Power washers and snow foams

agnes

agnes

agnes

Soldato
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Hi guys, I don't have a car but figured the principle and process is identical so thought to ask (I ride motorbikes, currently have a Ducati Multistrada 1200S)

I just bought a Kärcher K2 Compact with the Kärcher foam nozzle (0.6L size).

I am hoping to go through a several stage wash on my bike, such as a degreaser, then the foam, then hand wash with shampoo then finally a coating of protectant (ACF-50) and a wax coat.

How good are these snow foams, I've gone for the 'ultimate snow foam' as there are several youtube videos with the above power washer and nozzle and seem to do a pretty good job.
 
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They're great for a winter wash when your car really is filthy. They lift off a good deal of crap which makes the sponge wash a lot easier in my experience.
 
They're OK for softening caked on dirt and removing some dirt before you get to the point of touching the paint. For that they are useful. Not sure how good the foam nozzles are they come with a PW, most agree they aren't great.
 
Howard said:
They're great for a winter wash when your car really is filthy. They lift off a good deal of crap which makes the sponge wash a lot easier in my experience.
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This is exactly what I am hoping for, simply because I did just over 1000 miles between Christmas and New Years on the bike going to Norther France and Belgium. The bike just gets coated in so much crap this time of year. The previous coat of ACF-50 is still holding strong, but I would like to reapply now.
 
Snow foam is great as said for getting the worst off in the winter to make it look a bit more respectable but it dosen't realy clean the car.

What its brilliant at is making the dirt easier to remove when you actually wash it, so snow foam it and leave for 15 mins, come back and all the dirt comes straight off with a sponge no hassle.
 
I use the snow foam (Autobrite Magifoam) on my car when it is dry, rinse it and then use the 2 bucket method. The snow foam removes the traffic film and light dirt, but will not remove all of it.
 
1. Power wash vehicle.
2. Wash with decent mitt, shampoo and 2 bucket method.

Snow foam makes it easier???? MTFU you lazy sods, it also takes longer and you have to leave it for however long. I'd already have most the dirt off before you snow foam fantasists start washing.

What next, cryo treated zymol powdered virgin catholic schoolgirl hair mist pre-foam treatment in a clean room whilst wearing an anti staticsised hazmad suit with a Dodo juice branded Enya CD playing to help keep the mood right between the clear coat and paint... Sighhhhhhh

Wash, (maybe polish), wax/sealant, get on with life and using the still ridiculously clean and protected car.
 
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-Ad- said:
Snow foam makes it easier???? MTFU you lazy sods, it also takes longer and you have to leave it for however long. I'd already have most the dirt off before you snow foam fantasists start washing.
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I'm quite sure that it's primarily used to get a lot of the dirt off before you touch the paintwork with a wash mitt to reduce the chance of swirls and scratches even more.
 
I've been using snow foam quite a bit over the past month or two when it's been too cold to wash it properly and it's good stuff, takes a hell of a lot of dirt off the car and what's left behind is too small to see for most people.

I've had good success with Magifoam in the past, though it tends to stick to the drive for ages, but I'm not using Actimousse XLS which is better than the magifoam and seems to do a better job too.

Edit: In fact, I'm due to wash my car hopefully tomorrow (if the weather permits) and it's caked in dirt since before Christmas so I'll take some before and after pics if you're interested.
 
What's this 2 bucket method? Sounds like a site google parental control would block.

EDIT: Just looked it up, such a simple solution and something I've never thought of... Good idea! Will grab another bucket lol. Always get antsy half way down the bucket because of the fear of grit lingering.
 
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madtoady said:
I'm quite sure that it's primarily used to get a lot of the dirt off before you touch the paintwork with a wash mitt to reduce the chance of swirls and scratches even more.
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Agreed.

Once you snow foam the first time, you'll do it forever. Takes away a ton of the mess before you start.
 
