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Foam Cannon?

scottmoyer

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I see the hot topic these days is to use a pressure washer and a foam cannon to soap up a car. What I see is marketing 101, pushing products, and selling the idea that you need more stuff.

What am I missing here? I've been washing cars for over 30 years and always start at the top of the car and hose it down to get any loose dirt and sand from the body, wheels, wheel wells and back end of the car. A thorough rinsing has always given a good starting point for a wash. I then wash the car, then dry the car and might use a spray wax to finish it up.

I'm seeing a lot of videos where the user is spraying the car with a pressure washer, not a hose, which should get all of the loose stuff off the car and should also remove the top layer of dirt. They then foam cannon the car, let it sit, rinse the car, then they do their wash. I see the foam cannon as just wasted soap being sprayed on the car, then being rinsed off. What is the purpose of it? I don't see how that makes the car any cleaner. If the foam cannon is removing the dirt, then why wash it afterwards? If it isn't removing the dirt, then why use it?

I just watched a Chemical Guys How-To video just to see what they say, and all I see is a lot of product being used, requiring you to buy more! They sprayed the tires with some gel, then they sprayed the wheel brush with more gel, continued using this gel again and again, just to clean the wheels and tires. They probably used 1/2 the bottle to clean one car's tires and wheels.

Any information is appreciated, but my cars are just as clean and streak free without all of the extra steps and extra products, so I don't understand their use.
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highvoltage

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I have a foam cannon. Amazon for less than $20. I wet the car then foam cannon and then use a microfiber mitt and a bucket of soap and wash with the foam on. Making sure to dip the mitt often. Then i rinse off. I look back over the car and make sure i didn’t miss any spots with the mitt.
 

5.0_SD

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Purpose of the foam is that it has lubricants that help lift the dirt from the paint. I have to disagree with what a lot of people do...that is pressure rinse first. Depending if you have soft paint or not and how powerful a tip you use, you might actually drive the dirt into the paint. I always foam the dry car, let dwell for a few, then power rinse. If the car was very dirty, I will do a second foam, then wash mitt/two bucket, power rinse. Also, as you said, top to bottom (however I always do wheels first).
 

JohnBoyNC

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Sounds like you already got it all figured out since you've been washing cars for thirty years.

Let me ask you this.....when you first rinse the car, do you think you got rid of the majority of the dirt from a simple hose rinse? If not....then what do you think you are doing to the dirt as you wash the car?

Here is your quote......"A thorough rinsing has always given a good starting point for a wash." The foam cannon and foam soap just took this to the next level.

You wash with one bucket or two?
 

derklink

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I like to wash my cars myself and have been doing the wash mitt/two bucket method. It works well but it is some work. I just bought a power washer and foam cannon to see if it saves some time. I don't believe in the "wash your car without touching it" thing but I hope I will only have to use the mitt for the tough spots (bird poop etc.).
 

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ctandc72

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I've had one for a while now. Bought it while perusing Amazon and having a drink or two - or three. If you wash your car regularly, it makes it so you don't have to touch it and it makes it A LOT faster. Sure if it's really dirty, might not be for you...but I can get home from work, have the car foamed and rinsed off in less than 30 minutes and go do something else.

Truth is - ESPECIALLY on dark colored cars (where it's more noticeable - small scratches and swirls) - most people don't use two buckets, so they are literally rubbing the dirt they just cleaned off, right across the paint of their car.
 

Rebellion

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No need to buy expensive products...power washer from home depot, ebay foam cannon, and car soap/mitts from walmart. Pretty much my setup:cheers:
 
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scottmoyer

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Sounds like you already got it all figured out since you've been washing cars for thirty years.

Let me ask you this.....when you first rinse the car, do you think you got rid of the majority of the dirt from a simple hose rinse? If not....then what do you think you are doing to the dirt as you wash the car?

Here is your quote......"A thorough rinsing has always given a good starting point for a wash." The foam cannon and foam soap just took this to the next level.

