The Best Maintenance Washing & Detailing in Cape Town, since 2006!
Protouch Car Care offers the most comprehensive maintenance washing and detailing services from our location in Lansdowne, Cape Town.
Our experience in car care dates back to the late 1980s, when our family automotive business first started. We began offering professional car care services in 2006 and continue to do so to this day!
In 2018, News24 recognised ProTouch Car Care as one of the top 5 coolest places to wash your car
Premium Car Maintenance: Keeping Your Vehicle in Peak Condition
At ProTouch Car Care, we understand that your vehicle deserves the best care. Our comprehensive range of maintenance services is aimed to keep your car looking pristine and protected. Whether you’re looking for a quick exterior refresh or a thorough interior cleanse, we have the perfect options for you.
We are not a car wash and don’t offer normal car wash services.
Our maintenance services aren’t intended to restore or enhance detailing levels. It’s aimed at providing maintenance services for vehicles with ceramic coatings—helping owners preserve their protection—or for previously detailed cars that need upkeep to maintain their pristine condition.
If you need to start from scratch, consider one of our polishing and detailing and or interior services as a starting point. You are welcome to contact us to arrange a free inspection where can look at your car with you and discuss what you need.
Our Services:
We offer three main categories of car maintenance wash services that differ based on whether interior cleaning is included and how detailed it is.
- Exterior Only Maintenance Wash: Clean and Protect your car’s paint with our specialized treatments (no interior cleaning)
- Maintenance Wash + Quick Interior: Combine exterior cleaning with a swift interior refresh
- Maintenance Wash + Thorough Interior: Experience the ultimate in car care with our detailed interior service (almost like an interior valet but without the shampooing and scrubbing)
Each service is tailored to meet the needs of different vehicle types, including sedans, motorcycles, and SUVs. Our expert team uses premium products and techniques to ensure your vehicle receives the care it deserves.
Explore our options below to find the perfect maintenance wash for your vehicle.
PLEASE NOTE: We offer detailed explanations of what we include in a maintenance wash, what a snowfoam is, and many other topics in our GLOSSARY Section
Car Maintenance Wash Options
Please Note:
- Booking is required.
- There is no waiting area.
- Engine cleaning is from R350 to R750, done in a waterless way. No high pressure is used over the engine.
- PLEASE NOTE: We can’t accommodate engine cleaning for roadworthy or mechanical purposes i.e. from the bottom up.
- No mud.
- We use FEYNLAB Pure Wash shampoo for our hand wash and a mix of products from Autoglym, Labocosmetica, etc. for other areas of detail.
- PLEASE NOTE: No Silicone-based products are used!
- Final rinsing is done through a DEIONISATION filter to reduce the chances of spotting.
1. Exterior-Only Maintenance Wash (For Sedans, SUVs, and Motorcycles)
Protect your car or motorcycle paint with our exterior-only maintenance wash options
- With Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer: • Sedans and Motorcycles: R250 (30-40 min) • SUV: R300 (30-40 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak Treatment: • Sedans and Motorcycles: R250 (40-50 min) • SUV: R300 (40-50 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer: • Sedans and Motorcycles: R350 (45-55 min) • SUV: R400 (45-55 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Glaze: • Sedans and Motorcycles: R750 (1 hour 30 min+) • SUV: R900 (1 hour 30 min+)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Clay + Glaze: • Sedans and Motorcycles: R1100 (2 hours) • SUV: R1350 (2 hours – 2 hours 20 min)
2. Maintenance Wash + Quick Interior (20 min)
Includes exterior cleaning and a quick interior refresh (vacuum, dashboard & console wipe)
- With Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer: • Sedans: from R400 (1 hour) • SUV: from R500 (1 hour)
- With Snowfoam Presoak: • Sedans: from R400 (1 hour) • SUV: from R500 (1 hour)
- With Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer + Snowfoam Presoak: • Sedans: from R500 (1 hour 15 min) • SUV: from R600 (1 hour 15 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Glaze: • Sedans: from R900 (1 hour 50 min) • SUV: from R1050 (1 hour 50 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Clay + Glaze: • Sedans: from R1250 (2 hours 20 min) • SUV: from R1400 (2 hours 20 min)
3. Maintenance Wash + Thorough Interior (60 min)
Includes exterior cleaning and detailed interior care.
- With Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer: • Sedans: from R550 (45 min) • SUV: from R650 (45 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak: • Sedans: from R550 (1 hour) • SUV: from R650 (1 hour)
- With Ceramic Sealant or Quick Detailer + Snowfoam Presoak: • Sedans: from R650 (1 hour) • SUV: from R750 (1 hour)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Glaze: • Sedans: from R1050 (2 hours 30 min) • SUV: from R1200 (2 hours 30 min)
- With Snowfoam Presoak + Clay + Glaze: • Sedans: from R1400 (3 hours) • SUV: from R1600 (3 hours)
What our “Thorough Interior” is about
Our thorough interior option aims to provide the highest level of cleanliness and detail achievable in an hour without the more intensive processes of shampooing or scrubbing seats and carpets that would be part of a full valet service.
