Can You Take a Ceramic Coated Car Through a Car Wash?

By Mike Holland, Owner

Yes, you can take a ceramic coated car through a car wash, but the type of wash matters. At Level Up Detailing in Lexington, NC, we tell coated-car owners to skip brush and cloth tunnels, use a touchless wash only now and then, and hand wash with a pH-neutral, wax-free shampoo whenever you can.

Forsyth County says its pollen season typically runs through late October, and road brine season isn’t far behind. If you drive around Clemmons, Winston-Salem or Lexington, you want a clean car without wearing down the protection you paid for. In this blog, we’ll compare touchless, brush and hand washes, explain what actually damages a coating, and show how to keep a coated car clean through brine season.

Key Takeaways

• Brush tunnels: an Owner’s Pride location warns that automatic-wash brushes can cause micro-scratches and swirl marks that reduce gloss and protection.
• Touchless washes: nothing touches the paint, but the chemicals are often harsher than a soft-touch wash needs, so save touchless for in-between rinses.
• Hand washing: a pH-neutral, wax-free shampoo and clean microfiber towels are the gentlest way to clean a coated car.
• Brine season: NCDOT pre-treats roads with a brine that’s 23% salt, so rinse your car soon after driving on treated roads.
• Optional pro care: our Ceramic Maintenance Wash is $199 and adds a clay bar, iron fallout removal and a ceramic booster spray to a full hand wash.

Is It Safe to Run a Ceramic Coated Car Through a Car Wash?

It depends on the wash. Taking a ceramic coated car through a car wash with spinning brushes or cloth strips is the riskiest choice, because grit trapped in the brushes can scratch the finish. A touchless wash is the better automatic option, and a careful hand wash is the safest. The coating is tough, but it isn’t scratch-proof.

Owner’s Pride Omaha, a location of the coating brand we install, says the brushes in automatic washes “can cause micro-scratches and swirl marks” that reduce your coating’s gloss and protection. If you have to use an automatic wash, they recommend choosing touchless.

Consumer Reports adds that dirty or frayed brushes can carry grit from other cars. Here’s how the options compare:

Wash Type	How It Cleans	Risk to a Coated Finish	Best Use
Brush or soft-touch tunnel	Spinning brushes or cloth strips scrub the car	Highest: brushes can leave micro-scratches and swirls, and dirty brushes can carry grit	Skip it if you can
Touchless automatic	Chemicals plus high-pressure water, with nothing touching the paint	Lower: no brushes, but the chemicals are often harsher and may leave some dirt behind	Quick in-between rinses, especially after brine
Hand wash at home	pH-neutral, wax-free shampoo and clean microfiber	Lowest when done right; gritty or cotton towels can still scratch	Your regular wash
Level Up Ceramic Maintenance Wash ($199)	Full hand wash of the exterior and wheels, clay bar, iron fallout removal, ceramic booster spray	Lowest: done by hand at our shop	Optional deeper care for coated cars

Is a Touchless Car Wash Safe for Ceramic Coating?

A touchless car wash is gentler than a brush tunnel because nothing rubs against your paint. The trade-off is chemistry. Touchless washes lean on stronger soaps and high-pressure water to make up for the lack of scrubbing, so they work best as an occasional rinse between proper hand washes, not as your only wash.

In an industry article from Professional Carwashing & Detailing, ISTOBAL’s Ian Burton explains that touchless chemicals “are often harsher than what would be necessary with soft touch equipment.” Some customers believe that chemistry can etch a finish over time.

Touchless washes also don’t always get all the dirt off, according to Consumer Reports. If a film is left behind, wipe it away with a clean microfiber towel, not an old rag.

What Destroys a Ceramic Coating?

Mostly abrasion and harsh chemistry. Dirty or frayed wash brushes, gritty towels, dish soap, and grime or road salt left on the car too long all wear a coating down faster. A ceramic coating protects your paint’s finish, but it still needs gentle, regular washing to keep its gloss and water beading.

• Dish soap: Consumer Reports says dish detergent can strip a finish’s protection. Use a real car wash shampoo that’s pH-neutral and wax-free.
• Cotton towels: Owner’s Pride Omaha notes that cotton can leave fine scratches, so dry with microfiber.
• Washing in direct sun: soap and water dry too fast and can leave water spots. Wash in the shade or when the sun is low.

How Should You Wash a Coated Car During Brine Season?

Rinse road film and brine off soon after you drive on wet or treated roads, then follow up with a proper hand wash using car wash soap and microfiber. Consumer Reports also recommends an undercarriage wash at least once a season where roads are salted. A coating protects the finish, not the underbody, so don’t skip that rinse.

NCDOT mixes its road brine from water and 23% salt, and crews can put it down up to 48 hours before a storm. That means your car can pick up salt before a single flake falls. Clemmons sits in Forsyth County, part of NCDOT Division 9, which had 41 brine trucks and about 12,000 tons of salt ready in December 2025, according to WXII 12.

AAA estimates that road salt and de-icers cost U.S. drivers about $3 billion a year in rust repairs. Liquid de-icers stay wet longer and seep into crevices, so AAA says to wash often.

The State Climate Office of North Carolina also says a strong El Niño is likely, and a cool-season El Niño tends to make NC wetter than normal overall.

What Does a Ceramic Maintenance Wash Include?

Our Ceramic Maintenance Wash is $199 and is made for vehicles that already have a ceramic coating. It includes a full hand wash of the exterior and wheels, a clay bar treatment, iron fallout removal and a ceramic booster spray. It’s optional care for owners who want a deeper clean than a home wash.

It is not a warranty requirement. Owner’s Pride doesn’t force coated-car owners into a paid maintenance program, so you can set one up whenever your car needs it, such as after a stretch of brine-covered roads. Just call or text us.

If your car isn’t coated yet, our ceramic coating packages cover the body, trim, wheel faces, and head and tail lights. They come with Owner’s Pride warranties of 3, 5, 7 or 9 years, and the 9-year coating is a dual-layer, self-healing coating starting at $2,099. For a lighter option, our 3-Year Wash & Coat uses a non-warrantied coating that lasts up to 3 years.

Why Coated-Car Owners Choose Level Up Detailing

We’re at 275 Crystal Ridge Dr in Lexington, with more than 10 years of combined experience. We’re an authorized installer of Owner’s Pride warrantied ceramic coatings, and owner Mike Holland is also an emergency rescue helicopter pilot. We’ve earned more than 200 customer reviews.

Jill Meade brought in her 2026 Honda CR-V and wrote that it had “lots of swirls and scratches in the paint. Mostly from using automatic car washes.” After her coating, she said Mike went over “step by step how to properly take care of my ceramic coating.”

Areas We Serve

We work on cars from Lexington, Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Lewisville, Kernersville, High Point, Thomasville, Greensboro, Summerfield, Oak Ridge and Salisbury. If you’re coming from Clemmons, see our car detailing in Clemmons page, and Winston-Salem drivers can learn more about ceramic coating in Winston-Salem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts on Taking a Ceramic Coated Car Through a Car Wash

A ceramic coating makes washing easier, but it doesn’t make every car wash safe. Skip the brushes, use touchless sparingly, and hand wash with gentle products, especially once the brine trucks roll. For more on why tunnel washes are hard on paint, read Are Drive-Through Car Washes Bad for Your Car?

Want a hand with it? Call or text us at (336) 780-7868, or send us your info through our contact page, to set up an appointment for a Ceramic Maintenance Wash or a new coating. You’ll find us at 275 Crystal Ridge Dr, Lexington, NC 27295.