Which snow foam..?

[Deezer-D]

I was going to start a "what am I doing wrong" thread but is exactly what I'm doing (including these products) and tbh am becoming a bit disillusioned. Cars were all detailed previously with hard wax finishes so should be easily enough cleaned. Washes are generally weekly, though I'd expect to see a greater effect on a dirtier car as there's more for it to remove in the first place?

Would lime-rich water affect performance? Or the quality of the snow foam lance - mines from procar so am of the impression that it's decent kit. Or how much of the process relies on the pressure on the washer (I've a Karcher k2). I use the fan - type pressure washer fitting rather than the circular blaster type fitting - the circular fitting definitely lifts dirt better but I'm wary as I've seen it lift paint when it gets in round paint chips etc.

Basically - my experience of the "no mitt pre wash" is that it's just pissing in the wind, and even when going in with the mitt I'm not seeing dirt as loosened as id expect - talking salt, road grime, bird and cow crap here, rather than expecting it to take care of hard baked stuff. I look at videos showing TFR and snow foam and it lifting most things with a power hose rinse, especially on wheels, and I just can't replicate it or get anywhere near. This includes using far neater dilution to test the effect.

The TFR is the biggest mystery to me - on my cars it seems to be doing absolutely nothing. I don't understand how others are saying they're able to use articulate as a wheel cleaner.

Not having a go at anachem products BTW, I was equally bemused by the ineffectiveness of glimmermann stuff I was using before. Though I'd be lost without the GM wheel cleaner.

Am about to give up on the snow foam fad and going back to a bucket of suds, 20 minute prewash and having to get the elbow stuck into scrubbing with a second wash while the weather is freezing is just wasting my time and getting me unnecessarily cold at this time of year!

The touch less wash didn’t work for me. Car needed washed properly every time. Mine has Gtechniq CSL and EXO over. The EXO coating became clogged because I didn’t wash the car often enough which meant the dirt stuck to the car. I tried the reactivation process but no joy as the EXO coating is dead. The CSL is still doing its job but the hydrophobic properties of the EXO have gone.
I’ve given up now as the car is a lease.
You could try a thorough decontamination process using fallout remover, citrus prewash and TFR and see if that helps.

 

[Jonny_W]

Though I'd be lost without the GM wheel cleaner.

How much do you dilute it by? I got a bottle of it to try ages ago and thought it wasn’t great at all. I find articulate to be better for me.

 

[Big Pimp]

I was going to start a "what am I doing wrong" thread but is exactly what I'm doing (including these products) and tbh am becoming a bit disillusioned. Cars were all detailed previously with hard wax finishes so should be easily enough cleaned. Washes are generally weekly, though I'd expect to see a greater effect on a dirtier car as there's more for it to remove in the first place?

Would lime-rich water affect performance? Or the quality of the snow foam lance - mines from procar so am of the impression that it's decent kit. Or how much of the process relies on the pressure on the washer (I've a Karcher k2). I use the fan - type pressure washer fitting rather than the circular blaster type fitting - the circular fitting definitely lifts dirt better but I'm wary as I've seen it lift paint when it gets in round paint chips etc.

water harness can have an effect, but doubt it would be overly significant. unless the foam is dribbling out of your foam lance, then not really.

Basically - my experience of the "no mitt pre wash" is that it's just pissing in the wind, and even when going in with the mitt I'm not seeing dirt as loosened as id expect - talking salt, road grime, bird and cow crap here, rather than expecting it to take care of hard baked stuff. I look at videos showing TFR and snow foam and it lifting most things with a power hose rinse, especially on wheels, and I just can't replicate it or get anywhere near. This includes using far neater dilution to test the effect.

Increasing the strength sometimes has an opposite effect.

For this time of year, I'm using probably around 35:1 (i put 150ml into a 5lt sprayer) mix of articulate. I spray it on, leave it for a few minutes, and then apply UltraFoam. After a few minutes I rinse it all off.

