Snow Foaming

[vRS Joe]

Hi,

I'm considering buying this...

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washing-and-drying/foam-lance-various-fittings/prod_371.html

We live up a long dirty farm road and have a Dairy Farm. Consequently my little Fabia and our other vehicles get very dirty, I have been known to spend half a day trying to clean the Landy and am looking at trying make the process a little easier.

I was just wondering if people thought the "Snowfoaming" process will be suitable for my Fabia and even our farm vehicles?

Obviously the vehicle needs to be power washed beforehand to remove surface soil/grit/manure.

Thanks in advance.

[Wardy]

It WILL make it easier. It's not magic bullet, but will help.

When it's properly dirty, and in the use of tracks etc I'd pressure wash it down to get the very worst of the mud (and worse!) off, then snow foam. Leave to dwell for upto 5 mins, depending on consistency and dilution chosen, then pressure wash off again.

Depending on what your aims are, this might be enough to keep the worst of the grim off farm vehicles. For your car, visually inspect and then go ahead with the 2-bucket method. If there's still loads of cr@p hanging around, I'd repeat the steps above.

But the foam process is good at clinging to grime, and then it comes off much more effectively when you come to pressure wash off the foam.

Good luck

Steve

[Stevoraith]

Have a look at this thread I posted on detailing world a couple of years back.

Obviously that's just general road grime and your farm vehicles will have much more severe dirt but it's a good example of what snow foam can do on it's own

[vRS Joe]

Thanks for that, I think I'll be buying some foam and a lance tomorrow!

[prolfe]

Its like a lot of things, one product on its own is okay but not great.

My advice is to make sure the car is prepped properly and topped up during the year. Then when you use snow foam it will have a greater effect.

If the paint is prepped and sealed then you'll find it will take longer to get dirty, and you'll be able to have a contactless wash with the foam more often.

See this pic - the car has had a polish and a wax but the wax has started to wear out so to speak. The water is adhering to the paint, flatter irregular beads.

In this pic, the wax has only just been put on (3 coats) and the water is sitting on top of the paint. Dirt would also sit on top making it easier to clean. You'll see taller tighter beads.

prolfe

Edited 2 February, 2011 by prolfe

[Stevoraith]

My advice is to make sure the car is prepped properly and topped up during the year. Then when you use snow foam it will have a greater effect.

Absolutely, if you have a good layer of protection underneath then the dirt will just slide off. If your car isn't protected then it'll stick to the paint more and the foam won't be as effective.

[ChrisRs]

I would always advocate using the snow foam on a 'dry' car rather than a pre rinsed one..it is more effective!!

[saint1d]

I would always advocate using the snow foam on a 'dry' car rather than a pre rinsed one..it is more effective!!

+1

[Stevoraith]

+1

+2

[vwdan1986]

i use a under body car lance first to get up into the wheel arches and round the sills ect then foam lance but do leave to do its job and it will work a treat , best thing ive brought in a long time,

[saint1d]

I try and get the foam under the car and in the arches, it seems to go a long way. I also pop a little bit of detergent ( Meg's Gold Class) in with the snow foam, it make the foam thicker so it clings better.

[Wardy]

i use a under body car lance first to get up into the wheel arches and round the sills

I've been looking at these. Which one did you get?

[Baker21]

I've been looking at these. Which one did you get?

vwdan1986 may have sourced his elsewhere but here is a good link Steve:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=151208

[kenny]

thats the one i bought Baker21 as said elsewhere it is a bit of a gimic but it does still work. its not the miricle soloution that some say but does help.

i have a black car and pretty much no matter what you get slight scratches etc that are easier to see on the colour. so i use snowfoam aswell as the 2BM as every little helps

[vRS_Pagey]

I would always advocate using the snow foam on a 'dry' car rather than a pre rinsed one..it is more effective!!

I've never thought to do this, so I just went out and tried it...................what a difference, definately included in my new cleaning process.

[wja96]

I would always advocate using the snow foam on a 'dry' car rather than a pre rinsed one..it is more effective!!

