Any car cleaning experts?

[Ian Comerford]

Does anyone know the theory behind the concept of snow foam cleaning for cars?  Does it lift muck off the car or loosen it or is it a gimmick, any ideas?  

Thank you

Ian

[swift911]

It softens and loosens the muck. You then hose it off before starting to wash the car with a lambs wool mitt using two buckets, one with PH neutral shampoo and the other with clean water to rinse your mitt.

[Ian Comerford]

So it's a good thing and really works.  Thank you

[Leicestershire]

I use it on company/ lease cars. It's very similar to truck wash (caustic soda).

I don't use it on any of my 'toys'.

[swift911]

This is how I clean my car, but I'm a little obsessed...

http://www.1989carrera.com/15th-july-2017-cleaning-wheels-arches/

Edited December 15, 2017 by swift911

[swift911]

3 minutes ago, Leicestershire said:

I use it on company/ lease cars. It's very similar to truck wash (caustic soda).

I don't use it on any of my 'toys'.

Good snow foam is PH neutral so I can't see it being like truck wash. What makes you think it's like caustic soda.

[EJH911]

56 minutes ago, swift911 said:

Good snow foam is PH neutral so I can't see it being like truck wash. What makes you think it's like caustic soda.

I agree.  The caustic stuff is TFR.

Snow foam can be seen as a little "precious," by some...but it's the friend to the lazy car cleaner, too.  As such, I'm a big fan!

Snow foam guns also mean you don't run detergent through the innards of your pressure washer; detergent is quite thorough at eating through the o-rings that are used in many for pressure-drop switching of the motor.

[Ian Comerford]

This any good? https://www.monzacarcare.co.uk/snow-foaming/?Page_ID=3610&refpid=54185&id=695761

[Nige]

Would a regular garden sprayer do the same job for a fraction of the cost?  Just fill with snow pump up and spray.

I take a similar approx but with TFR on our conservatory roof.

[swift911]

1 hour ago, Nige said:

Would a regular garden sprayer do the same job for a fraction of the cost?  Just fill with snow pump up and spray.

I take a similar approx but with TFR on our conservatory roof.

You can get pump up spray bottles, they have a different nozzle to produce the foam if I'm not mistaken.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Venus-Snow-Foam-Hand-Sprayer-2-Litre-Pump-Action-Pressure-Spray-Kwazar-Foamer/391140625042?epid=625165466&hash=item5b11cc4a92:g:j1YAAOSw6BtVUHlG

[Sidewaysfun]

I've not bought any yet, but this is the kit and foam I'll end up getting. As EJH911 mentioned, it's a relatively quick and lazy way to clean a car. I'm always up for that

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washing-and-drying/foam-pre-wash/cyc-snow-foam-lance/prod_1296.html

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washing-and-drying/valet-pro-ph-neutral-snow-foam/prod_500.html

[Leicestershire]

Look at the MSDS for the original Car Plan snowfoam. It is TFR with perfume wth warnings to avoid contact with eyes and my burn skin. A garden spray would do the same job but you wouldn't get the foam. It's the nozzle on the snow guns that makes the foam. 

Regular use of snowfoam on my daily drive has stained bits of shiny aluminium trim and the car is full of 'swirls' in the paint.

If you want to wash a car quickly buy a diesel / kerosene heated hot pressure wash.

If you want to wash your car properly it takes time.

[mean in green]

It’ll be the corrosive component in it that has attacked the ally trims Richard. Corrosives and metals - not good. Not sure what they use, possibly sodium hydroxide at a guess.

It has it’s uses, cleaning oil stains off for example or cleaning truck bodies. Not suitable for everything though.

[Mondrian]

Not all snow foams are PH neutral, some lean towards alkaline which can strip wax & sealants so a bit like TFL, even PH neutral ones can be aggressive at higher concentrations so both type & dilution level are important. It has been said that snow foam is more effective when used with a pressure washer.

[Frosticles]

Have used Auto Glym Snow Foam for ages now. Does the job perfectly with no adverse effects.  

[kevinkjse]

Hi Guy's

 

I get mine from here, the black mamba gloves are really good, good article on a 928 valet worth a read

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[Ian Comerford]

6 hours ago, mean in green said:

It’ll be the corrosive component in it that has attacked the ally trims Richard. Corrosives and metals - not good. Not sure what they use, possibly sodium hydroxide at a guess.

It has it’s uses, cleaning oil stains off for example or cleaning truck bodies. Not suitable for everything though.

Are there really corrosive components in ph neutral cleaners?  I thought that ph neutral would mean that it didn't really attacke anything?

[swift911]

8 hours ago, Leicestershire said:

If you want to wash your car properly it takes time.

