When using a foam gun, is the two bucket wash method still required?

[AliMusa]

Do I still use the two bucket wash method when using a foam gun, or do I only have to use a rinse bucket?

[zmcgovern45]

Depends on your exact process.

Typically a foam gun or foam cannon is simply used for a pre-wash soaking to help loosen and remove dirt and contaminates from the vehicles surface. Once the foam has dwelled, it should be rinsed from the vehicle. At this point it is most common to proceed with a standard 2 bucket method. You do have an option, however, to add more foam to a section and wash it rather than having a bucket of soapy solution. In this instance, you would only need a rinse bucket.

Method 1:
Rinse
Foam
Rinse
Two Bucket Wash

Method 2:
Rinse
Foam
Rinse
Foam a section
Wash with mitt
Rinse mitt in rinse bucket
Foam another section
Wash another section
Rinse mitt in rinse bucket
... repeat until car is clean. (make sure to rinse foam as needed so soap does not dry on car)

-Zach

[eddiec312]

Depends on your exact process.

Typically a foam gun or foam cannon is simply used for a pre-wash soaking to help loosen and remove dirt and contaminates from the vehicles surface. Once the foam has dwelled, it should be rinsed from the vehicle. At this point it is most common to proceed with a standard 2 bucket method. You do have an option, however, to add more foam to a section and wash it rather than having a bucket of soapy solution. In this instance, you would only need a rinse bucket.

Method 1:
Rinse
Foam
Rinse
Two Bucket Wash

Method 2:
Rinse
Foam
Rinse
Foam a section
Wash with mitt
Rinse mitt in rinse bucket
Foam another section
Wash another section
Rinse mitt in rinse bucket
... repeat until car is clean. (make sure to rinse foam as needed so soap does not dry on car)

-Zach

I had the exact same question. Thanks for your response.

[Christopher.Brown]

zach,

no PREFOAM with few min work time, before initial rinse to help loosen up initial topical contaminants?

I would have given GOOD odds that you were in that camp

:p

[zmcgovern45]

zach,

no PREFOAM with few min work time, before initial rinse to help loosen up initial topical contaminants?

I would have given GOOD odds that you were in that camp

:p

It sounds like you and I are saying the same thing...



Typically a foam gun or foam cannon is simply used for a pre-wash soaking to help loosen and remove dirt and contaminates from the vehicles surface. Once the foam has dwelled, it should be rinsed from the vehicle. At this point it is most common to proceed with a standard 2 bucket method.

I had stated that I foam the car and let it dwell several minutes prior to rinsing and then proceed with a standard wash... is that what you are referring to as a 'Pre-Foam'? ... I did mention a "rinse" prior to foam, but I simply just spray some water on the car with the hose prior to foaming... no real rhyme or reason to it... I just feel it helps the foam slide off of the car when the surface is damp compared to a dry surface - it probably makes no difference though?

[Christopher.Brown]

It sounds like you and I are saying the same thing...




I had stated that I foam the car and let it dwell several minutes prior to rinsing and then proceed with a standard wash... is that what you are referring to as a 'Pre-Foam'? ... I did mention a "rinse" prior to foam, but I simply just spray some water on the car with the hose prior to foaming... no real rhyme or reason to it... I just feel it helps the foam slide off of the car when the surface is damp compared to a dry surface - it probably makes no difference though?

:doh: LOL my bad zach.... its right there in plain engrish!

i just read the listed method #'s first.... was impatient and didnt read the block.....

So i would have won my hunch :righton:bet!

[HateSwirls]

If the car isn't very dirty I don't see a need for a two bucket wash after foaming and rinsing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using AG Online

[zmcgovern45]

If the car is dirty at all, there is always need for the 2 bucket method.

Why wouldn't you use it? It's not like it takes any more time than a "1 bucket method".

[Bunky]

It's not like it takes any more time than a "1 bucket method".

That is a truism other than filling the bucket with water.:xyxthumbs:

[Robert8194]

If the car is dirty at all, there is always need for the 2 bucket method.

Why wouldn't you use it? It's not like it takes any more time than a "1 bucket method".

If the car isn't that dirty, is there really a need for the foaming pre-wash? Of course, to be totally safe and kind to your finish, foam and two bucket are recommended. What can it hurt?

[zmcgovern45]

If the car isn't that dirty, is there really a need for the foaming pre-wash? Of course, to be totally safe and kind to your finish, foam and two bucket are recommended. What can it hurt?

I typically only foam if the car is very dirty or if I am looking to strip LSP prior to polishing.

[Rick72]

I'm new to paying attention to how I care for my car and the wash method is the 1st thing I've become comfortable with and am tweaking.
I will always foam first and I'm moving to a multiple wash mitt method as $ allow.
Seems it'll be faster and less chance for scratching.

[swanicyouth]

I thought about the "1 bucket method" myself and even performed it a few times.

The thing is, in actuality, your mitt is still wet with your "dirty" rinse water. The second bucket in a 2BM acts to pickup soap for your mitt, but you are also replacing the "dirtier" rinse water that's in the mitt with "cleaner soap water" that's from bucket #2. A 2BM also gives a second grit guard a chance to do it's thing.

If you do a 1BM with a foam cannon, your mitt will still touch paint with your "dirty" rinse water.

