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  1. #61

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    I learned about the foamgun from (the now-MIA) YoSteve.

    It took me quite a while (countless washes over a long period of time...and I don`t mean "a few months") to get my routine squared away, but now I can`t imagine ever washing without it. I`ve probably tried *every* foamgun-centric approach imaginable (and I have quite the imagination ).

    I need to write this up properly some time, but here`s the thumbnail-sketch version:

    (Regulars here might notice some changes if they suffer through reading the whole thing.)

    I mix up gallons of shampoo concentrate at ~7oz. shampoo + enough water to make a gallon. I fill the foamgun with that (I keep extra foamgun canisters full of concentrate handy). (Note that this same concentrate works well for cleaning LSPed wheels and the wheelwells/undercarriage.) I use a *LOT* of this shampoo mix so I keep a few gallons in old shampoo jugs.

    I use the three strongest foamgun settings, varying between them as conditions warrant.

    This rate of shampoo consumption and water use will disqualify my approach for many people but isn`t a problem for me.

    I find presoaking with the foamgun to be of limited value. I basically only do it so there`s shampoo mix on the panel before I touch it with anything, although the extended dwell-time probably contributes something.

    IME, mechanical agitation is necessary to get things clean. I use a BHB to get the "big stuff" off, but when used properly that`s too gentle to get "road film" off so I usually follow up with a mitt.

    I do at least two phases, both with constant spraying of foamgun output at the point of wash medium-to-paint contact. First I use a Boar`s Hair Brush ("BHB") then I follow up with a mitt. On *very* rare occasions I`ll do a Garry Dean Wash Method rinseless wash after the BHB step, but I usually don`t do that until I`ve also do the mitt step (if I do it at all). I often do all three.

    The basic idea is "dislodge and flush"- the constant stream of foamgun output flushes the dirt away as soon as the wash medium dislodges it. That way very little dirt gets stuck in the BHB/mitt (which would drag it across the paint under pressure, causing marring). If a BHB or mitt is touching the paint, the foamgun is spraying its output at the point of contact.

    One hand holds the foamgun, the other hand holds wash medium. They are moved in tandem so the foamgun is always spraying output at the point of wash medium-to-paint contact (and I try to move the foamgun so that it soaks the entire BHB, which is longer than a mitt). There`s an element of "rub stomach/pat head" involved, but it became second-nature after a few dozen washes.

    Wash media are always moved in in straight, short, interrupted "jiggling" motions, *NEVER* long, sweeping motions. The straight motions keep any marring that does occur linear (and thus less obvious than elliptical/circular scratches are), short motions keep any marring short rather than long, and the interrupted jiggling motions make it easier for the foamgun output to flush the medium clean while in-use rather than allowing it to get loaded up with dirt.

    Steps:

    -Rinse vehicle off, preferably with pressure washer
    -Spray foamgun output on panel(s)
    -Dunk BHB in wash solution bucket
    -Spray foamgun output onto BHB to further prime it with shampoo mix
    -Move BHB across panel, while spraying foamgun output at point of BHB-to-paint contact
    -Rinse panel (either with hose or with foamgun on "clear water" setting, which is also good for rinsing jambs/etc.)
    -Inspect, repeat if panel still appears unclean
    -Dunk washmitt in shampoo bucket and/or fill it with foamgun output
    -Hold mitt shut at cuff and spray foamgun output on its outside to further prime it with shampoo mix
    -Gently whisk across panel while spraying foamgun output at point of mitt-to-paint contact
    -Stop and refill mitt if shampoo seeps out before I finish area being cleaned
    -Rinse panel
    -Inspect, repeat as needed

    This is all *MUCH* easier when the foamgun`s pistol-grip is replaced with a 90° shutoff, which I operate with my thumb.

    The foamgun will often/usually rinse the BHB clean while washing (perhaps because of my boosted water pressure, might not work for everybody), so I probably don`t need to dunk it in the rinse bucket (and the reprime it with shampoo mix) as much as I do. The mitts don`t rinse out as well as the BHB so I always rinse them in the bucket and reprime them, but this might also be unnecessary as the rinse bucket hardly *ever* has any dirt in it at the end of the wash. The shampoo bucket stays clean enough that I usually just replenish it rather than dump it out.