Snow foam is hugely overrated, I bought a karcher, fancy and massively overpriced foam lance and some decent foam and even at high concentrations (500ml) it does little. It will take some dirt off your car and look impressive, but if you have a dirty car then it will remain a dirty car. It makes washing easier, but I'd rather save myself the time of getting the pressure washer out, spraying the car, waiting, washing it off etc. and just start washing the car with the two bucket method.
 
ganesh said:
Snow foam is hugely overrated, I bought a karcher, fancy and massively overpriced foam lance and some decent foam and even at high concentrations (500ml) it does little. It will take some dirt off your car and look impressive, but if you have a dirty car then it will remain a dirty car. It makes washing easier, but I'd rather save myself the time of getting the pressure washer out, spraying the car, waiting, washing it off etc. and just start washing the car with the two bucket method.
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It takes less than 2 minutes to prep a snow foam lance, spray the car then go get a brew while it dwells off.

It's not going to clean your car for you, but it makes starting so much easier. That's the entire point, if you thought it was going to leave your car as clean as getting mitt to bodywork then I think you were dreaming :p

You don't buy a pressure washer JUST to use snow foam, you buy a snow foam lance to add to the pressure washer on top of it's normal usage.
 
+1 for the snowfoam and pressure washer, get yourself one of the autobrite snowfoam adapters, they are the mutts danglies and not too expensive (£40 ish) with the right adapter for your pressure washer, I just started doing it myself, snowfoam, 2 bucket wash, quick polish on any scratches with a nano polish, then wax it, rain X the windows and your done :)
 
I'm sure it does help....... 5% more dirt off. But so does just using a power washer then just getting on with washing the remaining dirt off.

And to Sin for the making a brew comment, you've only just setup and snow foamed before a tea break. Do you also go for a brew after washing down every panel with your mitt, mabye a lie down before doing the wheels, or possibly a sabbatical before doing the interior :p

And for the only £40 comment (plus foam of course), that will buy me a 5l tub of auto bright shampoo and enough collonite for years. Or it'll fund my £50 nilfisk that just jets 90% the dirt off anyway.

Snowfoam - Faddy that looks pretty in pictures to post up to impress internet strangers ;)
 
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-Ad- said:
And to Sin for the making a brew comment, you've only just setup and snow foamed before a tea break. Do you also go for a brew after washing down every panel with your mitt, mabye a lie down before doing the wheels, or possibly a sabbatical before doing the interior :p
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You would understand if you had used the product before. You spray it on, then leave it to dwell off, this is the cleaning action. No point spraying it off straight after applying it, hence be productive and make a brew while it dwells.

£50 Nilfisk...that you will need to buy every 100 hours of use when it dies.
 
I was saying just use a pressure washer all over then get cracking with the mitt and suds. Keeping a car clean (especially a white one with white wheels) takes up far too much time anyway, there's more things to be getting on with than getting some foam ddwell for 10mins before you get on with what you could be doing anyway.

£50 when reduced ;)

I'll probably have a damn lance and be raving about frothing foam come spring :D
 
I use snow foam for every car clean - makes like so much easier.

Also good for facias and on the walls on your house!

Best method I found when using foam was:
1) Foam car - leave to dwell for 5-6 minutes (I use 5 shots of Meguiars Hyper-Wash and when I'm going to clay/polish/seal/wax I use 4 shots of Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner first, applied the same way as Hyper Wash, then Hyper Wash).
2) Lightly rinse car off with pressure washer lance from a distance
3) Foam car again and after a minute or two start to wash car using a lambs/sheeps wool mitt and the 2 bucket method (doesn't only help to prevent dry spots when cleaning in the summer but also adds a nice layer of suds)
4) Rinse car off with an open (slow) flowing hose and dry with waffle weave towel (takes bulk of moisture from car) with a large microfiber towel used afterwards to soak up the small amounts of water left.

I find if you try and dry with a microfiber first that the car streaks easily (especially black) but doing waffle weave, then microfiber it helps.

In the Evo days I was an OCD cleaner and had all the kit and after spending stupid amounts on pointless products, the above got me to the stage of claying or a simple clean.
 
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