Hi,

 

Its nearly birthday time and this year instead of the normal choccies and socks I thought that I would ask for some basic kit....

 

 

At the moment I have a niflisk and Vax pressure washer and hand wash using Autoglym Shampoo and the Autoglym Fast Wax but as well as two cars to keep clean there are also a couple of motorbikes and I understand from others that snow foam could be a good way of getting things washed a bit more conveniently.  Can someone recommend a good basic starting point, that won't break the bank?

 

Also I am after recommendations for a product to shift tar spots off bumpers etc...  Most of my mileage is motorway and I get a lot of bug splats and tar spots which are no the easiest to shift, especilly once they have been in place for a while.  I have also noticed, after 27k miles, that some of the sticky residue from the new vehicle rap is still present on the edges of panels and would like to shift this as well.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Nigel

As far as snowfoam is concerned I would recommend you get a decent lance rather than one of the ebay cheapies. Autobrite do such an animal-it's out of stock at the mo but worth the wait IMO and if yu give them a call they are very helpful. There was a group deal on Detailing world some time ago which you could check out too to see if that's a better deal.

 

Personally if my car or bike is quite dirty I use a citrus pre cleaner first applied with a normal garden sprayer to soften things up then rinse off and snowfoam after so you get as much muck off without touching your car as possible to reduced swirling

 

To use the snowfoam I add 100ml of snowfoam to the container then fill it up 1/2 way with warm water and that's enough to snowfoam my Octy. Makes sure you allow clean water to rinse the lance through at the end otherwise the metal gauze filter inside gets gummed yup with soap residue and you then don't get a thick foam.

 

http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/index.php/autobrite-hd-foam-lance-magifoam-combo.html

 

For removing tar and glue I use Tardis

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/272378700056?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=pla-75952154106&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=1006838&device=c&campaignid=207297426&crdt=0

 

HTH

I don't use snow foam so I can't really comment and ade above seems to have covered it well enough.

My two cents. I clean my car weekly and it never goes more than two weeks between a wash which makes everything much easier to deal with if you keep on top of it.

My advice would be once it's clean use a wax or sealant of your choice that way the dirt and grime shouldn't be able to bond with your paintwork.

I basically make sure their is a sufficient layer of wax on the car at all times making cleaning the car as easy as a quick shampoo and dry every time. I barely use any kind of pre rinse because my car just never needs it.

Good luck chap once you have a routine sorted it's a doddle.

Edited 19 September, 20169 yr by theezenutz

Getting a routine sorted might be the problem with 3 small children but I guess if I get it sorted and all it needs is a quick wash once a week or so I can fit that in...

Can you snow foam through the pick-up hose on a pressure washer for detergent?

Getting a routine sorted might be the problem with 3 small children but I guess if I get it sorted and all it needs is a quick wash once a week or so I can fit that in...

Can you snow foam through the pick-up hose on a pressure washer for detergent?

Yep, I use Bilt Hamber auto foam through a garden pump sprayer n while it doesn't have the exciting appeal of snow it does the job a treat, especially with a touch of Bilt Hamber Surfex degreaser thrown in too.....

I think so you can also buy pump sprayers which foams up but a proper lance will be better.

Getting a routine sorted might be the problem with 3 small children but I guess if I get it sorted and all it needs is a quick wash once a week or so I can fit that in...

Can you snow foam through the pick-up hose on a pressure washer for detergent?

i can't say how individual pick-ups would work, but the snowfoam lances mix air with the water from the jetwash and the snowfoam from the bottle and it's the air that gives it the thick consistency so other methods may result in a thin watery foam if that makes sense?

 

As far as a routine is concerned if you get your jetwash out then snowfoam the car first, you can get the rest of your cleaning stuff out and go and fill your buckets while the snowfoam does it's stuff and by the time you've done all that (10-15 minutes) most of the snowfoam should have dripped off the car by then and you can then jetwash it off and shampoo as normal.

Hi, I am currently using a few poorboys world glazes and waxes and find them easy to apply, easy to remove and long lasting  without breaking the bank. I also use Meguars product I have used many over the years but keep returning to these. I tend to spend as much time cleaning and polishing as driving. I just replaced my 11 year old vectra with 51000m on the clock, I had it at 18 months old with 25000M on it.

 

As far as a product for shifting tar spots etc. off your bumpers I have found Valet pro citrus Tar & glue remover to be very good. http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/engine-and-exterior/valet-pro-citrus-tar-and-glue-remover/prod_586.html

 

Also test first in an un noticeable spot just to be on the safe side and just be sure to re-apply your top coat waxes as it tends to strip all waxes and sealants off too.

 

Keeeeeeeeeeeeep Polishing