Foamer vs. Power Washer or both

[davekro]

I have never used a foamer. If I decide to drag out my pressure washer to do the initial rinse of the dirty car, does soaking with a foamer do much more?

Can you recommend a foamer and foam soap? I don't need the Rolls Royce of foamers, just a simple one that does the job (Amazon? ;o).

I have never thought to do initial drying of the car with a leaf blower, but reading here, I will give that a try with a new Toro Ultra Blower Vac I bought last year. http://smile.amazon.com/Toro-51609-...5940597&sr=8-2&keywords=toro+ultra+blower+vac

Thanks

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[adam@10fintec]

I have never used a foamer. If I decide to drag out my pressure washer to do the initial rinse of the dirty car, does soaking with a foamer do much more?

Can you recommend a foamer and foam soap? I don't need the Rolls Royce of foamers, just a simple one that does the job (Amazon? ;o).

I have never thought to do initial drying of the car with a leaf blower, but reading here, I will give that a try with a new Toro Ultra Blower Vac I bought last year. http://smile.amazon.com/Toro-51609-...5940597&sr=8-2&keywords=toro+ultra+blower+vac

Thanks

The leaf blower is a good trick to get water out of stubborn places lol

Check out AutoGeek for foam guns:
http://www.autogeek.net/foam-gun.html

I have both foam gun and foam cannon (power washer attachment) and in the end its always easier to use the foam gun (attaches to hose). It can be a lot of work to break out the power washer, set up, etc. Easier to just set it up with the hose, and two buckets

 

[SloS14]

this'll do the trick

http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys...203&sr=8-2&keywords=chemical+guys+foam+cannon

 

[DarkSubRosa]

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?p=502862#post502862

 

[davekro]

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?p=502862#post502862

From this link, it seems that the foam gun does not create nearly the foam that the phone canon which uses the pressure washer. For those who use the foam gun (just off the hose), do you find it does not produce a real foam? My Costco pressure washer has a canister that is supposed to suck up soap and spread out. I tried that a couple of times years ago and never had much luck with it. Anyone able to use this feature on your pressure washer and not need a foam cannon?

 

[davekro]

For foaming via the Foam cannon or foam gun or through this feature on your pressure washer, do you have to use a special foaming car detergent? Or can you use regular car washing detergent like Zymol (I have already) or Meguiars car wash detergent?

 

[DarkSubRosa]

For foaming via the Foam cannon or foam gun or through this feature on your pressure washer, do you have to use a special foaming car detergent? Or can you use regular car washing detergent like Zymol (I have already) or Meguiars car wash detergent?

You have to buy a foam soap. I use chemical guys honeydew but there are a lot of others. You can control the level of foam by some control knobs on the actual foam cannon and also by how much of the concentrated soap you use in the gun.

 

[DarkSubRosa]

The leaf blower is a good trick to get water out of stubborn places lol

Check out AutoGeek for foam guns:
http://www.autogeek.net/foam-gun.html

I have both foam gun and foam cannon (power washer attachment) and in the end its always easier to use the foam gun (attaches to hose). It can be a lot of work to break out the power washer, set up, etc. Easier to just set it up with the hose, and two buckets

I don't find it really any more extra work. I have to hook up a hose anyway, so hooking it up to the pressure washer and pulling the starter isn't much more work to me, and you get an immensely more powerful tool and speeds up the washing process itself. You can knock off a lot more grime on the undercarriage and wheels that otherwise you'll be trying to get off by hand and spending way more time than what it takes to roll out the pw. Just my experience from doing detail work for a long ass time.

 

[davekro]

I don't find it really any more extra work. I have to hook up a hose anyway, so hooking it up to the pressure washer and pulling the starter isn't much more work to me, and you get an immensely more powerful tool and speeds up the washing process itself. You can knock off a lot more grime on the undercarriage and wheels that otherwise you'll be trying to get off by hand and spending way more time than what it takes to roll out the pw. Just my experience from doing detail work for a long ass time.

My pressure washer usually is buried in our shed behind bikes etc. I just decided to clean the crap out of there and MAKE it easily accessible. :headbonk:
If your Press. washer has the option to siphon soap and apply it, does it do a passable job of applying soap to soak the car? I can't imagine it producing that amount of foam the link shows though.

Does rinsing the foam take a lot more water and time? Do you send a river of suds down the driveway and into the near by waterway?

I have put off replacing our salt based water softener that died years ago. I am now motivated to get soft water again... for car washing!

 

[SloS14]

If your Press. washer has the option to siphon soap and apply it, does it do a passable job of applying soap to soak the car? I can't imagine it producing that amount of foam the link shows though.

It doesn't do anywhere near the same as a purpose-built attachment.

 

[DarkSubRosa]

My pressure washer usually is buried in our shed behind bikes etc. I just decided to clean the crap out of there and MAKE it easily accessible. :headbonk:
If your Press. washer has the option to siphon soap and apply it, does it do a passable job of applying soap to soak the car? I can't imagine it producing that amount of foam the link shows though.

Does rinsing the foam take a lot more water and time? Do you send a river of suds down the driveway and into the near by waterway?

I have put off replacing our salt based water softener that died years ago. I am now motivated to get soft water again... for car washing!

It has the siphon soap option but it's not the same as the actual foam cannon attachment. It doesn't really take that much more time or effort to get the soap off, as it sits and does it's job it slowly starts rolling off and by the time I actually use a mitt it's not all crazy foamy. It does however look like I've just murdered the stay puff marshmallow man and his white guts are oozing down the driveway.

We had a water softener system at our last house and will probably put a new one in at the next house we build. We're crammed into a smaller rental while we look for land to build on. Those softener systems really do a lot for keeping hard water spots off the cars. Get that fixed!

 

[davekro]

Foam cannon- Decent & Good value?

Here I have seen recommended foam cannons:
AutoGeek
One kind many label choices.

Chemical Guys
Many cannons.... any ones there a better bang for the buck?

Elsewhere a discussion of cannons it was mentioned that good values could be found on Ebay.... But there are tons there. Anyone buy a good value onr they like on Ebay?
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...essure+washer+foam+cannon&ghostText=&_sacat=0


SOAPS::::
--Does anyone use regular car soap and get good foaming results (what brand & kind)
-- What is a good bank for the buck dedicated cannon soap?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[DarkSubRosa]

Chemical Guys Honeydew for soap. Detailed Image has their own foam cannon.

 

[Mr Monte]

Here's what I use. It take about 1min to foam the car using my pressure washer + foam cannon, I let it soak for 5-10min, lightly wash the car, dry with an electric leaf blower then detail spray the car.



45mins later





Detailing Spray

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UPZXQM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For tires, trim & dash

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJIT9BO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Shampoo - this is the best I've ever used, works great even without a foam gun

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EZICII/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Awesome cleaner

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AN9W3TE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Foam Cannon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCH4PLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[davekro]

Here's what I use. It take about 1min to foam the car using my pressure washer + foam cannon, I let it soak for 5-10min, lightly wash the car, dry with an electric leaf blower then detail spray the car.
******************

1) Detailing Spray
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UPZXQM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2) For tires, trim & dash
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJIT9BO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3) Shampoo - this is the best I've ever used, works great even without a foam gun
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EZICII/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4) Awesome cleaner
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AN9W3TE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

5) Foam Cannon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCH4PLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for great info!
I am buying the above
5) foam cannon Chem Guys EQP300 MTM and
3) Meguires Detail Shampoo.

2) & 4) cleaners. What areas and why do you use those products? Like on tires (you mean actual tire not rims?)

What makes the instant detailer better than less expensive prods. I really appreciate your guy's detailing experience here.

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