I've came to the conclusion....snowfoam doesn't work.

Status
This is not open for further replies. We close very old threads, and if this is the case, please start a new one on the same topic.

brendy

RMS Regular
brendy
Messages
30,038
Location
bayyngorr in the S4 Avant
Big Pimp said:
@brendy - you're actually onto a really good point there.
Ideal application is to spray the car with some form of TFR first which is responsible for the initial clean. Spray covers more evenly and works better than foam.

My preferred method is to spray first, and then foam it. This has a 2 fold effect of the non caustic TFR softening and loosening all initial dirt. Then before i rinse all that crap off, I foam on top of the articulate.

This gives additional dwell time without the car drying out, and also a large amount of the pre softened dirt and crap drips off meaning that when I then rinse the car off, I get most of the dirt off in a touch less method.

Only then do I use gleam shampoo to wash the vehicle.

Monday - Friday for quick washing I do the first 2 steps for a touch less wash and only really shampoo wash it at the weekend when I have a bit more time
Click to expand...
Yea, foam on its own is crap, you might as well breathe on it. Water on its own would dry off too quickly too. Putting something down first would work better (im no expert! ha!) though I tend to was panel by panel rather than soak the entire car then rub the slightly loose dirt into the paint.

That said, my car gets a wash every 6 months so cant really comment too much.
 

jshek007

RMS Regular
jshek007
Messages
1,728
Location
Antrim
Drives
F30 335,FN2, R56
There definitely is a requiremnt for snow foam. Like @Big Pimp, i spray on articulate and then with ultrafoam, wait for it to dwell a bit and then hose it off. I then refoam the car again and wash the car with two bucket method (one clean water and one soap and water). When it comes to washing the car, lucubracy is king. With doing it this way, most of the dirt is gone from the first snow foam. Then second foam gives it plenty of lubricant so the damage i am doing to the paint has been minimised. I def notice i am creating less swirls this way.
 

Gibbo

RMS Regular
Gibbo
Messages
1,359
Location
Dromore, Co. Tyrone
Drives
VW CC
I wouldn't touch a car with a wash mitt/pad without either a citrus pre wash snow foam or both depending on the state of the car. Essential stage in the wash to make sure that as much loose dirt is removed before touching the paint.
 

Big Pimp

RMS Trader
Big Pimp
Messages
14,930
Location
Downpatrick
Drives
like im late
Gibbo said:
I wouldn't touch a car with a wash mitt/pad without either a citrus pre wash snow foam or both depending on the state of the car. Essential stage in the wash to make sure that as much loose dirt is removed before touching the paint.
Click to expand...

you just need to be careful with citrus mate.

I know it's the whole new 'thing', but citrus is actually a solvent based product. fantastic for cleaning, but is not healthy for rubbers, and also solvents are not wax safe.
 

Gibbo

RMS Regular
Gibbo
Messages
1,359
Location
Dromore, Co. Tyrone
Drives
VW CC
Big Pimp said:
you just need to be careful with citrus mate.

I know it's the whole new 'thing', but citrus is actually a solvent based product. fantastic for cleaning, but is not healthy for rubbers, and also solvents are not wax safe.
Click to expand...

Yea, usually just use it for flies and the lower parts. Leave the rest for the foam [emoji106]
 

corsacj

RMS Regular
corsacj
Messages
4,133
Location
Belfast
I'm not into detailing at all so buying Ross' bundle was my first experience of snowfoam etc.

Since that, most washes for me were to spray the car thoroughly with TFR, then foam over the top and let it sit.

After powerwashing the car is what I would call 95% clean and works brilliant for me as the less scrubbing over the car I have to do, the better. Both for the purpose of not marking it, and mostly, pure laziness.
 

O.C.D

RMS Regular
O.C.D
Messages
4,718
Big Pimp said:
@brendy - you're actually onto a really good point there.
Ideal application is to spray the car with some form of TFR first which is responsible for the initial clean. Spray covers more evenly and works better than foam.

