That long-lasting protection is the main reason car owners choose a ceramic coating over the other options. Essentially a hard shell, a ceramic coating will prevent water stains, road grime, bird droppings, and other substances from reaching and harming the paint. With a quick rinse, they’ll simply slide right off.

And that brings us to an interesting word: hydrophobic. Typically, anything related to “phobic” has a negative connotation, but in this case it’s all positive. A ceramic coating will create a hydrophobic layer that essentially repels water, meaning mineral deposits and dirt have less opportunity to damage the paint surface.