The cleaning process is very well defined;

1. Gross debris removal

2. Chemical prep

3. Physical agitation of remaining soiling

4. Rinsing

Snow foam applied on top of mud just sits on top of the mud. Applying snow-foam to a dry car is a poor idea. If your foam doesn't dwell on a vertical surface then you either have excellent surface smoothness or you need better foam.

I'd never apply a cleaning chemical to a car that was visibly dirty, that's not what it's for.

[saint1d]

I disagree with the above tbh. I have found from trial and error that the foam removes more grime on a dry car than a wet one. I foam first and leave it to dwell for 5-10 mins then rinse. I foam again for another 10 mins, rinse then wash.

If you foam one side of your car and leave for 10 mins then rinse all round and re foam the entire car, you will see that the pre-foamed side is cleaner than the other. Cleaner = less dirt = less chance of scratching.

I'm no expert but it's what I have found to work for me.

[vRS_Pagey]

I disagree with the above tbh. I have found from trial and error that the foam removes more grime on a dry car than a wet one. I foam first and leave it to dwell for 5-10 mins then rinse. I foam again for another 10 mins, rinse then wash.

If you foam one side of your car and leave for 10 mins then rinse all round and re foam the entire car, you will see that the pre-foamed side is cleaner than the other. Cleaner = less dirt = less chance of scratching.

I'm no expert but it's what I have found to work for me.

After trying the alternative method myself yesterday I'm with you on this one, only been 'snow foaming' for about a year now, and tbh I have tried a variety of different products, none of which have really impressed, the current one seems to be the best so far, but applying to a dry car yesterday gave the best results I have ever seen, the car was moderately dirty and after the new process it was clean enough to be acceptable without a full contact wash.

With regards using foam on mud and it sitting on the mud, I'm know chemist but not only do you mix the foam with water, its then applied to the car with water so surely it will soak in? :| I can understand if its caked in the stuff, then a pre-wash would be a must but otherwise I will be continuing with the new process.

[Stevoraith]

Snow foam applied on top of mud just sits on top of the mud.

That may be the case and you're probably correct under extreme circumstances. I think in the majority of cases though we'd be using foam on a car that was caked in 'grime' rather than actual 'chunks of mud' though.

My experience over the past three years of snow foaming is that foaming onto a dry car gives the longest dwell time and therefore is most effective against general road grime you get at this time of year.

[vRS_Pagey]

I have just posed the question on Detailing World, the general view (and these are arguably the experts) is the process should be foam, rinse, then repeat if necessary, however and quite rightly - IMO - they also state that which ever system works best for the individual should be employed.

[Baker21]

I have just posed the question on Detailing World, the general view (and these are arguably the experts) is the process should be foam, rinse, then repeat if necessary, however and quite rightly - IMO - they also state that which ever system works best for the individual should be employed.

Depends on who replied..............

[saint1d]

What would Mr Baker do?

[vRS Joe]

I rang up the dealer who sold us our Mistral power washer and explained that I wanted a lance to fit the our machine. He wasn't really very helpful and advised me, that in his experiance Snow Foam isn't very good and I should not buy a lance, just use shampoo and a bucket he said!

His phone manner was pretty terrible TBH.

I'm still intending to get one from all the opinions posted on here, i'll just have to find another dealer to get it from.

[Baker21]

What would Mr Baker do?

I go against what most may recommend on DW, in that I rinse first and then apply Snow Foam but for me I only use it when doing a detail, not when cleaning my own motor, worth reading post No.42 in the link below for my reasoning:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/187824-detailing-shopping-list/page__st__40

My mention of depending on who replies on DW was stated as some that post on there and also in here give out some false information but then that is what forums are all about.............. :S

Edited 7 February, 2011 by Baker21

[kenny]

just need to go with what suits you all best. my car never gets covered in mud but if it does, rinse first then foam.

foam for me as stated above is just an extra, 2BM is more important than snow foam imho