I fully agree with the above.

I'm a fan of good quality snow foam, it holds the moisture on the car to soften and loosen the dirt, but good results can be achieved without it. Wet the car with clean water for a while using a hose to soften and loosen the dirt.

[EJH911]

Whilst choice of snowfoam is important, it's also important to get your concentrations right.  I haven't used snowfoam since I was in Jersey (nowhere to have a PW in London) but I was very careful to set concentration ratios properly to ensure I wasn't using product at too high a concentration.

With regard to preventing swirls, this gets into all sorts of dark, mysterious and borderline autistic areas so I'll keep it brief (lest it sound like the DetailingWorld Astra thread):

• Grit guards have a place (but aren't essential)
• 2 buckets can be worth it (if you can be bothered)
• Wash mitts (thrown through the machine after use) are worth it
• Decent trying towels also worth it
• ...and yes, I do use a leaf-blower to dry the car.  Double win of not touching the car to dry it and being the properly lazy man's approach.

 

[David Gander]

Is this discussion for real? I've been retired for over two years now and there isn't enough time in the day to do all that I have to do. The Turbo is parked in the garage for over five weeks now complete with the thrown up muck that adheres to it from it's last outing, I'll hopefully get around to cleaning it sometime, but it's not high on my priorities right now. When I do get around to it, effing PH qualities of the water are furthest from my mind! Gentle foam caressing the paintwork before being lovingly massaged with lambs wool mits and dried with young calves chamois leather, them polished with pure Caranuba wax to within an inch of it's life!!??!@@@££&&&&##%$$¥¥[ For the love of God, get a life!

David.

[swift911]

5 minutes ago, David Gander said:

Is this discussion for real? I've been retired for over two years now and there isn't enough time in the day to do all that I have to do. The Turbo is parked in the garage for over five weeks now complete with the thrown up muck that adheres to it from it's last outing, I'll hopefully get around to cleaning it sometime, but it's not high on my priorities right now. When I do get around to it, effing PH qualities of the water are furthest from my mind! Gentle foam caressing the paintwork before being lovingly massaged with lambs wool mits and dried with young calves chamois leather, them polished with pure Caranuba wax to within an inch of it's life!!??!@@@££&&&&##%$$¥¥[ For the love of God, get a life!

David.

This is nothing David, you want to see how much is done when doing concours.........the number of cotton buds I used was amazing.

[Ian Comerford]

21 minutes ago, David Gander said:

Is this discussion for real? I've been retired for over two years now and there isn't enough time in the day to do all that I have to do. The Turbo is parked in the garage for over five weeks now complete with the thrown up muck that adheres to it from it's last outing, I'll hopefully get around to cleaning it sometime, but it's not high on my priorities right now. When I do get around to it, effing PH qualities of the water are furthest from my mind! Gentle foam caressing the paintwork before being lovingly massaged with lambs wool mits and dried with young calves chamois leather, them polished with pure Caranuba wax to within an inch of it's life!!??!@@@££&&&&##%$$¥¥[ For the love of God, get a life!

David.

That's killed this one then....

[EJH911]

My car is in the garage covered in all sorts of crap at the moment and it'll get washed when I can be arsed.  

That said, choosing what I use to wash and dry it with saves me time; the washing of the car takes just as long, however it is done...but by using mitts, towels and the right shampoo, I don't swirl it and I don't strip too much wax off it...and so, overall, it gives me more time to either drive the car or do something else.

 

I'll also pour petrol on the fire and say:

• Chamois?  But that just strips wax off and
• Natural wax.  Doesn't last that long (compared to Gtechniq, etc) but is very quick to use and doesn't need to be used with too much care as it wipes off anything without staining it.

[GrahamTompkins]

2 hours ago, David Gander said:

Is this discussion for real? I've been retired for over two years now and there isn't enough time in the day to do all that I have to do. The Turbo is parked in the garage for over five weeks now complete with the thrown up muck that adheres to it from it's last outing, I'll hopefully get around to cleaning it sometime, but it's not high on my priorities right now. When I do get around to it, effing PH qualities of the water are furthest from my mind! Gentle foam caressing the paintwork before being lovingly massaged with lambs wool mits and dried with young calves chamois leather, them polished with pure Caranuba wax to within an inch of it's life!!??!@@@££&&&&##%$$¥¥[ For the love of God, get a life!

David.

With you on this David , contender for the #1 boring pointless thread of the year, mind you, few weeks to go yet 😉

Graham

[Beaky]

1 hour ago, GrahamTompkins said:

With you on this David , contender for the #1 boring pointless thread of the year, mind you, few weeks to go yet 😉

Graham

Me too.........