Process Breakdown:
- Blow-out: Removes as much dirt as possible from hard-to-reach areas such as between and under seats
- Brush-up carpeting: Lift sand and raise carpet pile where applicable
- Vacuum: Remove dirt and debris
- Detail clean the dashboard: Use a detail brush (similar to a paint brush) to finely clean out seams, cracks, and buttons
- Console cleaning: Focus on gear shift area, cupholders, and armrest
- Door panel cleaning
- Seats:
- Leather/Vinyl: Brush out seams and wipe down with OMNIA
- Fabric: Brush off, vacuum, and wipe
- What we use to clean and protect: Labocosmetica OMNIA:
- Used on all surfaces including plastics, leather, and vinyl.
- Natural finish no shine. If you want more of a shine let us know.
- OMNIA acts as a cleaner, disinfectant, and protectant
- Note: We never spray cleaners directly onto surfaces, whether exterior or interior. Instead, we apply to a cloth or brush before cleaning and detailing
- Deodoriser: We spray onto carpets and fabrics your choice of either Autoglym Autofresh, Odour Eliminator, or no scent
Protecting and maintaining paint: Ceramic Sealant versus Glazing
We offer ceramic sealants and detailers as well as glazing for ongoing paint maintenance and protection.
Ceramic Sealants and Quick Detailers (QD’s)
Ceramic sealants are different from ceramic coatings. They differ in their bonding mechanism, ceramic formula i.e. what type of ceramic they contain, and concentration i.e. how much ceramic they have in them. Coatings are superior in longevity, durability, and overall performance in every consideration. Sealants serve two primary purposes: as more affordable alternatives when used as the main protectant, or as maintenance products applied over existing ceramic coatings.
We recommend Ceramic sealants and the latest Quick Detailers as maintainenance for ceramic coatings. They top off the coating and fill any light scratches and “cavities” that form over time. This keeps your coating smoother, thereby boosting its UV protection and water and dirt repellency.
As standard, our services include a highly regarded ceramic sealant from Technicians Choice USA, suitable for application over any coating. Where possible, we prefer to use ceramic sealants or detailers that match the coating on your car.
We maintain a range of sealants and quick detailers (QDs) for brands like CERAMIC PRO, GTECHNIQ, AUTOGLYM, NASIOL, and FEYNLAB. Please note that using these brand-specific products may result in pricing higher than what’s listed here.
Glazing (Waxing)
Glazing primarily fills or masks scratches, swirls, and other light to medium-depth imperfections while protecting the paint. It’s a “cosmetic” polishing and protective alternative to paint correction polishing. Paint correction polishing works by cutting paint (by microns) to remove scratches, swirls, and other defects. The deeper these imperfections, the more paint must be cut or polished—thereby reducing its thickness. Think of glazing as makeup—like concealers and foundation—while paint correction is like plastic surgery.
As such, glazing is ideal for classic cars or vehicles with thin paint. It is also a more cost-effective option compared to correction and coating.
While glazing can be applied over a coating and achieve similar results to application on bare paint, it has some limitations:
- It won’t last as long over a ceramic coating
- It doesn’t provide the same level of protection or safer effects as proper dedicated ceramic coating maintenance products ( referred to as polishes, primers, or rejuvenators)
For the best solution for rejuvenating tired ceramic coatings, consider our Enhancement service under our polishing and detailing options.
We use the highest-quality glazing products available in SA. We choose the most suitable one based on what we’ve previously applied to your car or what best fits your vehicle and expectations. Some of the brands we use are; Scholl Concepts, Autoglym, Meguiars, and Labocosmetica
CERAMIC PRO Maintenance
CERAMIC PRO maintenance is exclusively available for vehicles coated with any of CERAMIC PRO’s coatings.
The process includes wash our maintenance wash process with 20 minutes to the interior. We then apply CERAMIC PRO’s Nano Primer by buffing machine, which provides gentle cleaning and promotes adhesion of the CERAMIC PRO CARE+ coating to the existing coating to boost protection, increase gloss, and maintain water and dirt repellency until the next maintenance session.
The application of NANO PRIMER and CARE+ recoats and fills in nano-scopic voids as well as light scratches (swirls) to always keep the surface smooth, which is critically important for repelling water, dirt, and in a passive way prevent scratches. It also enhances the shine, keeping your car looking like it did when it was just newly coated!
To truly appreciate CERAMIC PRO coatings’ industry-leading reputation, you need to experience firsthand the difference they make on your car. This is particularly evident in their maintenance system, which preserves your investment in a ceramic coating, keeping it in superb condition for years to come.
Pricing
- For small to standard sedans and compact SUVs: starting from R1050 for 2 hours.
- For larger vehicles and 4x4s: starting from R1250 for 2.5 hours.
- If your car requires clay or other extra work we will only know once we’ve seen it.
THE CERAMIC PRO MAINTENANCE CYCLE
OTHER DETAILING:
Decontamination & Ceramic Coating Repair
Pollution, like dirt in the air, road grime, minerals and contaminants in the water, and general dirt that is not cleaned regularly, can clog ceramic coatings. This blocks a coating from repelling water and dirt and causing them to lose their shine. It also increases the risk of scratches and swirl marks due to roughness.