You wash with one bucket or two?
Not sure how to take your first statement. I'm here to ask questions and get information. Yes, I've been washing cars for 30 years, but I don'y see what the foam canon is doing any better than heavy rinsing.

If you wash the car regularly, and it just gets dirty because of a drive in the rain, or because it's been a few days since your last wash, then I do believe that a simple rinse with the hose gets the heavier stuff of the car. A foam canon does not take away the fact that you still need to wash the car. It does not clean the car for you. I can take my car, when dirty, and hose it off to get the heavy stuff off. If I use a pressure washer, it may take more off, but the foam isn't doing that, the pressurized water is.

Also, if I told you that I don't even use a bucket to wash my car, would that amaze you? It amazed Mike Phillips from Autogeek when he was looking for swirl marks in my car and couldn't find any!
 

1blkpny

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The foam will loosen the majority of the dirt and from my experience on a black pickup, black car, and a black vette I used to have, it really cuts down on the swirls and streaks that I used to have by just rinsing and doing the mitt and soapy water wash. Just my opinion but I will continue to us this method and also blow dry the majority of the car and use soft pluffle towels to finish up before hitting it with detailer. Love BLACK
 

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Bartly

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Here's my take on it having jumped on board and buying one for my mustang. Soap acts kind of like a "binder" it sticks to stuff and captures it and helps lubricate around it and makes it "free'er" to leave whatever it is stuck to. Here's my two scenarios.

When its summer and the car is mostly dirty from pollen and road dust the hose rinse takes 70% of the dirt/stuff off the car. The foam cannon takes probably another 20% off the car only because its not grime like you get during the winter. The final hand soap bucket wash with a mit or towel takes the rest off.

During the winter it's a whole different story. The grime that seems to just come from more humidity in the air and road grime (even though I don't drive it when its wet or the roads have been salted) sticks to the car differently than just dust or pollen. The hose pre-rinse probalby takes 50% off the car (just the loose stuff on top), but there is still a layer of "grime". I don't think the foam cannon really helps a whole lot for me in this situation. Even after pre-rinse and then foam cannon the car is still pretty dirty, id guess the foam takes maybe 5-10% off maybe, I'd guess. I only know because if I'm not quick enough with the soap bucket and keeping the car wet and the sun is out you can see all the grime still stuck on the car. I do still use it because it gives me a special feeling that I'm doing my best to keep my car shiny.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on it.
 

SidewaysMike

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I bought a foam cannon and stopped using it after a year bc I felt it was an additional step, I still had to use a mitt and my setup (pressure washer, foam cannon) until dry time was close to 1.5 to 2 hours.

Now I'm done in under an hour and use the one bucket 6 mitt method.

-Pre-rinse
-One Soapy water bucket filled with mitts
-Use one mitt per section then toss aside and pull out a new mitt for next section.
-Final rinse
-Spray wax will drying
 

SVT-DADDY

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I bought a foam cannon and stopped using it after a year bc I felt it was an additional step, I still had to use a mitt and my setup (pressure washer, foam cannon) until dry time was close to 1.5 to 2 hours.

Now I'm done in under an hour and use the one bucket 6 mitt method.

-Pre-rinse
-One Soapy water bucket filled with mitts
-Use one mitt per section then toss aside and pull out a new mitt for next section.
-Final rinse
-Spray wax will drying
Wow...6 mitt method. That's brilliant..... quicker, and less wasted water!
 

SVT-DADDY

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I bought a foam cannon, pressure washer, and leaf blower to do touchless washes when I didnt have much time. Took longer and never came out right.

Then I got a foam gun....foamed the dry car...rinsed...washed with a 3 bucket method. Doing the car this way results in less dirt in the bottom of the rinse bucket than not using the foam gun.
 

Hogie

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I have a foam cannon. I believed the hype at first. Sure it may help encapsulate dirt and protect your paint from swirls, but it sure isn't the end all be all that they make it out to be. I can get a car just as clean faster and without any more risk of marring with 2 buckets and grit guards.

I will admit though, that the foam cannon is fun to use and can be used to help clean the siding on your house or garage.
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