Plan first washing and ongoing care for Gtechniq EXOv5

The short answer

Gtechniq EXOv5 is a hydrophobic coating, meaning it makes water bead and run off the paint. Gtechniq's directions set two separate early milestones, and both are counted from when application finishes. First, the coating needs at least 12 hours of curing before it gets wet. Second, Gtechniq recommends no washing for at least one week after application. Once that week has passed, Gtechniq's documented routine is to pre-wash with its W5 and W4 products, contact wash with GWash from the top down, rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry. In winter, Gtechniq favors warmer days and warm wash water.

One condition changes everything else: this timeline applies only if the coating on your car really is EXOv5. EXOv5 can be used on its own or layered over Gtechniq C1 or CSL. If your installer used a different product, or added steps of their own, their written instructions control the schedule.

Step 1: Confirm what was applied and when

Before you count any days, collect the details of the job. A professional installer should be able to supply them. An owner who applied the coating themselves can write the record from their own notes.

• Exact product and version (for example, EXOv5)
• Standalone application, or layered over another coating
• Underlying coating, if layered (C1, CSL or other)
• Which surfaces were coated
• Date and time application finished
• Installer name, if professionally applied
• Version or date of the instructions you were given
• Any early exposure events, such as rain, sprinklers or dew
• Planned first-wash date

Gtechniq's application conditions also make useful questions for the installer. EXOv5 is applied to a dry vehicle, out of direct sunlight, at temperatures above 10°C (50°F). If you aren't sure those conditions were met, ask before you plan the first wash.

Step 2: Calculate the early milestones

Illustrative example: EXOv5 application finishes on a Monday at 6:00 p.m. Adding 12 hours gives Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. That is the earliest point at which the car should get wet under Gtechniq's directions. Adding one week gives the following Monday at 6:00 p.m. That is the earliest recommended washing point. If your installer gave you longer periods, use theirs.

Milestone	Gtechniq EXOv5 direction	Example (finished Monday 6:00 p.m.)
No wetting	At least 12 hours after application	Until Tuesday 6:00 a.m.
No washing	At least one week after application	Until the following Monday 6:00 p.m.

During the first 12 hours, keep the car under cover and away from sprinklers. Do not drive it into forecast rain.

If the coating got wet before it cured

Gtechniq's product directions set the 12-hour dry period. They don't describe what happens to EXOv5 if it gets wet sooner, or how to correct it. Don't try a home fix such as polishing, reapplying or using a strong cleaner. Instead, write down when the exposure happened, how long it lasted and what kind of water was involved. Then contact the installer or Gtechniq for documented instructions before you wash or treat the car.

Step 3: Gather the wash supplies

• GWash, the shampoo Gtechniq formulates for its coatings
• A bucket of about 23 liters (roughly 6 US gallons), the size GWash's dosing is based on
• A second bucket for rinsing your wash tool, if you follow a two-bucket routine
• Separate tools and buckets for wheels
• Gtechniq W5 for the first pre-wash stage
• Gtechniq W4 Citrus Foam and a foam lance for the second pre-wash stage
• A warm water supply, which Gtechniq prefers for washing
• Drying materials

Step 4: Pre-wash the car

A pre-wash removes loose and heavy dirt before anything touches the paint. Gtechniq publishes a pre-wash method using its own products, so pre-washing is part of the manufacturer's routine. Only start it after the one-week no-wash period has ended.

• 1. Apply W5. Use it undiluted on heavy soiling. For general cleaning, mix five parts water to one part W5.
• 2. Rinse the W5 off. Repeat the W5 stage if dirt remains.
• 3. Apply W4 Citrus Foam through a foam lance. Gtechniq gives dilutions of up to 10 parts water to one part product. Work from the bottom of the car upward.
• 4. Follow the product labels for dwell time (how long the product stays on the paint) and for rinsing. Don't let products sit longer than the label allows.

Step 5: Contact wash with GWash

• 1. Shake the GWash bottle and work outside direct sunlight.
• 2. Pour the shampoo into the empty bucket first: 20 ml (about 0.7 fl oz) for light dirt or 40 ml (about 1.4 fl oz) for heavy dirt. Then fill the bucket with water, preferably warm.
• 3. Wash the upper surfaces first and work downward.
• 4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Gtechniq's directions cover the shampoo itself. Many detailers add more structure around it. For example, the detailer Silver Sponge describes a general routine for ceramic-coated cars. It starts with a pre-rinse, alternates between a wash bucket and a rinse bucket, uses separate equipment for wheels and finishes by drying the car. That routine is for coated cars in general and isn't specific to EXOv5, but it fits with Gtechniq's top-down GWash method.

Step 6: Dry and check the result

Dry the car once the final rinse is done. The wash is complete when three things are true: no shampoo or pre-wash residue is left in panel gaps, trim or the lower body, the wheel tools stayed separate from the paint tools, and the paint is dry. If you find residue, rinse that area again with clean water before drying.

Winter washing

Gtechniq's general winter advice places extra weight on the pre-wash. It also suggests warm wash water and choosing warmer days, because drying is difficult in freezing conditions. If the temperature means the car can't be dried properly, postpone the wash.

On frequency, Gtechniq's winter guidance uses the wording "not more than every fortnight," especially for coated cars. That is general winter advice, not a published EXOv5 maintenance schedule. Confirm your interval with your installer, based on your climate and how dirty the car gets.

An ongoing care worksheet

• Current conditions and how heavily the car is soiled
• Proposed wash date, and whether it is warm enough to dry the car
• Frequency guidance from Gtechniq or your installer
• GWash dose (20 ml or 40 ml) and bucket volume
• Pre-wash products: W5 only, or W5 followed by W4
• Dilution for each product, stated as water to product
• Dwell time and rinse directions from each label
• Questions for the installer, and the answers you received

Keep this sheet with your coating record. Then each wash decision can be checked against the actual product, application date and instructions, rather than against general advice for ceramic coatings.