Mobile Detailers/ Do you use a foam cannon?

[Rav777]

I have been doing mobile details for about 6 years and I have always been intrigued by the foam cannon, I just never thought about buying one.

Well lately I have been researching and I have some questions on it if anyone can answer them. Is this item worth it to the mobile detailer or does it take more time to wash a car. Also does this method save more water, or waste more water? The biggest tank I can fit in my car is a 50 gallon and I know that shooting the foam might save water, but do you eventually end up wasting more water trying to pressure wash all the tick foam off?

Any help will be appreciated!

[RaskyR1]

I'm not mobile but I'd say it definitely uses more water

[Kristopher1129]

I don't think you necessarily use more water. I always do an APC soak, followed by a pressure wash. Then I foam, scrub, then rinse.

Without the cannon, I would just be dipping my mitt, or brush instead of spraying. I like the cannon because it gets soap in all the hard to reach places with ease. It will shoot right into wheel wells, crevices, grills, inside the rim, etc. It's handy, I love it.

I guess the only way I see it using more water is because it does mix with water. But I wouldn't say it's much more than when you are dipping your mitt or brush.

[Shawn T.]

Rinseless and waterless washes FTW!

I have never used a foam cannon but they certainly look like a lot of fun. I sort of want one just to use to spray the car when I'm bored.

[SeaJay's]

I'm mobile and I have a foam cannon but I only use it on heavily soiled cars typically. I don't have a water tank either. I use the customers water source.

They do come in handy but I can definitely get by without it.

[ThirdgenTa]

Rinseless and waterless washes FTW!

I have never used a foam cannon but they certainly look like a lot of fun. I sort of want one just to use to spray the car when I'm bored.

Lol same here. I just want to use one to make it look like my car is covered in snow in the middle of winter.
I normally just do a traditional wash, 2 bucket method and they (my customers) can care less about that extra step to prevent more swirls. Because chances are they will take it through the swirl machine on their next wash after I am done.
The very few cars that I do that people care about their paint, I usually am correcting anyway.

[TS656577]

I usually do mine at my house. However, I do go to a customers house if they request it. I do ask that they have water and electric available to me. I really like using a foam gun for loosening heavy crap on cars. Waterless washes are what I prefer to do though.

[Rav777]

Thanks for the replies


I don't think you necessarily use more water. I always do an APC soak, followed by a pressure wash. Then I foam, scrub, then rinse.

Without the cannon, I would just be dipping my mitt, or brush instead of spraying. I like the cannon because it gets soap in all the hard to reach places with ease. It will shoot right into wheel wells, crevices, grills, inside the rim, etc. It's handy, I love it.

I guess the only way I see it using more water is because it does mix with water. But I wouldn't say it's much more than when you are dipping your mitt or brush.

Thanks Kris. Yeah I figured it would be good on the wheels and hard to reach areas. Does it really loosen up that much dirt? I mean can you see the crud fall off. And if the car is really clean, lets say it has a layer of garage dust. Will you just spray the car, rinse and then you are good to go, or do you still go over it with a mitt?


I'm mobile and I have a foam cannon but I only use it on heavily soiled cars typically. I don't have a water tank either. I use the customers water source.

They do come in handy but I can definitely get by without it.

I just have a 50 gallon tank that I fill up with DI/RO water and I can only do like 4-5 cars before I have to fill it up again. I am wondering if this will save me some water, at least on the rinse process. Maybe I can only use it on very soiled cars.


Lol same here. I just want to use one to make it look like my car is covered in snow in the middle of winter.
I normally just do a traditional wash, 2 bucket method and they (my customers) can care less about that extra step to prevent more swirls. Because chances are they will take it through the swirl machine on their next wash after I am done.
The very few cars that I do that people care about their paint, I usually am correcting anyway.

Yeah very true. I have some customers that I have spoiled and now what swirls are and what they look like so I want to make sure I keep them happy. I also think this white foam spray will turn some heads and maybe bring in some curious future customers.