The TFR is the biggest mystery to me - on my cars it seems to be doing absolutely nothing. I don't understand how others are saying they're able to use articulate as a wheel cleaner.

I cannot understand that either - I genuinely can't - I use it on my own car, vans and lorry which gets pigging. And it never doesn't work.

Not having a go at anachem products BTW, I was equally bemused by the ineffectiveness of glimmermann stuff I was using before. Though I'd be lost without the GM wheel cleaner.

Its no worries dude - I don't take it personally! I guess some products work for some people, but some don't. The volume I've sold over the last couple of years however tells me its working for most others though.

Am about to give up on the snow foam fad and going back to a bucket of suds, 20 minute prewash and having to get the elbow stuck into scrubbing with a second wash while the weather is freezing is just wasting my time and getting me unnecessarily cold at this time of year!

Nothing takes away from a bucket of suds for the best results, but spending 20 minutes on a pre-wash? Sounds like your 20 minute prewash done about 99% of the cleaning for you.

I'd love to be able to solve your problems, as I hate anyone to be disappointed, but bar coming and washing your car someday, I really don't know how else to show you.

I know what works for me for during the week, and I'll continue to do that - I can have my car sprayed, foamed and rinsed down in 10 minutes which leaves my car 95% clean and when it comes to the weekend suds in a bucket wash it definitely leaves it easier for me

 

[_James_]

Right Here is my opinion now on Snow Foam and articulate (particularly Anachem products that I’m using)

After cleaning the car on Sunday morning rather swiftly, I learnt this.
1. If I use these products in my interpretation of the directions on how to use them, it’s not effective.
2. If I use these products as directed correctly, they work bloody brilliantly!

Very very impressed with how little dirt was left on the vehicle.

 

[Big Pimp]

 

[Shannonsir]

Not to hijack this thread but I've always wondered how safe it is to mix TFR with a snowfoam and leave it to dwell 5-10mins.. last time I tried it I got streaks everywhere. Also.. would anyone mix a tar remover and/or fallout remover into snowfoam, or could they say its safe and effective to do so?. Fallout is my biggest enemy. I've found myself emptying full bottles of iron out in one wash and sometimes once weekly depending where I've been. Gets expensive doing this.

 

[Mark@PD]

Not to hijack this thread but I've always wondered how safe it is to mix TFR with a snowfoam and leave it to dwell 5-10mins.. last time I tried it I got streaks everywhere. Also.. would anyone mix a tar remover and/or fallout remover into snowfoam, or could they say its safe and effective to do so?. Fallout is my biggest enemy. I've found myself emptying full bottles of iron out in one wash and sometimes once weekly depending where I've been. Gets expensive doing this.

What LSP do you have on your car? Where do you live, are you near a railway line or something like that?
On cars with ceramic coatings fallout remover and tardis really bring the coating back to life I will do it every couple of months then put wetcoat or something like that on it.

 

[Shannonsir]

The car has had CSblack applied , not near railway lines but I find that a single motorway journey is the killer for fallout and tar, any other driving off motorways and the build is far slower. I'm a big fan of fallout remover , is once a week to much on ceramic or will it have a negligible effect on protection levels / longevity?. Apologies once again for the thread hijack, hopefully this is useful to others too lol.

 

[Mark@PD]

You shouldn't be picking up much tar at this time of year unless they are resurfacing the road.
Once a month for fallout remover and tardis would be plenty for the gtechniq coating, more won't do it any harm it's just expensive. Do you also apply c2v3 the odd time?

 

[Shannonsir]

Haven't had car long but plan to use c2v3 every 3 months maybe if it's handy enough for a novice ?. Thanks for the input,appreciate it!

 

[Mark@PD]

Couldn't be easier it's a wipe on wipe of product you can also dilute it down and use it as a drying aid.

 

[DC.]

Just bought some of this so hope to use it soon.

 

[Mark@PD]

Also have a look at Gyeon wetcoat its a great product spray it on a panel at a time after you have washed the car rub it over with your wash mit and wash of with your power hose.