Foam gun users, I have a few questions

n2_space · 02-22-06, 08:28

I got a foam gun for Christmas (the simple green one, it's the gilmour rebranded from what I have seen). Of course, due to the winter weather, I am still waiting to try it out, but that time is coming (next month!). I do have some questions after reading threads on here and seeing pics though, so I am hoping you guys can help me out before I use it.

1) Filling the container. I remember Accumulator posting he put a few ounces of car wash in. Now, do you fill the rest up with water, or does the gun do that, or does it just mix it on the fly? If it is done on the fly, why not add more car wash concentrate to the bottle? If you only use a few ounces and it mixes into the bottle, how do you really know when it needs more? Just refill each wash?

2) Are you just using the foam just and a mitt, and no buckets? I was planning on foaming and letting it sit to help loosen up and float away some dirt, and add additional lubrication, then doing a normal two bucket routine (I figured this would be the safest route).

3) If you just spray the car to get foam on and let it loosen up dirt and help float it away (and add additional lubrication), how long do you give it to do so before washing with your mitt (or BHB)?

Thanks for the help in advance, and pardon me being a foam gun newbie

Accumulator · 02-22-06, 08:39

1) I'm mixing up a gallon of shampoo at a time and filling the foamguns from that. About 4-6 ounces of shampoo per gallon. I adjust at the gun's mixing valve for light/heavy dirt.

2) I still use the two-bucket method. That way the BHBs/mitts get rinsed out thoroughly and they're well-saturated with wash solution before they ever touch the panels (not relying on just the suds from the foamgun). It *is* overkill to some extent, but I'd rather err on the side of caution. I still need the two buckets for the nooks and crannies that I don't clean with the foamgun anyhow. This is where small BHBs come in handy.

3) I never got great results from the pre-soaking. I'll let it dwell for a little while before I start the washing proper, but the real cleaning seems to come from the combination of suds and gentle agitation from the mitt/BHB.

n2_space · 02-22-06, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

1) I'm mixing up a gallon of shampoo at a time and filling the foamguns from that. About 4-6 ounces of shampoo per gallon. I adjust at the gun's mixing valve for light/heavy dirt.

2) I still use the two-bucket method. That way the BHBs/mitts get rinsed out thoroughly and they're well-saturated with wash solution before they ever touch the panels (not relying on just the suds from the foamgun). It *is* overkill to some extent, but I'd rather err on the side of caution. I still need the two buckets for the nooks and crannies that I don't clean with the foamgun anyhow. This is where small BHBs come in handy.

3) I never got great results from the pre-soaking. I'll let it dwell for a little while before I start the washing proper, but the real cleaning seems to come from the combination of suds and gentle agitation from the mitt/BHB.

1) I assume that is a bit more than the normal ratio you would use for traditional bucket washing (not sure what shampoo you are using, but never seen that high on one per gallon, usually 1oz per gallon) . I'm geussing maybe 4x-5x the normal amount?

2) Yeah, it is overkill to an extent, but that's why we are here

3) That is kind of what I thought, but thought it might help in areas that are hard to reach(between panels and door gaurds, etc).

AutoCadillac · 02-22-06, 08:54

I also have the Simple Green gun.

1) I put approximately 2 oz. of soap in the bottle and fill it up with water. I used the 2nd to the largest or largest opening depending on how dirty the car is.

2) I use at least 1 bucket to rinse my mitt with. Sometimes, I'll use 2 buckets (one with soap and the othe with plain water) if the car is real dirty

3) I spray it on and begin washing. No wait.

hjuan · 02-22-06, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

1) I'm mixing up a gallon of shampoo at a time and filling the foamguns from that. About 4-6 ounces of shampoo per gallon. I adjust at the gun's mixing valve for light/heavy dirt.

So your premixing a gallon of water with shampoo in a separate bucket and filling the bottle? How many gallons do you end up using when washing 1 car? Would you reccommend the 1 quart or 2 quart gun? Thanks.

Neothin · 02-22-06, 09:59

like accumulator, I make up a gallon of solution before hand. 5-6 ounces of soap per gallon.

to see how i use the gun, look at this thread at the pictures i posted=
http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67606&page=1

Accumulator · 02-22-06, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hjuan

So your premixing a gallon of water with shampoo in a separate bucket and filling the bottle? How many gallons do you end up using when washing 1 car? Would you reccommend the 1 quart or 2 quart gun? Thanks.

