power washer & snow foam lance

[mazdajason]

Morning,

Can anyone recommend a power washer and snow foam lance combo? I've got an old Makita power washer but it doesn't have the snow foam capability and I'd like to buy one so I'm prepared to buy a new power washer. A basic one is fine by me, don't need an all singing & dancing one.

Thanks.

[Alex_225]

Anything by Karcher will have compatible lances available mate.

Alternatively, I changed from foam on the recommendation of pro-detailers advice and now use Citrus Pre-Wash through a pump bottle. Ok, so it doesn't give you pretty foam but it does eat into the dirt more effectively from my experience, you can than rinse off with a pressure washer or hose. Might save you a few quid too but I have no need to go back to foam now.

[mazdajason]

Cheers Alex, i'll look into that item first maybe. Maybe I just want the pretty foam and the placebo effect that it's doing something more than I think it is.

[Alex_225]

mazdajason said:

Cheers Alex, i'll look into that item first maybe. Maybe I just want the pretty foam and the placebo effect that it's doing something more than I think it is.

Don't get me wrong foam is kinda cool and I think if you pre-rinse the car, then coat in foam and then wash, it would act as a lubricant whilst washing. But as a pre-wash I've never found it any more effective than a pressure washer alone.

I actually use just Citrus Pre-wash and a hose to rinse and rarely use the pressure washer.

[J12KJR]

Agree with Alex citrus pre wash seems to work better than any snow foam I have tried and doesn't leave messy foam laying on the drive afterwards.

[Mike335i]

I rinse with pressure washer, then wash with the snow foam and a rinsing bucket for the washmit. I have found the autoglym pressure wash stuff to he good enough, but the foam doesn't last long.

I guess I'm breaking many sacred detailing rules and am a heathen, but I quickly noticed the 3 hour wash didn't make it much cleaner than the 1.5 hour wash.

[mazdajason]

Fair enough, thanks for everyone's input. I don't have time to do a 3 hour wash weekly. 1 hour on mine and 30 mins on the wife's car. Don't get me wrong, if it's dry and sunny and I hoover mine or do a deeper clean of the wheels and all the little bits I can drag it out to 90 mins but generally around or under an hour. I've ordered a bottle of the citrus cleaner so i'll give that a go.