SONAX PROFILINE CeramicCoating "CC" Plastic+Rubber plastic coating 50ml

Bring faded unpainted plastic and tyres back to life for good with SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber

What does the SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber do? A ceramic long-term coating on a Si-carbon base for unpainted plastic parts and rubber — it brings the colour back to faded surfaces and protects against UV, weathering and dirt for up to 24 months.

Faded plastic trim, bumpers gone grey and dull wheel-arch liners are the most common visual flaw on otherwise well-kept cars — even when the paint is flawless. Ordinary plastic dressings mask the problem for a few days, then wash straight off at the next clean. The SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber takes a fundamentally different route: instead of a temporary dressing, it lays down a ceramic protective layer on a silicon-carbon base that bonds chemically with the plastic, brings back the original colour and protects the surface against UV, moisture and dirt for up to 24 months.

• Visible colour revival on faded plastic. The coating sinks into the porous surface of weathered plastic and restores the original deep black — not as a surface film, but as a chemically bonded layer. On badly faded parts the before-and-after difference jumps out at first glance. The revival lasts far longer than oil-based dressings, because the Si-carbon layer doesn't wash away.
• 24 months of protection against UV and weathering. The ceramic layer forms a barrier against UV light — the main culprit behind fading plastic. At the same time the surface strongly repels water and dirt, which makes cleaning easier and stops grime from clinging. The up-to-24-month durability is realistic on cars washed regularly with a pH-neutral shampoo.
• A flexible coating — good for tyres too. Unlike rigid ceramic coatings for paint, the Plastic+Rubber formula is deliberately flexible. That matters for rubber parts and tyres, which flex as you drive. The coating moves with them without cracking or flaking — something most plastic coatings can't do, and exactly what qualifies this one for tyre care.

Detailing1's tip from the shop: Before you start, mask off the neighbouring paint with painter's tape. The coating belongs on unpainted plastic, but on clear coat it can leave ugly streaks that are a pain to remove. Work in small sections of 20 cm at most and, after three to five minutes of dwell time, wipe down straight away with a clean microfibre cloth. That's how you avoid excess and get an even result.

Plastic coating with Si-carbon technology — why ceramic works on plastic

The SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber coating uses the same Si-carbon base technology SONAX developed for its paint coatings — but in an adapted formula tuned to the particular nature of unpainted plastic and rubber. Plastic parts on the exterior of a car are typically made of polypropylene (PP) or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), both porous and UV-sensitive. The coating turns that very porosity to its advantage: it works into the surface structure and builds a silicon-carbon matrix there that protects the plastic from the inside out.

The key difference from classic silicone-oil dressings: silicone oils sit on the surface as a film and give a short-lived shine, but wash off at the next clean or in the rain. The Si-carbon coating, by contrast, forms a chemical bond that stands up to alkaline cleaners and mechanical stress alike. That's why SONAX explicitly recommends pH-neutral shampoos after coating, such as SONAX GlanzShampoo or ActiFoam — not because the coating is delicate, but because alkaline cleaners cut its lifespan short for no reason.

One common misunderstanding: the coating doesn't make plastic "glossy" in the high-shine paint sense. It restores the factory satin sheen that new plastic parts have — a rich, deep tone without a greasy oil film. If you want a loud wet-look on your plastic, you're better off with a plastic dressing. But if you want to lock in the original condition for the long haul, the CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber is the right call.

The flexibility of the formula deserves a special mention: conventional ceramic coatings for paint are hard and rigid once cured — no problem on a solid base like clear coat. Plastic parts, and tyres especially, flex on every drive, with temperature swings and under load. A rigid coating would crack and flake here within a few weeks. So SONAX deliberately built the Si-carbon formula for Plastic+Rubber to stay elastic: the cross-link structure allows micro-movement without the protective layer cracking. That's the technical reason a separate coating for plastic is needed, and why you shouldn't just lay your paint coating onto the trim.

How to apply plastic coating properly — prep, application and curing

Applying the plastic coating correctly is what decides the durability and the look. The process takes more care than a simple plastic dressing, but in return it delivers results that last 20 to 30 times longer.

Prep starts with a thorough car wash. After that, the plastic parts you're treating have to be degreased with SONAX PROFILINE Prepare — this step isn't optional. Old silicone residue from previous plastic dressings stops the coating from bonding properly. Wipe every surface with a clean microfibre cloth and Prepare until the cloth shows no more residue. The surface has to be absolutely clean, dry and grease-free.

For application, use the foam applicator pads supplied. Put a few drops of the coating on the soft side of the pad and spread it thin and even across the plastic surface in small sections. Work methodically — say the left trim first, then the right, then the bumper. After three to five minutes of dwell time, wipe off any excess product with a clean, dry microfibre cloth. Don't wait too long: once the coating dries on, it's hard to get off.

Curing needs at least six hours in a dry environment — twelve hours is better for the chemical reaction to finish. During that time the car mustn't get wet, and the treated surfaces mustn't be touched. So plan the job so the car can sit in a garage or hall overnight. Once fully cured, the coating is car-wash-proof and develops its full water and dirt repellency. A good sign of a successful cure: spray water on the treated surface and it should bead off in clean drops rather than form a film. You can use this beading effect as a quality check after the curing time — if there's no beading, the coating may have gone on too thin, or the prep wasn't good enough.

