New Car.

Yes, as well as installing hydrophobic protection as a stand-alone product, or topping up previously-applied ceramic protection as you wash, this product will certainly make  the parts of your vehicle that are supposed to be glossy even shinier. One of the key attributes of any SiO2-based ceramic coating is that the layer of silicon dioxide that is allowed to bond to clearcoat, plastics, vinyl, glass and all other exterior surfaces is based on glass, so it?s extremely clear and perfectly smooth. Because of this, coatings allow light to pass through to the surface underneath and bounce back to the eye without being obstructed or diffracted in different directions. So, in the case of paintwork, gloss plastics and vinyl, while this doesn't hide defects, it always gives the illusion of extra depth and gloss. With any coatings, waxes and sealants, we call this levelling the optical finish.

While you could - and the special surfactants and degreasers in the advanced, pH neutral shampoo formula will certainly take care of the grime - you wouldn't be getting the most from the protection side of the ceramic coating in this product. To work effectively, installing a hydrophobic barrier to the elements, a ceramic coating must be allowed to chemically bond, essentially making it a part of the surface on a molecular level. Due to the fact that a wax will physically bond (holding on to the surface filling in the tiny pores and recesses to create a separate layer on top), there will already be a barrier between the coating and the surface of the paintwork. This barrier will block the chemical bonding process, so the SiO2 layer won't be able to take hold and cure to create a hard layer of protection. This is why a car shampoo like that contains SiO2 is chiefly designed to be used on a vehicle with a previously applied ceramic coating, or one with no protection at all. For vehicles with wax protection already applied, we recommend using Lather Car Shampoo for your safe, two-bucket wash. This product is purely used as a cleaning agent and contains no waxes, glossing agents or ceramic coatings designed to install protection or add gloss.      

Yes, we can confirm this does contain silicone.

Silicone-polymers help to protect against UV radiation.