Snow foaming.

[Typhoon]

Hi guys, probably a silly question but where am I going wrong in snow foaming my car?

I'm aware as I'm only using Demon snow foam it won't be the best foamer but mine is literally like white water.

I have the k'archer K2 and that came with a snow foam attachment which doesn't have a thickness control knob on it but all I'm doing is putting that attachment on, filling it with the solution and then spraying.

I'd read about diluting the solution first, is this the case?

Cheers

 

[-J-]

The problem will be down to the foam attachment you are using.

The one that comes with the jet wash will give you a 'soapy water' spray over the car rather than foam.

To get a really thick foam you need a dedicated foam lance like:

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pa-foam-lance-cat2.html

 

[Typhoon]

Cheers dude. Do you know any high street shops I could pick one up from today?

Sprayed it earlier and this was the result:

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

The thing you're using is just a shampoo spreader. It's not a foam lance.

Buy a proper lance if you want proper foam.

You won't find them in the shops.

 

[Jonnio]

Pretty sure you'd have to order one unless you live near a detailing place that happens to be open.

Doesn't look a bad effort from the pic.

 

[-J-]

Cheers dude. Do you know any high street shops I could pick one up from today?

As mentioned above you won't get one in the shops, I would probably order from:

http://www.i4detailing.co.uk/shop/pa-snow-foam-pre-wash-lance.html

Mention Cliosport and get a discount as well IIRC, will be with you quickly as well.

Make sure you order the correct one with the right connector for your jetwash.

 

[Kyle 86]

The karcher attachment is not very good. Invest in some autobrite magifoam & a autobrite snow lance and use discount code ABforever 15

 

[Typhoon]

Cheers guys - appreciate the help!

 

[Yellow Dave]

Where in London are you, i4d offer an order online collect in store service

 

[MRBILLYUK]

If you don't want to shell out 40 quid for a foam lance , then do what i do . Get yourself a 25 litre home brew fermenting bucket ( approx 12 quid from a homebrew shop) , a length of hose into the bucket , fill up with warm water and snow foam / shampoo of your choice and you have lots and lots of " high pressure " foam using your normal pressure washer lance . I have a Vario lance for my Karcher , so i can have both high pressure and low pressure to rinse off .

 

[Typhoon]

Where in London are you, i4d offer an order online collect in store service

Hi Dave - I'm actually in Windsor now!

If you don't want to shell out 40 quid for a foam lance , then do what i do . Get yourself a 25 litre home brew fermenting bucket ( approx 12 quid from a homebrew shop) , a length of hose into the bucket , fill up with warm water and snow foam / shampoo of your choice and you have lots and lots of " high pressure " foam using your normal pressure washer lance . I have a Vario lance for my Karcher , so i can have both high pressure and low pressure to rinse off .

Good idea mate! I find the vario lance incredibly weak, even at maximum setting.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Good idea mate! I find the vario lance incredibly weak, even at maximum setting.

Really ? Mine has plenty of power , good enough for cleaning moss etc off patios and is perfect for prewashing the car and high power foam . I've used this method for years and it's always shifted even the most stubborn caked on dirt .

 

[JD]

If you don't want to shell out 40 quid for a foam lance , then do what i do . Get yourself a 25 litre home brew fermenting bucket ( approx 12 quid from a homebrew shop) , a length of hose into the bucket , fill up with warm water and snow foam / shampoo of your choice and you have lots and lots of " high pressure " foam using your normal pressure washer lance . I have a Vario lance for my Karcher , so i can have both high pressure and low pressure to rinse off .

That's not the best foam in the world, but it's a hell of a lot better than the foam you get from the standard attachment! Good work!

 

[cat171]

This is what mine looked like when Scrooge detailed it.



Mmm, spunky!!

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Mmm, spunky!!

See a Doctor.. immediately.

 

[JD]

See a Doctor.. immediately.

This is what happens when Craig sees a girl, no? Cooaarrrrrr, alroight lav, howz about yo and I go and... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sorry lav!

 

[cat171]

Lol, that first part is pretty accurate tbh.

 

[JD]

Lol, that first part is pretty accurate tbh.

<3

 

[DrHammershaft]

I have an autobrite snow foam lance and it's awesome. That is all

 

[JD]

I have an autobrite snow foam lance and it's awesome. That is all

Same internals as the one Dan@Mad sells. The OP is better off with that at £30 rather than £45 for the Autobrite one tbh.

 

[Stu_F]

Didn't realise MAD sold them, I'm only down the road ... Just bought my snowfoam lance from shopnshine, as well as about another £200's worth of cleaning stuff (inc a das-6 pro). Is it sad that I can't wait for it all to arrive?

 

[JD]

Didn't realise MAD sold them, I'm only down the road ... Just bought my snowfoam lance from shopnshine, as well as about another £200's worth of cleaning stuff (inc a das-6 pro). Is it sad that I can't wait for it all to arrive?

You're among friends here, pal.

 

[Stu_F]

Hoping to post some progress pics on Friday when the car gets the most intense cleaning its ever had ... I've always kept it beautifully clean with an enormous array of autogylm products, but I thought now was the time to take it to the next level . Clay, iron x, poorboys wax, snowfoam, machine polishing : its getting the works!!!

 

[DrHammershaft]

That being the case I retract my previous statement and I'll go and foam/jizz quietly

 

[Borstii]

Snow Foam. Best Part of detailing

 

[MRBILLYUK]

That's not the best foam in the world, but it's a hell of a lot better than the foam you get from the standard attachment! Good work!