I usually do mine at my house. However, I do go to a customers house if they request it. I do ask that they have water and electric available to me. I really like using a foam gun for loosening heavy crap on cars. Waterless washes are what I prefer to do though.

Cool, thanks, I like rinseless washes but they usually come in around winter time. Right now my customers like the full on pressure washer spray with spotless water.

[Showroom Shine]

Never purchased the Gilmore Cannon from AG. At the time I felt it was too expensive and it did not fit on my pressure washer gun! I finally purchased a cannon from Home Depot for $17. This is a nice cannon for the money. It also has an adjustment on top for the amount of soap that can be dispensed. I guess I could leave it on all the time and turn the soap off.But I don't want to break the plastic container. So I just remove it and insert my rotary nozzle. I did not think the Gilmore cannon connected to a pressure washer gun!

[Dan C]

I would avoid a cannon and just use elbow grease since it gets warm in the summer it will just keep u busy trying keep the soap from drying on the surface...resulting in more H20 use!

Hows S.D as far as having to recover wash water?

[Rav777]

Never purchased the Gilmore Cannon from AG. At the time I felt it was too expensive and it did not fit on my pressure washer gun! I finally purchased a cannon from Home Depot for $17. This is a nice cannon for the money. It also has an adjustment on top for the amount of soap that can be dispensed. I guess I could leave it on all the time and turn the soap off.But I don't want to break the plastic container. So I just remove it and insert my rotary nozzle. I did not think the Gilmore cannon connected to a pressure washer gun!

Is that the brand of their foam cannon? I know they put different logos on them like the Wolfgang or Autogeek logo. I know they are more expensive here at AG but I always like getting what I pay for and the have great stuff. What do you hook up your cannon too?


I would avoid a cannon and just use elbow grease since it gets warm in the summer it will just keep u busy trying keep the soap from drying on the surface...resulting in more H20 use!

Hows S.D as far as having to recover wash water?

Well I was thinking of just adding it to my arsenal and using it more around winter. I live in SD and we really have no winter which is a good and a bad thing. But when it rains all the oils and gunk come off the road and go on the cars paint so I just want to take extra steps tp take that off. SD, Or SD County is not as strict with water until you start hitting the main cities in the county. I live up north county where most of the avocado and orange growers live and it is less populated but thes guys have like 5-6 cars each. The water run off rules are very lax up here. Now If you go down to the main city then that is where you have to bust out your recovery tank and all that good stuff.

[Kristopher1129]

Thanks Kris. Yeah I figured it would be good on the wheels and hard to reach areas. Does it really loosen up that much dirt? I mean can you see the crud fall off. And if the car is really clean, lets say it has a layer of garage dust. Will you just spray the car, rinse and then you are good to go, or do you still go over it with a mitt?


If I get a vehicle that's really grimy...I will foam it twice. Once to loosen up the dirt and grime, then pressure wash. Then, I'll do it again, scrub, and rinse.

If the vehicle is grimy, you will see the dirt being lifted and running down the vehicle. Especially if you foam it right off the bat without a pre-rinse. I always pre-rinse though.

Also, I never just foam and rinse without scrubbing. No matter how dirty the vehicle is, or isn't...when the vehicle dries you will see all the dirt that the mitt or brush would have gotten off. The foam cannon definitely does not replace scrubbing.

[Rav777]

Thanks Kris I will take that into account. I can't wait to try one of these puppies!

[Kristopher1129]

Thanks Kris I will take that into account. I can't wait to try one of these puppies!

You'll like it man...they're fun to use too!

[foamingcarwash]

I have been doing mobile details for about 6 years and I have always been intrigued by the foam cannon, I just never thought about buying one.

Well lately I have been researching and I have some questions on it if anyone can answer them. Is this item worth it to the mobile detailer or does it take more time to wash a car. Also does this method save more water, or waste more water? The biggest tank I can fit in my car is a 50 gallon and I know that shooting the foam might save water, but do you eventually end up wasting more water trying to pressure wash all the tick foam off?

Any help will be appreciated!



I use a foam cannon every wash my clients enjoy it!! They love watching this process..