Snowfoam lance + pressure washers

roundthebend

I want to do a better job of washing my car and campervan. Snowfoam is the thing. I use a manual pump bottle when doing my motorbike, but even that is difficult. 

So, I think the common recommendation is to get a Nilfisk pressure washer with the lance attachment. Which models should I be looking at? Is this a good bundle? 

Nilfisk C110

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MRWOSJE?starsLeft=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_W4W6EFY67CBAA2CHYTQ8_1

boogieman

My 2p worth: Get a snow foam attachment with a brass nozzle rather than plastic, it’ll work better and last longer. Also spend the money and buy a decent quality snow foam liquid, you’ll end up putting loads and loads of the cheap stuff in the bottle to get a decent thick foam and it’s just a false economy. 

Dominic

Does the 'foam' actually do anything or is it just show
I can't imagine it does anything that a good degreasing detergent and shampoo doesn't other than "look" like it's more serious 
what's the science behind it ?

RaymondLin

Dominic said:

Does the 'foam' actually do anything or is it just show
I can't imagine it does anything that a good degreasing detergent and shampoo doesn't other than "look" like it's more serious 
what's the science behind it ?

The logic I think is allow moisture to "attach" to the dirt longer on the surface as opposed to plain water where it just runs off.

The longer the contact time, the more it is loosen as it gets wet and then comes off easier when you go to the next step which is when you pressure wash it.

It does work, but it would not remove 100% of all dirt.  I still need to go through it with a sponge after but the sponge is less dirty. 

ps I have a Karcher K4, had it for 10 years now, it's been fine.

boogieman

It’s a prewash, you still have to wash the car down with shampoo afterwards. It lifts a lot of the grit and crud off so you get less risk of scratching the paintwork, plus it removes any build up of traffic film. 

sinbaadi

I recently got one of the "pro" series Karchers in the Farmfoods deal.  I got a well reviewed compatible form lance from Amazon and some quality foam.

It's quite remarkable how effectively it's lifts so much.  

Sporky

RaymondLin said:

The logic I think is allow moisture to "attach" to the dirt longer on the surface as opposed to plain water where it just runs off.

Yup - like how if you're trying to remove bird poo, pouring water on it does nothing, but putting a wetted but of kitchen paper on for a minute or three makes it come off easily.

I wonder if the higher surface area if a foam vs a liquid also helps - maybe more of the active stuff comes in contact?

I have a little Nilfisk. It's been pretty good, but if I was replacing it I'd get something with the hose on a reel, and the U-shaped pin that held the hose input on fell out, so I made a new one from a bit of welding rod.

I use the Autoglym Polar Blast stuff, which also works OK, but I've not compared it with anything else.

roundthebend

sinbaadi said:

I recently got one of the "pro" series Karchers in the Farmfoods deal.  I got a well reviewed compatible form lance from Amazon and some quality foam.

It's quite remarkable how effectively it's lifts so much.  

What brand was the lance?

sinbaadi

It was eBay not Amazon, comes up if you search for karcher hd foam lance.  It's just a random brand one, all brass fittings, I paid £23 for it and it works as well as any I've seen.  You can really plaster it on thick if you want, but it's completely adjustable.

DuploLicks

My 2p on snow foam. Whole load of mess & cost for not much benefit.

I found that gently soaking the car (ie not blasting it with a pressure washer) then walking round with a pre-wash detergent sprayed from a pressurised container, leaving for a few minutes before washing off gave just as good results without the mess or attachment faffing.

Of course if you like mucking about with all the stuff then it is good fun and the kids get stuck right in to it

RaymondLin

I bought a 5L Snow Foam back on July 2012 (found the receipt, along with the lance etc...I am still using it! I think I still have 2 more uses for the snow foam left.  

I don't use it every month though, more 2-3 times a year.  A decade of use out of it, I think that's good value.  And if you do use it every week or even every month, it can be a totally touch less wash.  I only use the sponge as I only wash it 2 to 3 times a year.

