Foam cannons let's discuss them

[Meowoosh]

I might buy one off amazon.. to speed up the double bucket method. And im so flatfooted my wet feetprints looks way less banana shaped.

 

[Quisp]

I bought the same setup. Was not aware that foam is to be rinsed off and not scrubbed with water. I have a couple mile stretch outside my neighborhood I use for preliminary drying.

 

[DaveG99]

What exactly does a foam canon do? It just pre soaks the car right?

 

[jeff]

What exactly does a foam canon do? It just pre soaks the car right?

The idea is foam the car, let it sit, then rinse without agitation, this removes the "top layer" of grime dirt and dust.

After that I use it to foam the car up and then go straight to scrubbing. It is really great for the wheels in particular.

 

[SpiceyorangeST]

Can't wait to try out the CG honeydew snowfoam I bought. Still need to buy a cannon tho.

 

[Quisp]

After 3 washes with cannon I'm not impressed. I think it's psychological, like Mr Bubble mom used to get me to take the Friday bath.

 

[jeff]

After 3 washes with cannon I'm not impressed. I think it's psychological, like Mr Bubble mom used to get me to take the Friday bath.

After a few washes myself I completely agree.

 

[wraith]

Not sure how often you guys keep up your waxing, but I think that plays a roll too in how easily the dirt can come off without scrubbing (and even how well a leaf blower dries a car). I myself don't wax the car as much as I should so I expect it doesn't work as well as it potentially could.

That being said I think I'll keep doing what I was doing, which is snow blanket then scrub like a madman rather than just rinsing it off. The car is small enough that I can get it done quickly.

 

[CGLENN27]

I would love to have a foam cannon but realistically I don't need it because at the dealership I work at has this really nice touch-less car wash which sprays the underside of the car first, coats the car twice in a soap foam before rinsing and spot-free rinsing. Then at that point I drive the two miles back to my garage to do the waxing/detailing. Obviously its not ideal to drive right after the touch-less wash but since its such a short distance, its still worth it. But good info because if people want to protect their paint they should know a touch free wash should happen before you ever touch the car.

 

[jeff]

OK folks even with my puny hose/foam cannon I have found something that it making this pretty great. I bought some RainX car foam wash stuff ($6ish Walmart) which is safe for wax. Put it in the foam cannon, full strength mixture and it really foamed the car up. The pics below don't do it justice because I took them after the foam had begun sliding off. Anyhow I let it sit for 5 minutes, then sprayed it off and the car is amazing. So this "surface layer" theory has something to it. Before (should've taken pictures) I started I'd just driven down a dirt road taking my daughter to ride some horses at a farm. The car was covered with orange dirt/dust. Foam cannon, 5 minutes, spray, no wiping at all and it's super clean/shiny.

So I'm officially converted, this is a great product with the right soap. As long as you have a good coat of wax on the car, it's a great way to get it mostly clean once a week without having to get out the buckets and detail it.

Hosted on Fotki

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[FiSTerTheGrouch]

Can't wait to try out the CG honeydew snowfoam I bought. Still need to buy a cannon tho.

That's what I use and it works great in a MTX foam cannon attached to a generac adjustable pressure washer.

 

[LedRobster]

CG Honeydew with a cheapo pressure washer and a cheapo amazon foam cannon. Does a pretty good job. I'm lucky enough that I can do the whole wash in the shade in the mornings. I usually Rinse, Foam, give the foam a few minutes to run off, and then wipe down with a giant wash mitt.

 

[M-Sport fan]

CG Honeydew with a cheapo pressure washer and a cheapo amazon foam cannon. Does a pretty good job. I'm lucky enough that I can do the whole wash in the shade in the mornings. I usually Rinse, Foam, give the foam a few minutes to run off, and then wipe down with a giant wash mitt.

What was the air temp during that pic?

Was it one of those warm days that did not have a chance to melt the snow, or do you wash in anything even a little above freezing?

 

[LedRobster]

What was the air temp during that pic?

Was it one of those warm days that did not have a chance to melt the snow, or do you wash in anything even a little above freezing?

Haha, i think we hit 50 that day after getting some snow. Gotta get the salt off when you can around here. =)

 

[M-Sport fan]

Haha, i think we hit 50 that day after getting some snow. Gotta get the salt off when you can around here. =)

Yup, same here.

The power washer is getting a helluva workout on the underside of the car this winter, EVERY time the temps are above freezing.
(The tons of salt dumped get crushed into to a fine powder, and then the first rains turn that into a 'salt soup' which then coats, and EATS AWAY AT ALL of the steel under the car, painted or not! )

 

[ironrat]

Well guys, I use Dr Mecanico diluted with water in a garden sprayer. Wet the whole car including the wheels and underbody.
Rinse everything then I gently wash the car with the same Dr Mec by hand. Spray some Lucas wax as you dry stuff and done!

Dr Mecanico
https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Mecanico-Multi-Purpose-Degreaser-oz-Original/dp/B01LWCOQVP

 

[slopoke]

Since my car is black, I use a gas powered pressure washer with a foam cannon from Amazon ($18.00) I want as little swirl marks as possible.

My technique is pressure wash the grit and grime first, then foam cannon the soap on. I use about a half a cup of Meguiars car soap in the cannon with soft water right out of the softener. Well my foam is thick, it's about a half inch thick when it goes on, about like the foam in the Chemical Guys video. I just don't point the cannon so close as to blow the foam off of the car. Works great!!

 

[posts]

I don't have a hose at my place so I use a venus pro hand sprayer. It's surprising how well it works. Here is a video showing it working. [video=youtube;3nfqBpZZxzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nfqBpZZxzA[/video]

 

[jeff]

I don't have a hose at my place so I use a venus pro hand sprayer. It's surprising how well it works. Here is a video showing it working.

That music. Errrr.

Whoever’s car that is, I really like it. I thought I was the only person to put red trim around my grill like a Volkswagen GTI. Very nice! Bummer on the front lip though.

Thanks for the video.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I don't have a hose at my place so I use a venus pro hand sprayer. It's surprising how well it works. Here is a video showing it working. [video=youtube;3nfqBpZZxzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nfqBpZZxzA[/video]

Do you use that same sprayer with plain water to rinse it off?