Care guides
Caring for paint protection film.
PPF is the lowest-maintenance protection there is - but the first week has rules, self-healing works better when you understand it, and a few products should never touch the film.
The habits that keep film alive.
Wash it like paint, gently
Hand wash, pH-neutral soap, microfibre dry. PPF doesn't need special treatment - it needs the same gentle routine good paint gets.
Let the sun do the healing
Light swirl and wash marring in the film's top coat self-heals with warmth - a sunny Perth driveway or a pour of warm water wakes it up.
Use film-safe products
Quick detailers and sealants made for PPF keep it slick and make bug splatter easier to shift. Ceramic coating over PPF takes that further.
Clear the casualties fast
Bugs, droppings and sap sitting in the sun etch any surface, film included. Same-day removal is the habit.
Never do these.
- Washing in the first week - the film is still settling and edges are curing
- Waxes with dyes or heavy solvents, and any cutting compound
- Pressure-washer lances pointed at film edges
- Picking at an edge that looks proud - call us instead, it's usually a two-minute fix
- Machine polishing the film - self-healing plus a warm day does that job
The rhythm.
First week
Hands off - no washing, no products. You may see tiny moisture blisters under fresh film; they evaporate through the film as it cures. Normal, and gone within weeks.
Weeks 2-4
Gentle hand washes begin. The film reaches its full cured hardness and the finish settles to its long-term look.
Ongoing
Standard fortnightly wash rhythm, same-day cleanup of bugs and droppings, and let warmth handle the light marks - that's the entire maintenance program.
Self-healing, explained honestly.
Quality PPF carries an elastomeric top coat that flows back to smooth when warmed - so fine wash marks and light scratches genuinely disappear with sun or warm water. What it doesn't do is heal cuts through the film or fill stone-chip craters in the film itself; deep damage is the film doing its job of dying instead of your paint.
If a section of film has taken a hard hit, that section can be replaced on its own - that's the model: film takes the damage, the panel keeps its factory paint, and replacement film costs a fraction of paint repair.
FAQ
Owners ask us these all the time.
Why are there small bubbles under my new PPF? +
Tiny moisture blisters are part of a fresh install - the water used during fitting evaporates out through the film over the first weeks, especially in warm weather. If anything looks bigger than a pinhead cluster or hasn't settled in a month, come in and we'll check it.
Do scratches really heal themselves? +
Light ones in the top coat, yes - warmth makes the surface flow back to smooth. Park it in the sun or pour warm water over the mark and watch. Cuts through the film or chips that cratered the film don't heal; that's damage the film absorbed so your paint didn't.
Can I ceramic coat over PPF? +
Yes - coating over film adds gloss and makes washing even easier, and it's a common combination here. The coating cares for the film; the film absorbs the impacts. Ask about it when you book.