Foaming - useful or not

[efnfast]

Does foaming (foam lance on a pressure washer) actually help to loosen the dirt before beginning the mitt washing regime.



I`m 50/50 on it .... obviously it doesn`t remove the dirt, but I have no real idea if it`s actually loosening it or if I"m just wasting my time with it.

[eyezack87]

Hmm, it has for me when I`ve used it. Also helps on bugs that are dried and stuff...



Either way, its a lot of fun

[imported_RZJZA80]

Only time I do it is to dawn pre-wash a car, or foam up a car after polishing to remove/loosen dust, etc, before applying an LSP.

[bdh2009]

Having just got an Autobrite foam lance I think it does loosen dirt. What it also seems to do is “stick� the foam wash to the paint so that when you apply the mircrofiber/lambswool etc it seems to be just that much smoother – or so it seems to me anyway. :2thumbs:

[Poordude]

Foam gives the chemical more contact time which gives the surfactants more time to do their thing.

[David Fermani]

Having foam dwell on a surface can definately help loosen the grime(especially for touchless car washes), but if you`re hand washing anyways, it`s benefit is not worth the effort in my opinion.

[Mr. Clean]

Foam gives the chemical more contact time which gives the surfactants more time to do their thing.

That is the principal/assumption that I`m working with. :lol Additionally, I consider it an extra cushion/protection against inducing washing swirls when combined with my wash. I foam not just dirty client vehicles, but my own personal vehicles as well, combined with a multi-bucket wash. Hardly a waste of time or effort as it is as quick and simple as rinsing the vehicle, minutes only added to the process.

[AeroCleanse]

Only time I do it is to dawn pre-wash a car, or foam up a car after polishing to remove/loosen dust, etc, before applying an LSP.

Dawn pre-wash, say it isn`t so!!!

[howareb]

I think that it makes a big difference. This of course depends upon the contaminent on the paint. For instance here at the shop if we have a car that contains alot of regular dried mud (not the red clay mud), that last thing that I want to do is sit there with the pressure washer trying to blast it off. I use a pre-mixture of 2 oz Dawn (strips the lsp and loosens the dirt, .5oz ONR (contols spots and aids in cleaning) and .5 oz Meguiar Super Soap (to produce a nice long lasting foam lather) all in a 32oz bottle (which is not the regular size when you buy the foaming attachment). I find that this mixture helps with my cleaning time, and makes claying a bit easier.

[BigAl3]

a foam gun/cannon does help to loosen debris, but you are going to have to hand wash as well. some think that they are a miracle item and like a leaf blower (drying), you still have to follow it up...

[Poordude]

You want to use higher pressure to dislodge the larger gross filth from the vehicle. Then; Use a foamer with a good quality nuetral/buffered ph car wash chemical to remove road film.Use a wash mitt to help remove road film. rinse off & have at er.

[David Fermani]

Poordude - I totally agree with pressure washing the vehicle 1st (in every instance), but I`ve never witnessed a "neutral PH`d" cleaner that was strong enough to remove road film. It *could* loosen the dirt that`s on top of the grimey film, but having it actually remove the film(which isn`t too abrasive btw) is something that`s pretty difficult to accomplish. From my experience, you`d have to use a very strong cleaner coupled with very hot water and a fair amount of psi.

[GoudyL]

A foam gun is where you use some cheap carwash concentrate as a pre-soak.



The key thing is letting the concentrated soap solution soak into the dirt, thus causing it to swell and de-adhere from the car`s surface.



If you are using a touchless process, the majority of the cleaning is being done by the pre-soak. The high pressure wash/HP-soap is mostly just moving dirt that was loosened up by the pre-soak.

[OCKlasse]

I would say 95% of the time when I wash my car weekly (via foam cannon and CWC), a mitt is not required to properly clean the surface

[215Detailing]

I use a Gilmour foam gun and IMO it`s better then a rinse and then shampoo, it help to loosen most contaminates. I use Foam gun then Shmitt or MF mitt hand wash then Free Flow Rinse (Hose with no nozzle) or a Fan pressure washer rinse