Washing techniques

bora-gav

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Banbridge/Portadown
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VW/SKODA
When I'm bored I tend to flick through you tube and watch random cleaning videos from the likes of auto finesse, car cleaning guru etc.

Does anyone use there snow foam as a shampoo or is it not made for that?
Do you snow foam a dirty car or rinse it first, which for better results?

Happen to see autoglym snow foaming a dirty car on one of there Instagram posts
 

Burt2000

RMS Regular
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11,231
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Type RA Ltd
afaik you snow foam a dirty car so it sticks to the dirt then hose off and snow foam again then wash with your mitt.
 

Gareth

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4,994
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Belfast
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Honda's
I usually go foam first, let it work for about 5 or more minutes, power hose it off. I'll then foam the car again, but on a lesser foam setting and use it as additional shampoo to my grated wash bucket. I've never done the 2 bucket method though.
 

Simon998

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Cayman S
Does your foam stay on for 5 mins? Wen I do it it usually all drips off within a minute or two.
 

da.murf

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10,312
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Nissan 350z
I used a pre wash cleanser (articulate )

Leave 5 minutes

Snow foam

Leave 5 minutes

Power wash off

Re foam

Leave 5 minutes

Then used soap and 2 buckets (anachem gleam grape)

Power wash off

Spray on liquid wax as top up

Power wash then dry

Then if I have time and wife isn’t after me I wax/seal/hybrid detailer wax spray
 

Boydie

RMS Regular
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53,470
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Co.Antrim
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S3 Revo
I start with a dry car
Foam it and let it sit until it’s more or less ran off the car
In the mean time fill my two buckets, one with water and one with shampoo
Power hose it off
Foam it again
Start washing with mitt while foam is on.

I know it may be a waste but it’s worked well for me over the years and not a swirl or marr in sight
 

bora-gav

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OP
bora-gav
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6,287
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Banbridge/Portadown
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VW/SKODA
I use articulate first and leave for a few mins

Snow foam and leave for 5/10mins while doing all the wee nooks and crannies

Hose the car down

Clean wheels and hose down

Then give it a clean with annachems gleam shampoo and a wash mitt

Hose car down

Always finish with a nice spray of speed detailer. The next time it will be hybrid

Or abit like @da.murf said, if I have time or I'm not getting a bollocking from the mrs for taking so long I'll give it more time and polish/wax it when required

Completely different scenario for my run about car which doesn't really get washed lol
 
Last edited:

euge07

RMS Regular
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3,773
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tyrone
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c220 cdi sport
My method that works for me is as follows:
Spray wheel cleaner on and also front of car gets surfex on the flies etc
Rinse off then foam the car
When foam is working I clean the wheels and brush round the grills and gaps
Rinse off
Then shampoo and 2 bucket method the car
Rinse off and I use sonax bsd and a drying towel to dry. Works really well for me
 

McFall1984

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10,720
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Dungannon
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To many cars
Ok now I see I do it wrong
I powerhose, snowfoam, after 5mins I use washmit to wash, powerhose an put all away
 

Todd

RMS Regular
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4,001
Location
Ballymena
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M3 | A6 | A3
My method that works for me is as follows:
Spray wheel cleaner on and also front of car gets surfex on the flies etc
Rinse off then foam the car
When foam is working I clean the wheels and brush round the grills and gaps
Rinse off
Then shampoo and 2 bucket method the car
Rinse off and I use sonax bsd and a drying towel to dry. Works really well for me

Exact method i use.
 

Rob

RMS Regular
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12,464
Drives
Amarok V6
I start with a dry car
Foam it and let it sit until it’s more or less ran off the car
In the mean time fill my two buckets, one with water and one with shampoo
Power hose it off
Foam it again
Start washing with mitt while foam is on.

I know it may be a waste but it’s worked well for me over the years and not a swirl or marr in sight

Exact same method here.
 

Mac1987

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In the Gym
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Anything
I bought this car wash/shampoo of eBay Delivered to my Door For £12 Which i thought wasn't Bad Value, 5Ltr so plenty of washing in it, Never used it before but i noticed it had 37 reviews on Ebay & All of them were 5 star Reviews ! So must be good enough, i recently bought some car wash/shampoo from my local pound shop & it was Rubbish, if i had of p!ssed in it it would have created more Suds/Lather lol then again you pay for what you get i suppose, I used to buy turtle wax wash ect it wasn't bad stuff for the price, So what's all you Detailers thoughts on what's the best car shampoo then ?
WP_20180809_11_15_02_Pro.jpg
 

Nigelo

RMS Regular
Messages
6,894
Location
Here
I bought this car wash/shampoo of eBay Delivered to my Door For £12 Which i thought wasn't Bad Value, 5Ltr so plenty of washing in it, Never used it before but i noticed it had 37 reviews on Ebay & All of them were 5 star Reviews ! So must be good enough, i recently bought some car wash/shampoo from my local pound shop & it was Rubbish, if i had of p!ssed in it it would have created more Suds/Lather lol then again you pay for what you get i suppose, I used to buy turtle wax wash ect it wasn't bad stuff for the price, So what's all you Detailers thoughts on what's the best car shampoo then ? View attachment 203849

Some of simonizes stuff is pretty decent. Their glue remover works really well, and their big and tar is great on bird crap.
 

Mac1987

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1,525
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In the Gym
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Anything
Some of simonizes stuff is pretty decent. Their glue remover works really well, and their big and tar is great on bird crap.
Yeah I Thought Simonizes Products Were Decent, It smells nice enough anyway lol, I Used to use there Wax in the Gold tin, Jeez that stuff was hard to buff off ! Provided Good Long lasting Protection though !
 

zafturbo

RMS Regular
Messages
7,433
Anachem Gleam (y) Cherry Cola :heart:
I like most of my anachem products but tbh I wasn’t fussed on my gleam I got .in saying that it must be 18 month or 2 year ago I got it .it probably is a great product but I just couldn’t get my head around there not being any suds from it .i understand it’s not all about that but just my personal opinion .
 

Deezer-D

RMS Regular
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9,397
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North of the Wall
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Mini SE
I like most of my anachem products but tbh I wasn’t fussed on my gleam I got .in saying that it must be 18 month or 2 year ago I got it .it probably is a great product but I just couldn’t get my head around there not being any suds from it .i understand it’s not all about that but just my personal opinion .

That’ll be the old formula, I have it too and haven’t really gelled with it. The new version is supposed to be much better so I’ll be adding some to my next order.
 

bikeit

RMS Regular
Messages
1,490
Location
Co Down
I recently started using gleam and find it suds well but still doesn't sud as much as the meguiars stuff but I like the gleam shampoo. Will be looking to try the hybrid stuff next
 
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