I did a search though didn't really find answer to question I'm about to ask...

I've been using the bucket and wash mitt to wash my cars. After reading posts here and videos posted on youtube on foam cannon, I'm tempted to invest in a pressure washer and a foam cannon. I have 3 cars to wash... and while the cars don't get too dirty (no mud cover), I do live off a busy street and cars do get a layer of dust from the passing traffic (cars live outside - no garage ).

My motivation for looking into a PW+cannon is, hopefully, to allow me to reduce wash time for each car, esp. the two "bigger" cars (Audi A4 and A3) and reduce swirl/fine scratches on paint. The bucket & mitt method today takes about an hour plus for each car from start to finish/dry. And while I take care about cleaning the mitts during wash... I'm seeing increasing scratch marks on some surfaces.

Ok.. my question (finally ).. Where I'm unclear is what happens _after_ you foam up the car with the cannon.
Do you:
1) use PW to rinse the foam off, then dry the car
2) use PW to rinse the foam off, then go at it with a soap bucket & wash mitt, rinse again, then dry the car
3) wash the foam with a bucket & wash mitt, rinse with PW, then dry car

Alternatively, I was also thinking I could save the money and simply go with a foam gun without pressure washer. Though I believe I'll need to use the bucket & mitt in conjunction with the regular foam gun.

I'm guessing any one of the 3 above options should work... but suggestions from those familiar with this method will be helpful!

Thoughts, suggestions? Thanks!

 

High Pressure Foam Cannon (Foam Lance)
The difference between this and a Gilmour Foamaster II Foam Gun is the water pressure (40 to 90 psi) usually connected to a low pressure garden hose; the HP Foam Lance (Rated Pressure - 2,300 psi) is connected to a high pressure washer (i.e. Karcher Model K5.93M- 1850 PSI, 1.5 GPM, Nilfisk 140.2-9 S Xtra – 2000 PSI, 6.5 GPM (8 litre minute) or similar unit

Also known as foam cannon, foam lance or cam spray unit; the principle behind them is to minimize the amount of paint surface friction necessary to clean the vehicle by pre-soaking it with foam. By allowing the aerated cleaning agent to dwell on the paint surface, giving the surfactants time to reduce the surface tension; so that water /foam can spread and wet the surface.

The principle behind this is to minimize the amount of paint surface friction necessary to clean the vehicle by pre-soaking it with foam. The foam starts loosening the dirt and lubricating the paint surface immediately, thus gentle touch washing with a soft mitt substantially decreases the risk of micro-marring because the paint is covered in a layer of lubrication.

Hard water, which is any water that contains high concentrations of calcium, iron, magnesium and other minerals, thwarts the cleaning ability of a chemical. This is because the cleaner reacts to the minerals in hard water as soil, which uses up the cleaning agents. To counteract this, foams used for foam canons contain chelating agents to bind the minerals, allowing cleaning agents to remove the soil unhindered. This is why some foam concentrates seem to foam better than others. The amount of foam produced has very little to do with how much concentrate you use.

When using foam cannon, the viscosity of the product plays a huge part in how much foam is obtained and how much product is used. The foam starts loosening and lubricating the paint immediately, thus gentle touch washing with a soft mitt substantially decreases the risk of micro-marring because the paint is covered in a layer of lubrication. Its other advantage is that the surface isn't 'touched' as much as in hand washing


Pre-soaking a paint surface is proven to be an efficient method to loosen surface oil, grease and road debris; along with proper washing technique, utilizing a two-bucket with Grit Guard™ system.


A Heavy Duty (High Pressure) Foam Lance that is constructed from a solid brass body, the extension pipe is made from zinc and fits directly onto a high pressure washer, like any other attachment. The nozzle can be adjusted for the pattern of foam delivered and the valve on the top regulates the chemical dilution rate.

Using this foam lance combined with a suitable shampoo and ideally snow foam it is possible to produce a very thick layer of foam which clings to the surface of the vehicle encapsulating, softening and removing dirt making the wash process much safer and more efficient (and fun!)


The multi-ratio injector offers various settings to adjust the dilution rate; by injecting the flow through a venture from the hose to the reservoir to provide the dilution ratio selected on the cam valve, it provides a mixture of water and soap through the tip at a high pressure that will release road dirt and soil from the paint surface, its built-in filters ensure any sediment in the water supply is removed before it reaches your car. Foam cannon use less water than a hose, but pack a lot of pressure, an anti-siphon valve protects the water supply by preventing soapy water from siphoning back into the hose (when the water supply is turned off, you may notice a slight discharge of water at the base of the handle - this is normal and indicates that the anti-siphon valve is functioning properly).


When it comes time to rinse, just remove the reservoir from the gun and rinse as usual.

A wide range of adaptors are available to fit most pressure washers on the market. Simply match the adaptor to the coupling on your pressure washer. Foam cannon are built to work with virtually any pressure washer. It includes the brass male nipple connector to connect the foam gun with the desired pressure washer fitting.


You also get your choice of pressure washer fitting; six fittings are available, and you can buy extras if you ever buy a different pressure washer- http://tinyurl.com/yljbkf5
Karcher Parts / spares – Pressure Parts.com http://bit.ly/61D6uX

Specification:
· Rated Pressure - 2,300 psi (160 bar)
· Permissible Pressure - 2,600 psi (180 bar)
· Flow Rate - 5.3 gallons per minute (20 l/min)
· Rated Temperature - 140 °F (60 °C)
· Tank capacity - 0.264 gallon (1 Litre)


Filling the Foam Cannon Reservoir
Pour the appropriate amount (1-2oz) of wash concentrate (Chemical Guy’s Citrus Based High-Performance Wash or DPXtreme Foam Formula Auto Shampoo)

Dependent upon the paint soil (i.e. road grime / grease, a d-limonene (citrus) wash should be used. For normal washing a lower pH wash will be fine. Note ‘one-size’ soap doesn’t fit all
1. Pour some wash concentrate into the reservoir and fill the remainder with clean water.
2. Adjust the dial to the appropriate dilution setting
3. Shake the foam gun tank to mix the shampoo and water.
4. Attach the reservoir to the foam cannon


Note - Always flush the gun thoroughly with clean water after foaming as this cleans out the internals and prolongs its workable life




Chances are you'll learn something and advance your knowledge of detailing if you read any of these.

 

Simply put....foam guns are designed as a pre-wash. You soak the car to loosen the dirt, rinse, and go to bucket and mitt. Hope this helps.

 

I have had great luck for weekly washes just using the foam cannon a good chemical cleaning shampoo, allow to dwell, and power rise with DI water. IF I have to rub I like to use a boars hair bush. I get great results. The key is weekly washes, chemical shampoo and a good LSP.

Cheers,
GREG