That's just with a weak dilution of shampoo and water , 25 litres and a couple of cap fulls of shampoo , compared to alot stronger mix you guys use with a snow foam lance .
In reality , is having an inch thick layer of foam on your car any better than the method i use ? At the end of the day it's only the bottom layer of the foam that is in direct contact with the paint that is doing any of the work , breaking down the dirt , grease etc ...... the top layer is more for effect imo . Plus the method i use , shampoo direct from a fermenting bin at high pressure is going to shift more of the dirt both physically as well as chemically , the snow foam lance only relies on the snow foam attacking the dirt albiet at low pressure .

I always rinse the car first with the pressure washer at high pressure to remove as much of the dirt as possible , then use the fermenting bin method , then rinse again and continue with the 2 bucket method and a wash mitt . This isn't a criticism by the way , just a bit of info for an alternative / cheaper method than paying circa £40.00 for a snow foam lance . All you need is about 6 foot of hose , a fermenting bin for a tenner , you can use a bucket but the bucket will empty very quickly .

Like you say . The standard Karcher attachments are nigh on useless .

 

[JD]

That's just with a weak dilution of shampoo and water , 25 litres and a couple of cap fulls of shampoo , compared to alot stronger mix you guys use with a snow foam lance .
In reality , is having an inch thick layer of foam on your car any better than the method i use ? At the end of the day it's only the bottom layer of the foam that is in direct contact with the paint that is doing any of the work , breaking down the dirt , grease etc ...... the top layer is more for effect imo . Plus the method i use , shampoo direct from a fermenting bin at high pressure is going to shift more of the dirt both physically as well as chemically , the snow foam lance only relies on the snow foam attacking the dirt albiet at low pressure .

I always rinse the car first with the pressure washer at high pressure to remove as much of the dirt as possible , then use the fermenting bin method , then rinse again and continue with the 2 bucket method and a wash mitt . This isn't a criticism by the way , just a bit of info for an alternative / cheaper method than paying circa £40.00 for a snow foam lance . All you need is about 6 foot of hose , a fermenting bin for a tenner , you can use a bucket but the bucket will empty very quickly .

Like you say . The standard Karcher attachments are nigh on useless .

The aim of thicker foam is less water so lighter foam, this ensuring it clings for longer. You're right that it's the bottom of the foam that acts, so the longer the cleaning agents cling, the better they clean. It's not just for looks.

And it's not the pressure that shifts it, although I think I've misunderstood your bit about high and low pressure spraying snow foam.

Tbqfh I don't snow foam any more at all. I see better results from presprays like RDS and AFCP!

 

[MRBILLYUK]

The aim of thicker foam is less water so lighter foam, this ensuring it clings for longer. You're right that it's the bottom of the foam that acts, so the longer the cleaning agents cling, the better they clean. It's not just for looks.

And it's not the pressure that shifts it, although I think I've misunderstood your bit about high and low pressure spraying snow foam.

Tbqfh I don't snow foam any more at all. I see better results from presprays like RDS and AFCP!

Like ya say , you obviously use alot more water using my method , so it does run off the car alot quicker , but you can see if taking the dirt with it as it drips off . Tbh , i've only ever used snow foam a few times . I have a 5 litre bottle minus a few capfulls somewhere knocking about in my garage , i usually just use shampoo as i've found that worked well enough . My way of thinking is , lots of high pressure foam will help remove the majority of the dirt not just chemically , but physically too .

 

[bigup7]

I think snow foaming is over hyped. It looks good and that's about it

I've used all major brands over last 2 years and if doesn't do much IMO

one inch product and rest water. In an autobrite lance. Foams like crazy but not very effective

 

[JD]

My way of thinking is , lots of high pressure foam will help remove the majority of the dirt not just chemically , but physically too .

Yeah it clicked just after sending that post ha.

When I do snow foam, I use Megs Hyper Wash. Which is a shampoo. So agreed!

 

[JD]

I think snow foaming is over hyped. It looks good and that's about it

I've used all major brands over last 2 years and if doesn't do much IMO

one inch product and rest water. In an autobrite lance. Foams like crazy but not very effective

There are the good, the bad and the down right useless. But it does do something, just not as effectively as a pre spray IMO.

 

[Coby.]

But it looks fun!!!

I'll be getting a Snowfoam lance off the Missus next weekend.... Need? No. Want? Yes

 

[Waitey]

The MAD one doesn't work very well.

Even running neat Snow foam in it.

 

[JD]

The MAD one doesn't work very well.

Even running neat Snow foam in it.

Same internals as most of the other brands. What's up? Text me.

 

[Herr Flick]

Will this not do the jobby?? I want to snow foam car!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...&productId=217894&categoryId=255231&langId=-1

 

[Mr R.]

Will this not do the jobby?? I want to snow foam car!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...&productId=217894&categoryId=255231&langId=-1

I don't think they work that well.

Its not a proper snow foam lance.

 

[Herr Flick]

But Halfords is the only place I can go to today.

 

[Mr R.]

But Halfords is the only place I can go to today.

What about buying the demon shine stuff for now?
Then next week you can organise yourself a bit better and but the correct lance and a bottle of foam??

You are so last minute matey. Flol

 

[Mr R.]

Rich, if you was closer you could have taken my stuff.

 

[Herr Flick]

Not going to luton today then? Lol

ill have a butchers when the least c***s open at 9. Saw the demon shine foam stuff so will see if they have that for now.