Wash a car with paint protection film (PPF) gently: let the film settle after fitting, pre-wash with a pH-neutral foam such as Stjarnagloss SNÖ, hand wash with a soft mitt and a pure shampoo, keep the pressure washer off the film’s edges and dry with a soft towel. For marks, Sonax Xtreme PPF and Vinyl Cleaner is made for film. See our car shampoos.
How soon can you wash a car after PPF is fitted?
Wait at least 48 hours after fitting, and longer if your installer tells you to. Some films need 72 hours before the first wash, so the aftercare sheet from whoever fitted your film is the one to follow.
Give the film that time, and when you do wash it, keep the pressure washer well away from its edges.
How do you wash a car with PPF step by step?
Rinse gently, pre-wash with a pH-neutral snow foam and deal with bugs and droppings, then hand wash with a soft mitt and a pure shampoo, rinse and dry softly. Keep the pressure washer jet off the film’s edges at every stage.
- Rinse gently: rinse loose dirt off from a distance, never aiming the pressure washer jet straight at the edges of the film.
- Pre-wash with snow foam: cover the car in a pH-neutral foam, let it dwell without drying and rinse it off from the top down.
- Treat bugs and droppings: clean insect residue and bird droppings off the film as soon as you can, with a cleaner made for film, rather than letting them bake on.
- Hand wash: use a soft microfibre mitt and a pure, pH-neutral shampoo, working panel by panel from the roof down.
- Rinse thoroughly: rinse before anything dries, again keeping the jet off the film edges.
- Dry softly: blot or glide a plush drying towel over the panels, without scrubbing at the edges.
- Top up the finish: wipe on a quick detailer that is safe on film, or a sealant made for PPF, if you want extra gloss and water repellency.
To keep water spots off the film, our guide to deionised water for car washing explains a pure water final rinse.
Which products are safe on PPF?
Products that are pH-neutral, free of harsh solvents and abrasives, and that say on the label they are safe on film. These are the ones we use, all in stock with us:
Sonax Xtreme PPF and Vinyl Cleaner
A solvent-free, acid-free cleaner for PPF, vinyl wraps and matte paint that lifts road grime, insect residue and bird droppings. Spray it generously onto the wet film during the wash, work it in with a soft sponge and rinse it off thoroughly. Do not use it on hot surfaces or let it dry.
Stjarnagloss SNÖ pH Neutral Snow Foam
A double-strength, pH-neutral pre-wash foam that is safe on paint protection film, vinyl wraps, waxes, sealants and coatings.
Stjarnagloss Bubblor pH Neutral Shampoo
A pure shampoo with no gloss enhancers or wax additives, safe on PPF and vinyl wraps, with limescale inhibitors to help reduce water spotting.
FibreKing Gold Label Korean Microfibre Wash Mitt
A 70/30 split microfibre mitt with an internal sponge that holds wash solution against the panel.
Stjarnagloss Silke High Gloss Quick Detailer
A solvent-free detailing spray that is safe on gloss PPF and gloss wraps, for removing light dust and fingerprints and adding gloss after the wash. It is made for gloss finishes, not matte film.
FibreKing Silver Label Drying Towel
An 1100 GSM double-layer towel that soaks up to seven times its own weight, so you dry each panel in fewer passes.
The same pH-neutral foam and shampoo suit electric cars too, as our guide to washing an electric car explains.
Can you use a pressure washer on PPF?
Yes, carefully. Keep the nozzle well back from the surface and never aim the jet at the edges of the film, where high-pressure water can get under the edge. Some film makers set a minimum distance of about a metre for their films, so check your installer's aftercare advice.
Rinse across the panel rather than straight into the edges, and take extra care around the leading edge of the bonnet and the door edges, where film is cut and wrapped.
What should you not use on PPF?
Unapproved solvents, harsh chemicals and anything abrasive, including polishing compounds, unless the film's maker approves them for its film.
- Stubborn marks: a little isopropyl alcohol on a cloth can lift stubborn stains from the film, but keep it off the surrounding paint.
- Water spots: do not let hard water dry on the film. Dry it after every wash, or use pure rinse water.
- Brushes and automatic washes: we prefer a hand wash with a soft mitt on film, so nothing stiff is dragged across its edges.
How do you look after matte PPF?
Treat matte or satin film like matte paint: use products that add no gloss, never polish it and never use a wax or gloss detailer on it. Our guide to washing matte paint and wraps covers the products and technique in detail.
Common questions
Can you wax PPF?
We would use a sealant or coating made for film rather than a traditional wax, and check the film's care advice first.
Can you put a ceramic coating on PPF?
Yes, if the coating's maker says it is suitable for film. A coating makes washing easier and adds water repellency, and our guide to washing a ceramic coated car then applies to the coated film too.
How often should you wash a car with PPF?
As often as the car needs it, and straight away when bugs, bird droppings or tree sap land on the film. Do not let contaminants sit and dry on it.
Need help choosing?
Tell the TDHQ team what film is on your car and whether it is gloss or matte, and we will help you choose a safe wash kit. You can also browse the Sonax and Stjarnagloss ranges and our snow foams.