I mix up a gallon in an old shampoo jug. I use less than two quarts for most washes (I fill both foamguns but seldom empty either of them). *For the way I wash* I prefer the smaller bottle, less likely that I'll bump the car with it when doing the horizontal surfaces (manipulating the smaller bottle version is hard enough). But note that I often have the nozzle of the foamgun either in a mitt (mitt-balloon technique) or tucked into the bristles of a BHB; with a more normal foamgun technique I dunno if there'd be any problem with the larger bottle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by n2_space

I assume that [shampoo mixture for the foamgun] is a bit more than the normal ratio you would use for traditional bucket washing (not sure what shampoo you are using, but never seen that high on one per gallon, usually 1oz per gallon) . I'm geussing maybe 4x-5x the normal amount?

I use Griot's Car Wash. The mix in the foamgun's refill jug *is* stronger than a regular wash bucket's mix, but remember that the foamgun dilutes it further. BTW, I use the sorta-strong mix for the foamgun to clean my wheels/wheelwells too. I'm none too scientific/precise about mixing shampoo; if it's too strong/weak for the foamgun I adjust it at the gun, if it's too strong/weak in the wash bucket I add more water or shampoo. After using the same shampoo (and the same pump dispenser) for years, I just do it by eye, pretty much on auto-pilot.

Spilchy · 02-22-06, 10:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neothin

like accumulator, I make up a gallon of solution before hand. 5-6 ounces of soap per gallon.

to see how i use the gun, look at this thread at the pictures i posted=
http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67606&page=1

Like Neo and Accumulator I make up a gallon batch of solution. 1 gallon water, 5 - 6 ounces Meguiars Gold Class.

How you use it is up to you.

I am not as fanatical as Accumulator but I take one more step than Neo. I still use the bucket wash along with the foam gun. So if you look at Neo's post, I dunk my mitt into a soapy bucket and use the foam gun like he does. I rinse the mitt like everyone else in a clean bucket of water.

Bill D · 02-22-06, 10:26

I use the foam gun per Accumulator and switch to a new mitt entirely often throughout the washing session.

Accumulator · 02-22-06, 10:52

I'll also sometimes fill the mitt/prime the BHB using the foamgun. Makes it a bit sudsier than merely dunking in the wash bucket.

But at the very least try this: hold the mitt open in the wash bucket so it fills with soapy water and then hold the cuff shut while whisking it across the surface of the panels (preferably while spraying foam at the contact point). The soapy solution seeps out of the mitt and you're not laying the full weight of the wet mitt on the paint (actually, on the dirt that might be on there). This both prevents pressure-on-dirt marring and makes it easier for the foamgun to flush away the dirt (rather than having the dirt get caught in the mitt).

n2_space · 02-22-06, 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

I mix up a gallon in an old shampoo jug. I use less than two quarts for most washes (I fill both foamguns but seldom empty either of them). *For the way I wash* I prefer the smaller bottle, less likely that I'll bump the car with it when doing the horizontal surfaces (manipulating the smaller bottle version is hard enough). But note that I often have the nozzle of the foamgun either in a mitt (mitt-balloon technique) or tucked into the bristles of a BHB; with a more normal foamgun technique I dunno if there'd be any problem with the larger bottle.

I use Griot's Car Wash. The mix in the foamgun's refill jug *is* stronger than a regular wash bucket's mix, but remember that the foamgun dilutes it further. BTW, I use the sorta-strong mix for the foamgun to clean my wheels/wheelwells too. I'm none too scientific/precise about mixing shampoo; if it's too strong/weak for the foamgun I adjust it at the gun, if it's too strong/weak in the wash bucket I add more water or shampoo. After using the same shampoo (and the same pump dispenser) for years, I just do it by eye, pretty much on auto-pilot.

That's what I am guessing, but I wanted to make sure.

I already fill the mitt with solution and close the cuff (the green elastic part on my mitt is tucked in so it cannot touch the car), so I can sort of squish it out as I go along. I'm more like Accumulator and do all the extra things and take my time washing a car or whatever, I'm a fanatic about things too

Thanks once again to everyone for their advice

Neothin · 02-22-06, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spilchy

but I take one more step than Neo. I still use the bucket wash along with the foam gun. So if you look at Neo's post, I dunk my mitt into a soapy bucket and use the foam gun like he does. I rinse the mitt like everyone else in a clean bucket of water.

I also use a 2 bucket method. In one of the pictures i show me soaking my mitts in a soap bucket