Snow foam - what am I doing wrong?

Snow foam - what am I doing wrong?

Author
Discussion

bigbob77

Original Poster:

593 posts

165 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Tried snow foam for the first time - Valet PRO PH Neutral. It foamed up really well, stuck well and then I power-washed it off after 7 minutes.

It made no difference! All the dirt was still there and it didn't even make the tar spots/insect juice easier to clean off - they are still stuck on.

The car is only 4 months old and was waxed when new, so I thought the dirt should run off pretty easily.

Dannbodge

2,160 posts

120 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Sounds like it needs waxing again.
4 months with only one coat of wax isn't ideal.

Blanchimont

4,076 posts

121 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
It will also depend on what wax was put on. If it was the dealer supplied stuff it's pants. I use a good quality Auto Finesse wax and every time I snowfoam the car it comes off practically spotless. Get a good coat of wax on it, and then I'd try again.

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
There have been threads on here where people have demonstrated a virtually pristine car after snow foaming, but it was on a car with a fairly fancy sealant (which I can't remember helpfully).
When I use it, it does get dirt off but never to the extent that a proper wash isn't necessary afterwards.
I think it's best regarded as a pre-soak.

If others have had better results, I'd like to hear a winning combination of coating and foam too.

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
I think it's best regarded as a pre-soak...
Indeed ST. In fact I don't bother any more, I simply soak the car all over and then get on with cleaning the wheels, every now and again ensuring the car is still wet. Then I wash it as usual but the dirt and stuff have been soaked for 5-10 mins.

Piersman2

6,596 posts

198 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
RichB said:
Indeed ST. In fact I don't bother any more, I simply soak the car all over and then get on with cleaning the wheels, every now and again ensuring the car is still wet. Then I wash it as usual but the dirt and stuff have been soaked for 5-10 mins.
+1

I've recently started using the carplan hose attachment thingie to spray the cars with a layer of foam as nothing more than a pre-soak. Leave it a few minutes and then just wash the car as normal but now able to be a bit 'lighter' with with the micro fibre sponge to make sure all traces of dirt are gently wiped away.

one eyed mick

1,189 posts

160 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
I like snow foam Iknow others dont but I always do a very gentle wipe whilst the foam is on and rinse immeasiatly seems to work for me!

PHCorvette

1,761 posts

101 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
To me, Snow Foam is a real bit of a guilty pleasure. It may or may not achieve anything but it makes me feel good and also gives me more time doing something I enjoy.

Actually that's not fully true, a good Snowfoam will greatly loosen up and carry off a lot of grime to the point it greatly reduces the wash need for the car. As with any product you find one that suits your style and your environmental conditions. I used the Valet Pro PH stuff and found it was nothing more than bubbles with little cleaning power. I then switched over to the Autofinesse stuff which did a much better job but it recently ran out and as I needed a replacement lance after switching my jet wash, I recently started to use this stuff: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Autobrite-Direct-Magifoam-...

The Magifoam I leave to dwell for over 30 minutes which, when rinsed off, certainly leaves you with a great condition to work with. My cars are all kept outside as unfortunately no garage but this stuff really does a fantastic job. Its vital to get your dilution right too.

I usually use FK1000P for winter protection switching over to those fancy branded stuff for the summer, however, this year I was lazy. So lazy in fact that for winter I have switched to using an old bottle of Autoglym Ultra HD Sealant, during the summer I've stated to use the Autoglym HD Wax. Its only snob factor that turns people away from AG but the sealant is a breeze to use for any beginner and gives a great protection that lasts at least 2 months of hard abuse. The summer wax again works very well, spending the start of the year to give your car a great protection will mean you save so much time for the rest of the year when cleaning.

Also don't forget that photos/films of cars always look a lot more impressive than up close, the pro's use direct light to really show their work and you can see fell the difference but when you are looking at a lot of the photos on detailing world = high contrast and its not really easy to see just what was taken off with the snowfoam.