    Not the right approach for everybody, but it`s virtually eliminated wash-induced marring for me; I basically don`t need to polish any more even on daily-drivers that get used hard year-round.
    Accumulator, the technique you describe works quite well. I use it sometimes when I`m not experimenting with other techniques/pre washes etc etc. Its one of the safest out there. Highly recommended esp in areas where water and car soap are cheap.

    Cheers

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

  2. #62

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    PoweredByJenga- Hey, I *REALLY* appreciate that feedback! It`s a bit, uhm...labor intensive...but yeah, very safe.

    Now if only my shampoos of choice were cheap!

  3. #63

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Quote Originally Posted by wannafbody View Post
    I`m going to throw in my opinion of foam guns. The are all show. IMO the lubricity of the wash is in the actual soap which gets diluted in the water. That`s how rinseless washes can work. When you create foam you do so by injecting air into the mix. This creates bubbles. All you`ve really done is lessen the amount of soap touching the car by diluting it with air.
    OMG, look who`s posting! Great to see you here! Even if you *ARE* calling my baby ugly with regard to the foamgun being all show Heh heh, couldn`t resist posting that as I simply cannot wash marring-free without one (and a few gallons of shampoo concentrate and a few more hours than a sensible person would spend).

    But I *will* say that the way many (most?) people seem to be using them..which is the way I think you`re discussing...is of basically zero value IMO too. I just *MUST* have the sudsy output to flush the dislodged dirt off the paint and I can`t figure out any other way to do it. Unless somebody is doing it the way I do (and as PoweredByJenga has tried), I dunno....but hey, whatever people want to do, huh?

  4. #64
    wannafbody
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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Agreed. You need some water force or mitt action to remove adhered dirt and grime. I`ve largely gone to rinseless washes as a time saver and because once you reach the point of having clear coat failure due to environmental conditions, micromarring isn`t a huge concern.

  5. #65

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Check this YouTube vid from 9th Gen Accord :
    https://youtu.be/eFApL7ILmis

    This will give people some idea on this technique.

    Cheers




    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

  6. #66

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    To add, i also like his 1 bucket of method with multi mitt. When i am doing my own testing of soaps i use a variation of it.

    On the soaps thing, you guys in the USA are spoil for choice and cheap prices. Eg a 1. 89L of megs gold is $33 aussie pessos ($23.5 usd). Some would still be exe in the states eg car pro / gyeon would around same price but the main stream brands are substantially cheaper.

    Cheers

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

  7. #67

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Sorry more spam on car wash.. Below is the multi wash mitt, single bucket and a gun method that i sometimes use on very soft Japanese paints.. Just like Russell below.

    https://youtu.be/BIeVHcyTM3M

    The only difference is that i have accumulated so many wash mitts, i tend to go with about 8 of them.. Lol

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

  8. #68
    Hooked For Life Bill D's Avatar
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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    I`ve always been an advocate of multiple mitts. 8 isn`t unusual for me.
    Treat it like it`s the only one in the world.

  9. #69
    Tc99m's Avatar
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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    Same here. I use 6 wash mitts per wash on my sedan and 8 mitts on my SUV. So on days I wash both my Vehicles. I use at least 14 mitts.

  10. #70

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    Re: My washing regimen and foam gun use

    And here I only use two mitts! But then, by the time I switch to mitts I`ve already gotten it awfully clean (I don`t switch to them until the panels appear to be "completely clean").

    PoweredByJenga- I try to *NOT* criticize what others do, but if I washed a vehicle, even a very clean vehicle, as per that video I`d mar it up with scratches that`d be *INCHES* long. I simply had to stop watching it was so, so....[what it was]. I`d *MAYBE* wash a Service Loaner that way..well, no...maybe a rental. I simply don`t understand how people wash like that without scratching it up...goodness knows I tried for decades and I`m never the dullest knife in any drawer.

    Quote Originally Posted by wannafbody View Post
    ..once you reach the point of having clear coat failure due to environmental conditions, micromarring isn`t a huge concern.
    Different take here (gee, if I keep this up you`ll *never* post back here!)...my `93 Audi has a *LOT* of cc failure, and/so I do go nuts over avoiding micromarring because I can`t correct it any more and enough additional marring and I won`t be able to stand it. Never gonna repaint it and it`d be a shame to junk it over such a trivial(?) matter.

 

 
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