Depending on the condition of your coating, we may need to use chemical methods (such as special shampoos or removers) or Clay to remove contaminants. It should be noted that clay has the potential to swirl and mar paint and coatings. In that regard, we need to assess even more action is required.
We also have various “coating polishes” that can improve a coating.
Pricing on inspection.
Engine Bay Detailing:
This service includes cleaning from the top of the engine. We do not use high-pressure water jets directly on the engine.
Pricing: This is always confirmed on inspection. The price ranges from R350 (general cleaning, 20-30minutes) to a maximum of R1000 (typically classic cars etc).
Please Note:
- Engine bay detailing is done at the vehicle owner’s risk.
- Our service is NOT suitable for those needing engine cleaning for roadworthy or mechanical purposes or is has built up dirt (from browning, gravel, mud, dust, quarry, etc)
- We never use high-pressure cleaning directly on an engine or under-bonnet insulation.
- Cleaning is done by hand with towels, brushes, and air tools.
- We avoid harsh solvents that may produce odours or potentially cause damage.
- We use water-based dressings (silicone-based products are not only harmful but also trap dirt, unlike water-based products).
Wheel Care:
Cleaning a wheel on your car isn’t easy and the results is limited.
We provide a “Wheels Off” service where we lift your car, take off the wheels, and clean them. We can also clean the wheel arches, calipers, and parts of the suspension. You can choose to have a long-lasting ceramic sealant or coating applied for protection and shine.
Pricing: from R1500 to R5000, based on the level of detailing and the type of protection you choose. Approximately 4 hours.
Exhaust & Metal Polishing & Protection:
We offer exhaust and metal trim polishing for cleanliness, shine & protection. We have ceramic coatings for bare metals. Pricing on inspection.
Leather Cleaning, conditioning & Protection:
Cleaning, conditioning, and protection with creams or ceramic coatings. Pricing on inspection.
Glass Deep Cleaning, Watermark removal & Rain/Water Repellency:
We provide deep cleaning to remove difficult to remove residues like road oils, cigarette or vape, etc as well as to remove water marks. We also apply ceramic coatings and sealants for rain and dirt repellency. Pricing on inspection.
GLOSSARY
The purpose of a Maintenance Wash
Regardless of whether your vehicle is ceramic-coated or not, it requires regular and careful washing, occasional boosts with wax or sealant for maintaining protection, and periodic decontamination among other detailing.
It’s important to note that the primary goal of a standard car wash is to clean your car, that is, to remove dirt as quickly as possible. Their business model is based on volume, so there’s not much time for detail.
The purpose of a maintenance wash compared to a normal car wash are:
- Ceramic Coating inspection:
- Test the water and dirt repellency of the vehicle’s paint protection
- identify and problems and recommend interventions.
- Perform a safe and thorough cleaning – as part of regular maintenance.
- Apply a ceramic sealant or topper to enhance gloss, boost paint protection, and improve water repellency.
If the paint protectant requires additional care, such as decontamination, repair, or recoating, we will communicate this to you and provide advice accordingly.
Maintenance Wash Process Breakdown:
- Pre-rinse
- Repellency check-up
- Degreaser
- Optional: Prewash (using a Presoak aka Snow foam to break down dirt and grime before washing)
- Wheel and arch wash
- Exhaust wash
- Hybrid or two-bucket wash method
- Final Rinse: We use demineralised water to reduce the chances of water spotting during the wash and mineral deposit buildup.
- Air and microfiber towel drying
- Optional: Ceramic sealant or quick detailer
- Interior: 2 options
- 20 min option: for light dirt
- blow out
- vacuum
- wipe down
- 1 hour option: for more detail and dirtier interior
- blow out
- brush up
- vacuum
- wipe down and detail clean with a detail brush crevices
- 20 min option: for light dirt
- Wipe-down with interior cleaner and detailer
What’s Snow foam?
Snow foam is a specialised pre-wash product used in car detailing. It’s a thick foam applied to the vehicle’s surface to presoak it, helping loosen and remove dirt, grime, and contaminants before the initial rinse. Unlike normal car shampoo, it’s formulated to dwell on the surface longer and is typically more alkaline. Some systems, like Labocosmetica, offer both acid and alkaline pre-soaks or snow foams.
Benefits of using Snow foam include:
- Enhanced cleaning power: The foam’s dwell time allows it to break down stubborn dirt effectively.
- Reduced risk of scratching: By loosening dirt before contact washing, it minimises the chance of scratching the paint during the main wash.
- Better lubrication: The foam provides a slick surface, allowing dirt to slide off more easily during rinsing.
- Time-saving: It can make the overall washing process quicker and more efficient.
- Visual appeal: The thick foam blanket covering the car is not only effective but also visually satisfying for car enthusiasts.
At ProTouch Car Care, we use high-quality Snow foam products to ensure the best possible pre-wash treatment for your vehicle, setting the stage for an exceptional cleaning result.
