Pre-Soaking Vehicle?

[AustrianOak82]

For those of you that encounter poorly maintained vehicles that clearly haven't been washed in several years, are you pre-soaking them prior to the hand-wash? I have had a couple cars lately that were heavily oxidized and had years of bug residue, among other stuff everywhere, and was wondering if there was a way to make my life easier. Thanks!

[HUMP DIESEL]

I usually do it even on one that is well maintained. I use Auto Finesse Avalanche Snow foam, but I am sure there are others. I put it in a foam lance and let it rip.

I usually do this and then while it dwells, I get my 2 buckets with wash and mitts ready.

HUMP

[wdmaccord]

Agree with HUMP. I do it regardless. I usually use 6 oz. of CG Citrus Wash Red and 2 oz. Megs APC then add 24 oz. water in my 32 oz. foam gun. Set to middle setting. Foam once and let soak. Rinse. Then I foam a panel or two and wash with MF mitt, rinse, then on to the next panel or two.

[Audios S6]

I snow foam every vehicle that's not in for a maintenance wash. I use CG citrus wash & gloss with Bilt hamber surfex HD in the foam cannon. While it dwells, I dump my wheel bucket, put away wheel brushes, then get all the tight spots with a small brush and APC (emblems, grills, mirrors, handles, gas cap). Before rinsing, I'll get my area set up for drying and claying. Then rinse and jump into a 2BM wash; if necessary I'll re-treat lower panels with degreaser or tar remover just prior to the 2BM.

So in some cases, I actually pre-soak twice using different chemicals since one degrease may not be effective on all contaminants (although surfex HD is pretty awesome stuff)

[JWilliams.RadiantDetail]

I spend an extra few minutes and pre soak every vehicle by default. I use CG Honeydew, it works good. I just switched to ONR+W, will probably figure out a good dilution ratio to use here for a pre-soak. I don't do anything different with the Honeydew, I use the same stuff in my foam gun I'll do the actual wash with.

[conman1395]

I don't do this for a living but what I do with my own car or others cars is go to the coin operated wash and use that to the best of its ability. Then I come home and use the appropriate products (Tarminator, IronX, Citrus wash, Degreasers). Obviously if you do this for a living then you'd have a foam cannon or at least foam gun; I do not.

[VISITOR]

if you don't have a pressure washer, it's time to purchase one. if i was doing this as a business, there's no way i would be without one...

[Dr_Pain]

Agree with HUMP. I do it regardless. I usually use 6 oz. of CG Citrus Wash Red and 2 oz. Megs APC then add 24 oz. water in my 32 oz. foam gun. Set to middle setting. Foam once and let soak. Rinse. Then I foam a panel or two and wash with MF mitt, rinse, then on to the next panel or two.

I have different product selections, and use a foam cannon instead, but in essence that is what I do snow foam + APC and let it dwell

[Sicoupe]

I have different product selections, and use a foam cannon instead, but in essence that is what I do snow foam + APC and let it dwell

so you add the APC with the soap in the cannon?

[JMP]

Foam cannon with Detailers Extreme Foam....works well on the cars...but I have not seen one with years of bugs and such....