Foam Canon What Off The Shelf Soap To Use?

[imported_BARRY]

I have searched for days and days trying to find an answer, but I believe many people`s opinons are skewed to believe something is "high foam" but it isn`t. a few have posted pictures of funny froth that doesn`t stick for longer than half a second, and label it as HIGH foam with others agreeing.



through the threads i read that Eagle One and Meguires Gold Class is the popular choice, but do these provide the shaving creme type foam that some of the soap AutoGeek sells?



I mean i`ve attempted to use auto soap that was sold at costco, a big purple container but that produced runny frothy soap that didn`t stick at all. I just purchased a container of Eagle One Nano wash, but am not quite sure that will produce anything worthwhile.



are we strictly limited to specialty brand soaps to produce a rich shaving creme like foam? or is anything available off the shelf that can produce the same effect? I own 3+ cars so I wash cars often, so I`m looking for a soap that is easily accessable and in larger quantities.



Thanks!





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update 2/16/10



tested these out. I am using a european brand Foam Lance. I am not sure if the design is the same as the Autogeek Foam Canon, but I have seen similar or less results between the two in comparison.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v342/hachi.roku/junk/IMAGE_076.jpg



Power Purple....no picture...don`t even try it it is JUNK. like spraying on water. tried various mixtures of water to soap, it only made it worse adding water.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v342/hachi.roku/junk/IMAGE_077.jpg

this is turtle wax ice after 1 1/2 minutes. pure soap mixture



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v342/hachi.roku/junk/IMAGE_078.jpg

this is using eagle one after 1 minute. pure soap mixture



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v342/hachi.roku/junk/IMAGE_079.jpg

this is eagle one after 1 minute. 50% soap 50% warm water.

[Setec Astronomy]

The Meg`s Gold Class is a pretty foamy soap, but the days of getting it really cheap ($10/gal at Target) are gone.

[mixmaster209]

Megs Gold Class is nice and Foamy, but i`ve paid it 15$/gal up here in Montreal. Definitely not cheap.

[imported_BARRY]

Gold Class produces shaving creme? that sticks like white on rice?

[BigAl3]

are you using a foam gun (one that attaches to a garden hose) or a foam cannon (the one that attaches to a pressure washer)?

[imported_BARRY]

foam canon using a karscher pressure washer.

[BigAl3]

foam canon using a karscher pressure washer.



if you have a carquest near you, they carry the DG CWC (excellent wash and one of my favorites) in gallons for right around $20-$25. here`s a video with the DG CWC, foam cannon and karcher pressure washer...



YouTube - Car wash Foam Cannon Gun or Foam Lance #2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYtQZefqLM)



http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2091_39429890

[imported_BARRY]

there is one in my city...if i am in the area i`ll check it out. thanks!



anything readily available through kragen, pepboys, autozone, etc?

[b2matt]

The Napa near me carries DG, see if your Napa has it ;)

[imported_BARRY]

the napa in my city is TINY...i`ll check it out though.

[vtec92civic]

i think most any soap will foam up pretty well using a foam cannon but when comes to using a foam gun that is where the different soaps tend to make a difference in terms of foam goes.

[JohnZ3MC]

A couple of thoughts:

- Detailer`s Pride Extreme Foam shampoo is specially formulated for foam guns and produces amazing foam in my foam gun and foam cannon. Other shampoos work also but the DP product seems to produce fluffier (is that a word?) foam.



-the foam won`t dwell a long time if the car is already perfectly prepped. The carnauba/sealant base will be too slick for the foam to hang around and gravity will just pull it off.



I`ve witnessed the above effect with my two cars. The garage queen, a summer driver and always perfect, doesn`t hold foam for any length of time at all. The winter driver, Sluggo2, holds foam for hours on end. OK, I`m exaggerating a bit. Shampoos are slick by nature.



-John C.

[Greg Nichols]

I use a foam cannon all the time, and SuperBee364 tested LOTS of soap with a cannon and found that Chemical Guys Citrus Wash(3oz) and Gloss with Z7(1oz) and 28oz of water was awesome.



If you use soft water that will also increase the foam.



I`ll have to try BigAls suggestion.



Megs gold class was lame in a foam cannon.



Cheers,

GREG

[Street5927]

I have to agree with VTEC, that when it comes to foam cannons, I have tried many different "car wash concentrates" and when you reduce the ratio of water to soap (thus making more foam), just about any car wash concentrate will foam like shaving cream. I have used OTC Megs Deep Crystal, Mothers California Gold, then I have tried P21S, Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo and they all foamed equally using the foam cannon. With the foam gun, I found that they do NOT all foam equally.

[imported_BARRY]

updated...will have to find some duragloss.