Looking after matte or frozen paint

Matte paint requires special treatment to maintain its finish.

The surface of matte paint is not smooth like normal gloss paintwork but instead has microscopic pores that absorb light (not reflecting it like gloss paint). In order to maintain the appearance of a matte paint it is crucial that these pores are not clogged up (with traditional waxes for example) or removed by polishing the surface of the paint (which permanently removes them).

With no option to remove light scratches or marks from the surface of a matte car’s paint by polishing it is essential that all care is taken not to scratch the paint (whilst washing or driving).

Valeting matte paintwork

With this in mind the pre-wash stages of any valet or detail are even more important on a car with matte paint to get as much of the dirt and grit away from the paint before touching. Snow foam and citrus pre-wash are ideal for this (we currently use Valet Pro Citrus Pre Wash and Touchless Snow Foam from Bilt Hamber).

Once the grit is removed the car can be washed using a two bucket method and a wash mitt to keep and dirt particles away from the surface of the paint.

As with gloss paint drying the car is essential to avoid water spots, especially in hard water areas, and this can be done with a blower or a quality drying towel.

Once the car is dry, please remember not to use any products that are not specifically made for matte paint. We currently use Stjarnagloss Matt Finish Detailer for a final wipe down.

Note: Always do a patch test on a small area before you apply any product on the whole car, to avoid any unwanted reactions