My preferred method is to spray first, and then foam it. This has a 2 fold effect of the non caustic TFR softening and loosening all initial dirt. Then before i rinse all that crap off, I foam on top of the articulate.

This gives additional dwell time without the car drying out, and also a large amount of the pre softened dirt and crap drips off meaning that when I then rinse the car off, I get most of the dirt off in a touch less method.

Only then do I use gleam shampoo to wash the vehicle.

Monday - Friday for quick washing I do the first 2 steps for a touch less wash and only really shampoo wash it at the weekend when I have a bit more time
Click to expand...
After your Mon-fri wash do you dry your car ??
 

Stebo

RMS Regular
Stebo
Messages
1,757
Location
Banbridge
Drives
Defender 110
To be fair I suspected the same for a while, but I still used snowfoam. Then I broke the attachment and had to do without for a while, before fixing the attachment and getting back to using it.

I would say that you could possibly get as much grime off with the power-washer alone, but it would take much longer. From I've went back to using snowfoam I find my "dirty" bucket of water is much cleaner at the end of a wash, and I spend much less time washing the car.

Typically I fire the foam on then spend five minutes filling my buckets, then by the time I come back I hose off. The alternative was to spend about 5-10 minutes slowly powerwashing every inch of the car, then having to get and get my buckets.
 

Sgt_Major

RMS Regular
Sgt_Major
Messages
7,173
Location
Near Ballymena
Drives
E81 123d
1. Stop at the petrol station on the way home
2. Use their power washer to blow as much dirt off as possible
3. Get home and presoak with bucket of warm water + car shampoo mix
4. Hose rinse
5. Mitt wash
6. Dry
7. Detailer spray

Do that at least once a year, whether she needs it or not lol
 

Sharkey

RMS Regular
S
Messages
2,111
Theres no point in argueing over this.

The fact is this.

Fairy Liquid & a floor brush. The only Job.

IMG_3050_2500.jpg


I Joke...
 

NS Autocare

RMS Regular
NS Autocare
Messages
360
Drives
Quite a bit
The thing is with snow foam is that it's essentially a TFR but a weak version of it so not to ruin any protection already on the car. The 'cling' of a product is essential to allow it to penetrate and soften the dirt which is the hosed off, allowing for the next stage.

All these wash stages are done to have less dirt/grit etc on the paint before you apply anything with hand (wash mitt or even the dresses sponge ) resulting in less chances of swirls. Also a lot of cheap snowfoams out there need half a bottle of product simply because it's so diluted so your lying extra for some water. So Pahycologicaly your thinking your getting more product in a bottle but you'll be using a lot more in the end.
 

Big Pimp

RMS Trader
Big Pimp
Messages
14,930
Location
Downpatrick
Drives
like im late
NS Autocare said:
The thing is with snow foam is that it's essentially a TFR but a weak version of it so not to ruin any protection already on the car. The 'cling' of a product is essential to allow it to penetrate and soften the dirt which is the hosed off, allowing for the next stage.
Click to expand...

See, I'd disagree with you on that point.

Some snow foams may essentially be a weak TFR, but mine isn't. Mine is a ph neutral product which is made up of (among other things) predominantly the foaming agents and some ionic and non ionic carriers.

I have made custom blend snow foams for 2 customers. One is a fish merchant who foams his vans inside and out and needed a product which would clean and disinfect at the same time, and another local coach company wanted my TFR with a foaming agent added.
 

Coog

Admin
Coog
Messages
47,932
Drives
GTI
Side by side test required.

Any impartial RMS'ers care to give it a go when they're next washing the motor?

Snow foam, power wash and then leave it to dry vs soak in water, power wash and left to dry.
 

Coog

Admin
Coog
Messages
47,932
Drives
GTI
I think if the paint is well protected there'll be absolutely no difference. Even the normal garden hose gets my car 95% there. If it's not well protected then that's where (IMHO) there'll be a difference, as soak time will matter more. I'd offer to do the Jimny but that would mean polishing it first and that's not going to happen.
 
Status
This is not open for further replies. We close very old threads, and if this is the case, please start a new one on the same topic.
Top