Difference between 'Snow Foam' and 'Pressure Washer Shampoo'??

[jonnyMercUK]

Anyone know the difference between 'Snow Foam' and 'Pressure Washer Shampoo'??

 

[Rory]

Snow foam covers the car in foam. Needs a dispenser attachment for the washer lance.

The shampoo doesn't foam up and usually is sucked into the water stream by a dip tube or from a bottle fitted to the pressure washer.

 

[jonnyMercUK]

But it does the same job?

 

[Rory]

Sorry, no idea. The shampoo doesn't seem to do much - I've tried that. Never used snow foam.

 

[Sp!ke]

But it does the same job?

No, not really.

Snow foam clings to the car for much longer allowing the car to soak.

 

[fatdazza]

Debates rage over the need for and effectiveness of snow foam.

Snow foam is however great fun

 

[oldcro]

Snow foaming is a pre-wash before shampooing, it helps get rid of lots of the dirt which could mark the paintwork when washing.

If you think snow foam will clean your unwashed for a month car, you will be very disappointed.

 

[Alps]

As said above, snow foam clings to the car and should take off the looser dirt grit etc, to minimise the damage caused when you do shampoo

 

[NW_Merc]

Is there a recommended brand that fellow members use?

 

[nigel cross]

snow foam comes out of the attachment via a pair of vibrating plates, look like duck bills, and is not under the same bar pressue as the soap attachmate that comes out via a small jet.
These guys are pretty helpful. Autobrite Direct - Home

 

[rascalmaster]

Ultimate Snow Foam - 5 Litre | Snow Foam 5 Litre

i use this; it's good

 

[Red C220]

I use Autoglym Pressure Washer Shampoo, in a Karcher lance applicator:-

Which cost £15.

The shampoo foams up in a way very similar to all these expensive snow foam malarkys.

I shampoo once, pressure wash off, then shampoo again and clean the car with a sponge/brush.

Looks lovely, and not an ounce of unobtanium wax applied with kangaroo scrotum in sight.

 

[Paddcomp]

This isn't the best picture of snow foam as the foam had slipped off a little by the time I went for my phone to take the picture. Autobrite foam lance and snow foam, makes a good prewash.

 

[Satch]

I use Autoglym Pressure Washer Shampoo, in a Karcher lance applicator:-

Which cost £15.

The shampoo foams up in a way very similar to all these expensive snow foam malarkys.

I shampoo once, pressure wash off, then shampoo again and clean the car with a sponge/brush.

Looks lovely, and not an ounce of unobtanium wax applied with kangaroo scrotum in sight.

Pretty much the same.

Karcher foam thingy, 1 part Meguiar's Gold Class plus 2 parts water in the bottle and away you go.

i use a lambswool mitt (Halfords best) which does i think make a difference

If it needs a bit of a polish then Zymol Cleaner Wax, which is oddly named as it is more like polish.

I then use Collinite Insulator Wax, chosen after years of pratting about because it is easy to put on, easy to get off, lasts for ages and is good on alloys as well.

Not the ultimate finish but works for me in the real world as it is a vehicle that will be getting gungy again within a day.

 

[stephen coy]

Maybe some products are more effective than others.Mine foams up nicely enough, but does little to clear the paintwork of road grime.I've tried different chemical to water mixes, leaving on the car 5 minutes or so.

Still use it as a preclean, if only to empty the garage shelves of the 2 gallon containers I bought with the foaming spray gun/dispenser. (also use it neat as a degreaser)

 

[jonnyMercUK]

I have ended up buying a Nilfisk C110 pressure washer which comes with a Foam Gun Detergent Dispenser, after reading some reviews on Detailing World I discovered that the Foam Gun supplied is OK but not as good as for instance the autobrite foam lance but if you get the concentrate correct the outcome is very similar.

 

[Beno]

I've the same nilfisk the foam lance that comes with it I isn't bad. but I use one I bought from autobright

 

[jonnyMercUK]

I've the same nilfisk the foam lance that comes with it I isn't bad. but I use one I bought from autobright

I thought just as much! Is it better to have a higher concentrate of shampoo to get a thicker foam?

 

[Beno]

The one from autobright is adjustable, the nilfisk one isn't

 

[Sp!ke]

The foam lance on the nilfisk wont give you the desired result at all. Like others, I ditched it for a proper £50 snow foam lance.

Here's mine doing its thing last weekend. I generally leave the car to soak for as long as possible - in this instance 30 minutes... without proper snow foam it simply runs off in a few seconds.