TR4man

5,207 posts

173 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
Piersman2 said:
RichB said:
Indeed ST. In fact I don't bother any more, I simply soak the car all over and then get on with cleaning the wheels, every now and again ensuring the car is still wet. Then I wash it as usual but the dirt and stuff have been soaked for 5-10 mins.
+1

I've recently started using the carplan hose attachment thingie to spray the cars with a layer of foam as nothing more than a pre-soak. Leave it a few minutes and then just wash the car as normal but now able to be a bit 'lighter' with with the micro fibre sponge to make sure all traces of dirt are gently wiped away.
+2

Can't help but think that snow foam is just the latest fashionable fad.

I don't know how we managed before some marketing bloke convinced us that it was the best thing since sliced bread.

PHCorvette

1,761 posts

101 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
It may well be a fad but I wont wash a car by hand without a pre-snow foam now as I do see the benefit over a basic soak.

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
PHCorvette said:
It may well be a fad but I wont wash a car by hand without a pre-snow foam now as I do see the benefit over a basic soak.
Which is what?

PHCorvette

1,761 posts

101 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
RichB said:
PHCorvette said:
It may well be a fad but I wont wash a car by hand without a pre-snow foam now as I do see the benefit over a basic soak.
Which is what?
As I say my cars spend all the time outside, used all year round so get a good coating of grime. When I used to just do a soak the grime was still there in enough quantity even after a jet. Since starting to use snow foam I get a good psychological feeling of doing something but also when done right and I jet, the cars look so clean it results in not having to do as big of a wash and the cars are much easier to keep on top of.

I don't know what level you are with cleaning, you might be a pro but to me the process is brilliant. Here is a pic of the foam after 20 minutes, then the car after the rinse, then the car after the wash.







Prior to the wash the car had been caked in road film and generally very dirty. Pic 2 was after the hose down prior to washing. The mits and water colour in the rinse bucket was still quite clean after the wash

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
I have tons of cleaning stuff including two buckets wink but when I do that the foam runs off after 2 or 3 mins. Certainly wouldn't sty on for 20 mins. eek not that I'd have the patience to sit around for 20 mins doing nothing (doesn't look like you clean the wheels during that time for example). Maybe I don't do the foam properly but one can only spray it on as one's spray foam lance allows, there doesn't seem to be any science to it?

PHCorvette

1,761 posts

101 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
I go and watch telly, sometimes use the time to do the wheels but yeah during the winter I really cannot be arsed doing them! This year I've been a bit lazy but usually I wax the wheels with fk1000p and the ste just hoses off so nicely. Total time to wash the car with a fairly light wash is between 1 to 2 hours.

Evolved

3,553 posts

186 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
All sounds like a lot of effort. Fairy liquid, bucket and old rag and off I go with my 9 yr old in tow with his cloth to help. Job done in 10 mins.

PHCorvette

1,761 posts

101 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
(Y) Jiffy pads on the stubborn dirt always works a treat

Evolved

3,553 posts

186 months

Tuesday 26th January 2016
quotequote all
PHCorvette said:
(Y) Jiffy pads on the stubborn dirt always works a treat
Snap, sometimes break out the Brillo pads for really sticky stuff.

bmw320ci

595 posts

225 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
Evolved said:
Snap, sometimes break out the Brillo pads for really sticky stuff.
Joke right lol?

I jet wash the dirt off 1st then use TFR snow foam then jet wash off again and it removes 90% before washing, if you have tar etc use a clay bar and it seems you do not have enough wax on the car as if you had wax it should come off easier?

bigbob77

Original Poster:

593 posts

165 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

But to summarise this thread, I need to: wash, clay bar, wash, polish, seal, and wax.... I was looking for an EASIER way to keep the car clean wobble

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Wednesday 27th January 2016
quotequote all
bigbob77 said:
Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

But to summarise this thread, I need to: wash, clay bar, wash, polish, seal, and wax.... I was looking for an EASIER way to keep the car clean wobble
You forgot 'then drive down the road and get it covered in censored again' hehe
I'm taking a few months off.