Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

[Andrew C.]

And Boy was it fun! It sure makes washing cars fun, and really speeds up cleaning wheels and tires that are just moderately dirty.

My only question/concern I had while washing was that I felt the wash mitt was not as lubricated as when doing to traditional 2 bucket method. I rinsed the car down with water, then foamed a panel, washed it, rinsed it in a clean water bucket with grit guard, then foamed the next panel, etc. I felt that since the panel was foamed and I had wrung out my wash mitt from the rinse water, that there wasn't as much liquid between my wash mitt and the car, and thus made me feel like it wasn't as lubricated and could possibly be inducing swirls.

Has anyone else had the same experience or have any tips or advice?

[BS MXRacer]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Why not work with the traditional two bucket method and foam the panel. That way the bucket has plenty of soap to lubricate your mitt.

My impression when people were foaming vehicles, they covered the whole vehicle which allowed the soap to loosen any dirt on the surface. Then they came back with their two buckets to wash each panel.

[Murr1525]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I spray the panel and squirt the mitt.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Murr, do you feel you have the same amount of lubrication with that method as when you do a traditional 2 bucket method?

[Bunky]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I have only used a foam gun with a traditional 2 bucket wash.

If it felt less slick, you may need to check the dilution in the bottle. I do not know how accurate the metering is on the foam gun. You may need to increase concentration in the reservoir.

[wifpd4]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Andrew, what were you using as soap in the gun?


I'm a learning noob, but I high pressure rinse, foam the whole car, then one bucket wash with Gold Class or UWW and high pressure rinse. Perhaps wrong, I know, using one wash bucket.

Anyway I use Super Soap in the gun and love it. The other day I tried Hyper Wash and really screwed up the dilution and created a mess.

For me dilution is confusing.

[Murr1525]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I feel like it is the same or more, but it is just opinion I guess.

I try to be pretty quick, for instance, say spray half the hood, spray the mitt, and then catch the foamy water on the hood and work it back over that half of the hood.

[03z71]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I also still use the two bucket wash. I foam the entire car let it soak then wash normal. It all comes off nicely after it has presoaked..

[woody.01]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Here in the UK where we get lots of rain, and the roads get quite dirty, I use my snow foam gun with quite a high concentrate of a cheaper but OK car shampoo, I foam the entire car, leave it to soak for a while, then wash it all off, this lifts and removes most of the grit from the car without touching it,
I then do a standard two bucket, two grit guard Gold Class wash with a Meguiars mit.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Thanks for sharing your experiences guys.


I used Shampoo Plus with the foam gun. I believe that my dilution ratio's are correct. It didn't seem like the solution wasn't soapy enough and wasn't providing lubrication, but to me it felt like the absence of a soaked, dripping wet mitt was what was lacking the lubrication.

I think I'll try Murr's Method of squirting the mitt before hitting the panel.

[Tuck91]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I bought a foam gun last summer and since then never washed a vehicle without it.

I love the Gilmour Foam gun combined with 3D Wash & Wax & Super Soap.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Nick,

What process do you follow when using the foam gun?

[Tuck91]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

I use it a bit differently then most.

My process is a bit complicated.


I foam down the wheels, tires, & wells after spraying on the appropriate cleaner/degreaser, then agitate, followed by rinsing.

When using it on the body of a vehicle I break the vehicle down into sections, foam, agitate, then move to the next section. Then I rinse the whole vehicle down with water.

I also love it for foaming down truck beds as well.

I use all the Meguiars soaps except UW&W as it performs poorly in the gun.

Heres a few of my foaming shots:

[Murr1525]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Sounds more like me... one panel, or half panel, at a time, as one would with 2 bucket. I dont do the 'pre-soak' kind of thing much.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Used the Foam Gun For the First Time Today

Andrew, see if you can order some Super Soap from one of our online distributors - it works great in the foam gun! As Mat states, a quick shot onto the wash mitt does wonders, too. With a full presoak and a single grit guard equipped rinse bucket, you can wash a car very quickly this way. Of course, here in SoCal our cars just don't get all that dirty - certainly nothing like compared to driving on salted roads in the Midwest, that's for sure!