Materials for coating, coating compositions, methods and articles of manufacture comprising a nanoparticle system or employing the same to impart surface modifying benefits for all types of inanimate hard surfaces are disclosed. In some embodiments, dispersement of nanoparticles in a suitable carrier medium allows for the creation of coating compositions, methods and articles of manufacture that create multi-use benefits to modified hard surfaces. These surface modifications can produce long lasting or semi-permanent multi-use benefits that include at least one of the following improved surface properties: wetting and sheeting, quick drying, uniform drying, soil removal, self-cleaning, anti-spotting, anti-soil deposition, cleaner appearance, enhanced gloss, enhanced color, minor surface defect repair, smoothness, anti-hazing, modification of surface friction, release of actives and transparency, relative to hard surfaces unmodified with such nanoparticle systems. Actively curing the coating composition on the hard surfaces, including, but not limited to by radiative heating the air surrounding the hard surface with the coating thereon can be used to increase the durability of the hard surface coating.