Musicwolf

I'm confused.  Are some of you saying that you WASH your cars?!!!  Surely that destroys the relic'ing?

spark240

In my experience the snow foam looks good and smells nice....thats about it... 

Auto glym Polar Seal is pretty good though.,

CHRISB50

I tend to shampoo, then use magma for the really shitty bits, then shampoo again.



It can be a bit of a faff, so I'd quite like to get one of these lances if they make a difference.

roundthebend

I like the idea of doing it regularly enough that there's no need to use a sponge, or less need. It should become a weekly ritual then.

skunkwerx

roundthebend said:

I like the idea of doing it regularly enough that there's no need to use a sponge, or less need. It should become a weekly ritual then.

Don't use a sponge, it will negate bothering with snow foam, which is designed to limit the abrasiveness of the 'contact wash' which is where swirlies are mostly created. 

Get a decent lambswool mitt (a second one dedicated for the wheels only). 

Easier on the hands as well as faster, as you can wear them rather than have to faff about holding on to them. 

Cleanyourcar website is good not very expensive either. 

I suppose it depends why you're using SF though. If its just to make the whole cleaning of it quicker and swirlies be damned then might not want to worry about different mitts. 

It's a rabbit hole, I actually hate I ever got into detailing, and its taking me years to get out of.. I dont have the time to spend 3 hours cleaning it anymore 'properly' but I still cant let go of what I've learnt. 

I need rehab. 

Also quick pic of car when it was freshly waxed because it's mandatory: 

RaymondLin

3hrs? A quick wash for me is 3 hours lol.  I could easily spend 6hours detailing it.

i bought a ton of stuff years ago, bought to fill 3 buckets with various different polish, shampoo, wax, seals, etc etc.  Been working them down and using them for years instead of buying new ones but the market is constantly saying “the next best thing”.  

I will say using a pressure washer and snow foam can reduce a wash to about an hour and totally touch less if the starting point isn’t filthy.

ps I don’t use a real sponge lol, it’s one of those cleaning thing…one side looks like it has dreadlocks..

swiller

Its designed to loosen dirt before a pressure wash rinse. The pros use it prior to a wash to reduce added swirlmarks before washing with the two bucket method, then clay, then machine polish. No point if you are not bothered about swirlmarks.
For me during my hobby detailer days, it allowed me to wash weekly with just foam lance and a pressure washer for months on end without using a sponge. Then a quick detail spray with a clean microfiber, the muvva was gleaming.

Dominic

I'd rather go to the local car wash ........£10 ...10 minutes and done .........life is too short......10 minutes down the road they all look the same

RaymondLin

Dominic said:

I'd rather go to the local car wash ........£10 ...10 minutes and done .........life is too short......10 minutes down the road they all look the same

That's the thing, it all depends whether you care about the paint work on your car.  

Local car wash whilst looks decent, that cloth they use have been used for dozens of cars that day and the day before.  It has collected grit from all those cars and it is essential sandpaper. 

If you are happy with that then that's fine.  I am not so I never go to those places.

nero1701

RaymondLin said:

Dominic said:

I'd rather go to the local car wash ........£10 ...10 minutes and done .........life is too short......10 minutes down the road they all look the same

That's the thing, it all depends whether you care about the paint work on your car.  

Local car wash whilst looks decent, that cloth they use have been used for dozens of cars that day and the day before.  It has collected grit from all those cars and it is essential sandpaper. 

If you are happy with that then that's fine.  I am not so I never go to those places.

Indeed, never go to the local scratch and shine. 

I was seriously into detailing when I was into volkswagens. Used to enter the show and shine competitions at bug jam and vw action ect, I realised it was becoming obsession when I spent 10 days holiday to clean my car and had it taken to Ultimate Dubs in Telford by trailer and I didn't want to get road grime in my car.

I now keep my M135i fairly clean, but am not as obsessed. 

I'd quite like a T5/6 camper at some point and get back into the scene, but that's a few years off I think.