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Is snow foam worth it, in my case?

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  • 07-01-2019 12:03pm
    #1
    Stallingrad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭


    Usually I would power wash the car (no foam), then 2 bucket hand wash to minimize swirls. Car is not perfect but pretty swirl free and gets washed weekly so is never particularly filthy to begin with. Would snow foam add much value to the process? Or is it just a gratifying procedure to look at!


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    #2
    Notch000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭Notch000


    No - snow foam is a total bogus product. If your power washing your car your doing 90% of the work the foam is advertised as doing anyways. Ive tried it a few time and come to this conclusion. Its only good for wasting money, make a big mess and making slow motion youtube hipster videos


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    #3
    Stallingrad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭Stallingrad


    Ha ha! Classic. Kind of suspected as much, unless you are going full 100% OCD. I am only at 90%.


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    #4
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users Posts: 7,248 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    Notch000 wrote: »
    No - snow foam is a total bogus product. If your power washing your car your doing 90% of the work the foam is advertised as doing anyways. Ive tried it a few time and come to this conclusion. Its only good for wasting money, make a big mess and making slow motion youtube hipster videos

    I'd be inclined to agree have noticed little difference between the times I've done a snowfoam and not. Once my snowfoam is used up, I won't replace it


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    #5
    ianobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭ianobrien


    On the other hand, if you have a good foam, it makes the 2BW much easier. Foaming is great if it's just dust on the car as then no 2BW is needed. The problem is that in winter, it's wet dirt that has dried on that a lot of the foams can't handle.

    I've tried a few different types of foam and I reckon the best is Bilt Hamber Auto-Foam. I've tried various Chemical Guys, Auto Glym, 50Cal and they ranged from bad to did nothing. The BH Auto-Foam can be used on its own on a properly sealed car without the need for a 2BW in my experience


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    #6
    Curran
    Registered Users Posts: 4,377 ✭✭✭Curran


    Depends who you ask...
    - those who use it as it's intended, to soften baked on dirt and safety remove grit prior to washing with a mitt, to help keep shuts, etc, cleaner for longer
    - those who know what it's for and are using poor products and not getting great results
    - those who expect a totally touchless wash, which it will never do in Ireland, unless its just dust, and if you were sold one with the promise of touchless, you were mislead


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    #7
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users Posts: 7,248 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    Curran wrote: »
    Depends who you ask...
    - those who use it as it's intended, to soften baked on dirt and safety remove grit prior to washing with a mitt, to help keep shuts, etc, cleaner for longer
    - those who know what it's for and are using poor products and not getting great results
    - those who expect a totally touchless wash, which it will never do in Ireland, unless its just dust, and if you were sold one with the promise of touchless, you were mislead
    To be honest Curran, I've found a thorough prerinse with the powerhose as effective as using snowfoam


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    #8
    bazz26
    Registered Users Posts: 51,150 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    I find it great at breaking down dirt on the car especially if it hasn't been washed in a while around this time of year. It's a prewash rather than a substitute for washing the car itself. I use Bilt Hamber Auto Foam and a 5 litre drum lasts me a decent amount of time.


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    #9
    vectra
    Registered Users Posts: 15,511 ✭✭✭✭vectra


    Yes it works.
    As Curran literally pointed out, "some people are expecting a touchless wash"
    which it is not meant to be,
    Also pointed out above
    Bilt Hamber is about the very best at what they do.


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    #10
    Curran
    Registered Users Posts: 4,377 ✭✭✭Curran


    MrMusician18 wrote: »
    To be honest Curran, I've found a thorough prerinse with the powerhose as effective as using snowfoam

    As I said, every has their views, and I shared a multitude of views, you shared yours which is good for you.

    Your approach is to use high direct pressure to blast off any dirt and grit...using snowfoam adds an extra element of safety. And every step when washing a car, from a detailing perspective, is to limit any potential damage.
    How much damage is saved over one wash might be relatively minor, but every step (eg: wash mitt v sponge, water blade v drying microfibre towel) repeated once a week over a 3 year period and you'll notice plenty of difference.

    Bilt Hamber Auto Foam at the correct dilution (again many don't measure it right, to suit their power washer flow rate) is proven to lift more dirt than just the direct hose. Will it remove all, nope, and again, this proves an issue for some who want unachievable results.


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    #11
    Lord Nikon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,609 ✭✭✭Lord Nikon


    You can just powerhose the car to get most of the muck/dirt/dust off the car, however, the time it takes to foam a car(maybe an extra 2 minutes)gives the excuse to do it anyway.
    A friend of mine foams his card twice, on the second time he foams he leaves it on the car while starting the 2 bucket method. He states that he’s making less contact with the mitt as there is a layer of extra foam/suds there. I haven’t tried it myself, but makes some sense I suppose.


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    #12
    MetzgerMeister
    Registered Users Posts: 19,854 ✭✭✭✭MetzgerMeister


    You'd want to be very careful leaving snow foam on a car while doing 2BM as if left too long it can stain and damage rubber trim.


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    #13
    clubberlang12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,507 ✭✭✭clubberlang12


    A proper performing snow foam will definitely yield results, much in the same way a citrus pre-wash will. The problem is that a lot of snow foams on the market consist more of foaming agents than cleaning agents and thus are less effective. As noted above, snowfoam is used to help soften the bonding of grime and contamination on your paintwork, it isn't meant to work solely as a touchless wash. Anyone who has used the likes of Bilt Hamber Auto Foam will testify to it's performance. A proper performing snow foam left to dwell for sufficient time will remove more grime than a power hosing alone.


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    #14
    NBar
    Registered Users Posts: 591 ✭✭✭NBar


    I find Snow foam a great addition to cleaning the cars, I snow foam and while it’s doing it’s job I clean the wheels and under the arches and by then the worst of the winter crap is softened and some has been taken off by the snow foam and can see the difference in my wash mitt and wash buckets, I know people just want to wash and dash but doing it right makes all the difference in the end and it’s all about reducing scratches in the paint especially this time of year


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