The set includes four applicator pads — enough for a whole car, plastic parts and tyres included. On big SUVs or cars with a lot of plastic add-ons, a second set can make sense. The 50 ml of coating fluid goes a very long way — with correct, thin application you'll usually have some left over for a second pass or a touch-up.

Faded trim and tyre care — ideal use cases

The SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber does its best work on two surfaces: badly faded plastic trim and tyres.

On trim and bumpers the effect is most dramatic when the plastic has already faded noticeably. The coating brings back the rich black and locks it in for up to two years. On older cars or used cars that have stood outside for a long time, a plastic coating can take years off the car's overall look. In a detailing business this is a popular upsell: the plastic revival is visible to the naked eye and instantly obvious to the customer.

For tyres, the coating offers an interesting alternative to ordinary tyre dressings. Instead of reapplying after every wash, the ceramic layer holds for several months. The tyre gets a subtle satin sheen without the typical wet-look of cheap tyre dressings. You do have to be honest here, though: on tyres the durability is shorter than on plastic trim, because the mechanical load from road contact and flexing is higher. Count on three to six months rather than 24. Still far more than any spray dressing.

The coating also does well on wheel-arch liners, unpainted mirror caps, plastic door handles and wiper arms. It isn't suited to already-painted plastic parts (those belong to the paint workflow) or to rubber seals around the doors — there, plasticiser-rich seal dressings are the better choice, because seals need to stay flexible and the coating adds nothing over a good rubber dressing here.

One thing many people underrate: the coating's effect is cumulative. Lay down a second layer after 18 to 24 months and you boost the UV protection and deepen the colour revival once more. On cars whose plastic has already aged and gone porous, the first layer can't seal the full depth of the surface. The second layer closes the remaining pores and gives an even richer, more even black. In professional detailing it's even worth applying two layers straight away on badly weathered parts, with six hours of curing between them — the result clearly beats a single thick coat.

Plastic coating compared — ceramic coating vs. silicone-oil dressing vs. plastic dressing

In plastic care there are three basic approaches: ceramic coatings like the CC Plastic+Rubber, silicone-oil dressings and water-based plastic dressings.

Silicone-oil dressings like the SONAX PROFILINE GummiPfleger are the fastest, cheapest option. Apply, let it dwell, done. The downside: the effect lasts two weeks at most and the dressing partly washes off at every clean. For customers who top up their plastic at every wash, that's fine. For detailing businesses that have to deliver a lasting result, it isn't.

Water-based dressings give a richer shine than silicone oils and last a bit longer — typically three to six weeks. They're the go-to in the show-and-shine world, where maximum visual impact is what counts. The durability stays limited, though.

The SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber plays in a different league: 24 months instead of 24 days. The price per application is higher, but spread across the lifespan the coating is the most economical solution. For the home user who'd rather treat their plastic twice a year than at every wash, the coating is the most convenient option. For the detailing business it's the most professional — because the customer comes back twelve months later and the trim is still black.

Another difference that shows up day-to-day: how dirt clings. Silicone-oil dressings tend to pull dust and pollen in like a magnet — the oil film acts like flypaper. Surfaces coated with Si-carbon technology, by contrast, are anti-stick: dirt clings far worse and gets washed away at the next clean, or even by rain. In practice that means the plastic parts stay much cleaner between washes — an effect that jumps out straight away on light-coloured cars with black plastic add-ons.

For cars washed daily — rental cars, company cars or taxis — the long-term angle of the coating really matters. Here an ordinary plastic dressing would literally get washed off every day. The ceramic coating, on the other hand, stands up to the mechanical stress of frequent washing and still holds for six to twelve months even under those extreme conditions. For fleet managers who have to guarantee a consistent look without daily upkeep, that's a serious advantage.

Buying plastic coating — who the CC Plastic+Rubber is worth it for

The SONAX CeramicCoating CC Plastic+Rubber is aimed at detailing pros and demanding home users who want to take their plastic care up a level. It makes the most sense on cars with large unpainted plastic areas — SUVs, off-roaders, commercial vehicles and older saloons with black bumpers get the most out of it.

In the professional detailing business the coating is an excellent companion to paint protection. If you seal the paint with the SONAX PROFILINE CeramicCoating CC One, don't leave the plastic out — faded trim next to freshly coated paint stands out all the more. The CC Plastic+Rubber rounds out the whole-car protection and delivers a consistent result across every surface.

For home users, the coating pays off from the second year of use: instead of applying a plastic dressing every two weeks, you treat the parts once and you're set for 24 months. The set with 50 ml and four applicator pads is sized for a whole car. Plan the first application for a day with stable weather and access to a garage — the twelve hours of curing without moisture are the single most important condition for a long-lasting result.

One more practical note on care after coating: in the first few weeks, keep insect removers and alkaline pre-cleaners off the coated plastic. For routine washing, use pH-neutral shampoos like the SONAX PROFILINE ActiFoam Energy — it's pH-neutral and won't attack the ceramic layer. For stubborn dirt on the plastic, a soft microfibre cloth with warm water is enough. The coating's hydrophobic nature means most grime just runs off during a normal wash — you'll notice the coated parts need far less attention at wash time than they used to. And that, in the end, is the coating's biggest day-to-day win: less upkeep for a better result.