Foam Guns

[NickP]

What's everyone's opinion's on them? What is everyone finding is the best soap to use in it?

Thanks,
Nick

[ricedrifter15]

I love the foam gun! It really makes washing a car so much faster. The only thing i dont like about it is when u have to rinse the car. It takes a while to rinse off the foam. But good in all. Any soap will work. Just use your favorite!

[Meghan]

Foam gun ROCKS, best when used with DP Xtreme Soap. I dont know how I washed before without it. I absolutely love mine.

[NickP]

Meghan, What is your procedure like? Do you still fill up a bucket with water and use the grit guard?

[FloridaNative]

I love mine too! Before I got mine, I was curious about it, but really didn't know if it was necessary. Now that I have one I won't wash without it. A swirl free finish starts with good washing techniques and this is where the foam gun really shines! You can use it to pre-soak the car with a thick layer of foam to loosen up the dirt. The lubricity in the soap helps the dirt slide off without marring the paint. I still use a bucket of wash water and have my sheepskin loaded up from the wash bucket and then use the foam gun to spray the area that I'm washing to help the mitt slide along. It is very versatile. If the car I am washing is very dirty, I add some Poorboy's Bug Squash to the soap in the foam gun canister to give the wash soap extra cleaning power. The foam gun is great for those hard to reach areas like wheel wells and I've even used mine to water the grass and wash my second story windows of my house. :) The DP foam gun soap is excellent and has lots of lubricity. Poorboy's Super Slick Suds is another great one for the foam gun.

ricedrifter, I always unhook the foam gun from the hose to rinse with clean water and hook it up again for more soap. It only takes me about 5 seconds to unscrew it from the hose and it works for me. :) Hope this helps. :)

[emaxxman]

Meghan, What is your procedure like? Do you still fill up a bucket with water and use the grit guard?

You still need a bucket and grit guard for your rinse bucket. I actually use two - one on each side of the car...makes it faster to wash the car (since I sometimes wash in full sun and need to move quickly before water spots.)


Setup 2 rinse buckets with grit guards
Rinse car off thoroughly with a shower to remove the big stuff
Thoroughly foam up the entire car
Wash car one panel (roof, door, etc.) at a time
Start with roof and work my way down the car; however, I wash the back first...daily driver and it's dirtier in the front...eliminates contaminating back of car with dirt from front
Refoam panel
Spray some foam onto wash pad
Wash in a front to back motion
Rinse off wash pad
Move to next panel
Rinse car off with a shower spray
Rinse car off with no nozzle on hose to sheet water off
Dry by dragging waffle weave across car with only weight of towel being used
By re-foaming the panel and spraying some soap on the wash pad, I get a very slick, gliding action while cleaning. This will be a great swirl preventer.

You do use more soap using a foam gun but not much more. In the end, it's well worth it to prevent further scratches. I use Meg's Gold Class soap and it works well for me...very cost effective too.

[bluzman]

At the risk of sounding like a sourpuss, Im going to have to say that I think the foam gun is a tad overrated. Its all right, but I dont that its that much of an advantage over the 2 bucket method. Also I find it kind of a pain to switch back and forth between nozzles.

[FloridaNative]

At the risk of sounding like a sourpuss, Im going to have to say that I think the foam gun is a tad overrated. Its all right, but I dont that its that much of an advantage over the 2 bucket method. Also I find it kind of a pain to switch back and forth between nozzles.

No you're not a sourpuss! :p You just have a differing opinion. That's what this forum is all about. Everybody has a unique voice and is entitled to their own opinion. :) We are all free to share our own viewpoints and feelings sometimes we agree sometimes we don't. It's all good! :cheers:

[supercharged]

Foam gun is a MUST for any enthusiast!:righton: :righton:

[bluzman]

No you're not a sourpuss! :p You just have a differing opinion. That's what this forum is all about. Everybody has a unique voice and is entitled to their own opinion. :) We are all free to share our own viewpoints and feelings sometimes we agree sometimes we don't. It's all good! :cheers:

Thanks, its nice to be able to express an opinion with out getting flamed!!

[Reddwarf]

I love the foam gun. I bought a shut off vavle for the hose that fits between the end of the hose and the quick release coupling on the foam gun. That way it is easy to remove the foam gun to use the hose end to rinse off the soap.

I still use a rinse bucket with a grit guard. I use the foam gun to soap the car and then begin washing the car, using the rinse bucket between panels.

I reapply the soap to the car with the gun and then pop off the gun and rinse with the hose.

I use Meg's Gold Class soap. I want to try the new DP soap one of these days, but the Meg's Gold works great and is a good price. I add the soap first then fill the container with water. I tried the reverse process per a post from Killr but IMO it foams better to add the soap first. Shake the container, quick snap it to the hose and have fun watching the foam fly!

[sparkie]

I'm just waiting for it to go on sale!!! I been looking at it hard!

[anolin]

I love the foam gun. I bought a shut off vavle for the hose that fits between the end of the hose and the quick release coupling on the foam gun. That way it is easy to remove the foam gun to use the hose end to rinse off the soap.

I still use a rinse bucket with a grit guard. I use the foam gun to soap the car and then begin washing the car, using the rinse bucket between panels.

I reapply the soap to the car with the gun and then pop off the gun and rinse with the hose.

I use Meg's Gold Class soap. I want to try the new DP soap one of these days, but the Meg's Gold works great and is a good price. I add the soap first then fill the container with water. I tried the reverse process per a post from Killr but IMO it foams better to add the soap first. Shake the container, quick snap it to the hose and have fun watching the foam fly!

Same procedure, here. If you choose to add a foam gun to your process, an easy shut-off before quick release is a must -- turn on the water spigot ONCE and go! I can't wait to try the DP Extreme samples, I've only used Megs GC. I was a fan of GC before, and I think the gun makes it even more effective!

[emaxxman]

Also, don't forget that the foamgun itself has a quick release nozzle where you can simply detach the canister and foam-gun portion. You're left with a simple hose nozzle.

If you get a quick release, make sure it's one that allows water to flow thru it. I have one that automatically shuts itself off if the attachment is removed. This is great for controlling accidental spills but bad if you want to quick remove the gun and sheet water off with just a hose.

[scottinflorida]

At the risk of sounding like a sourpuss, Im going to have to say that I think the foam gun is a tad overrated. Its all right, but I dont that its that much of an advantage over the 2 bucket method. Also I find it kind of a pain to switch back and forth between nozzles.

bluzman, you must have a different model than the one I have. I received mine from AG about two or three weeks ago and I have a quick release fitting on the foam gun that allows me to pull it off the hose with one hand.

I wash my car in the early morning hours, like before 8:00 AM because it so hot down here in Sarasota, Florida. Even washing my puny little Mini Cooper I can only wash a portion before I wash off the soap so the quick change fitting is a nice thing to have.

Works pretty slick! :cheers:

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