What I think is a better take on this concept, is just to get a bunch if clean towels and place them in a small 2 gallon bucket of water. Then, use your foam lance to apply soap to the car, and do a GDWM style wash with your towels using clean sides for each panel , never putting a used towel back into your clean 2 gallon water bucket.

The purpose of the 2 gallon water bucket is the towels have to get wet somehow before they touch paint. The advantages are:

- no dragging or wheeling 2 heavy 5 gal buckets around

- faster to fill 1 bucket with 2 gallons of water then waiting for 10 gallons to flow out.

- much faster to clean and rinse one small 2 gallon bucket when your done than it is to do two 5 gallons.

- no grit guards or dollies required

- no rinsing or squeezing rinse water out from your mitt

- theoretically, you are always using 100% clean wash media on each panel.

Disadvantages:

- a dedicated wash mitt MAY trap dirt better than MF towels

- THEORETICALLY you are always using clean wash media on a new panel. But in actuality, sometimes it can be hard to keep your towels 100% perfectly folded in fourths and edges could get contaminated.

- the wash solution may not stay "as wet" as you work along. You could find yourself with plenty of soap on your panel, but with a semi dry towel after you have gone through a few clean sides or have reached the bottom of a panel. As, a MF towel won't hold as much solution/water as a mitt.

I've tried this method and it works pretty well. But, the last disadvantage seems to always get me from doing it 100%.

[Corey@OptimalDetailing]

What I think is a better take on this concept, is just to get a bunch if clean towels and place them in a small 2 gallon bucket of water. Then, use your foam lance to apply soap to the car, and do a GDWM style wash with your towels using clean sides for each panel , never putting a used towel back into your clean 2 gallon water bucket.

The purpose of the 2 gallon water bucket is the towels have to get wet somehow before they touch paint. The advantages are:

- no dragging or wheeling 2 heavy 5 gal buckets around

- faster to fill 1 bucket with 2 gallons of water then waiting for 10 gallons to flow out.

- much faster to clean and rinse one small 2 gallon bucket when your done than it is to do two 5 gallons.

- no grit guards or dollies required

- no rinsing or squeezing rinse water out from your mitt

- theoretically, you are always using 100% clean wash media on each panel.

Disadvantages:

- a dedicated wash mitt MAY trap dirt better than MF towels

- THEORETICALLY you are always using clean wash media on a new panel. But in actuality, sometimes it can be hard to keep your towels 100% perfectly folded in fourths and edges could get contaminated.

- the wash solution may not stay "as wet" as you work along. You could find yourself with plenty of soap on your panel, but with a semi dry towel after you have gone through a few clean sides or have reached the bottom of a panel. As, a MF towel won't hold as much solution/water as a mitt.

I've tried this method and it works pretty well. But, the last disadvantage seems to always get me from doing it 100%.

This is what I have begun to do after receiving my foam cannon. I use these:

http://images.oreillyauto.com/parts/img/large/vcc/879010spatowels.jpg

They are EXTREMELY soft and plush. Fold them into quarters, get 8 sides out of the deal and you are good to go. I dedicate 1 towel specifically to the lower panels with the heaviest dirt. I have yet to see any marring or swirling with this method on my Jet Black Trailblazer SS. They hold foam/wash soap great and trap any dirt particles nicely. They do work well with a 2BM wash as well if the vehicle isn't too dirty. After using these just once, I trashed any dedicated wash mitt I had.

[Rick72]

I thought about the "1 bucket method" myself and even performed it a few times.

The thing is, in actuality, your mitt is still wet with your "dirty" rinse water. The second bucket in a 2BM acts to pickup soap for your mitt, but you are also replacing the "dirtier" rinse water that's in the mitt with "cleaner soap water" that's from bucket #2. A 2BM also gives a second grit guard a chance to do it's thing.

If you do a 1BM with a foam cannon, your mitt will still touch paint with your "dirty" rinse water.

What I think is a better take on this concept, is just to get a bunch if clean towels and place them in a small 2 gallon bucket of water. Then, use your foam lance to apply soap to the car, and do a GDWM style wash with your towels using clean sides for each panel , never putting a used towel back into your clean 2 gallon water bucket.

The purpose of the 2 gallon water bucket is the towels have to get wet somehow before they touch paint. The advantages are:

- no dragging or wheeling 2 heavy 5 gal buckets around

- faster to fill 1 bucket with 2 gallons of water then waiting for 10 gallons to flow out.

- much faster to clean and rinse one small 2 gallon bucket when your done than it is to do two 5 gallons.

- no grit guards or dollies required

- no rinsing or squeezing rinse water out from your mitt

- theoretically, you are always using 100% clean wash media on each panel.

Disadvantages:

- a dedicated wash mitt MAY trap dirt better than MF towels

- THEORETICALLY you are always using clean wash media on a new panel. But in actuality, sometimes it can be hard to keep your towels 100% perfectly folded in fourths and edges could get contaminated.

- the wash solution may not stay "as wet" as you work along. You could find yourself with plenty of soap on your panel, but with a semi dry towel after you have gone through a few clean sides or have reached the bottom of a panel. As, a MF towel won't hold as much solution/water as a mitt.

I've tried this method and it works pretty well. But, the last disadvantage seems to always get me from doing it 100%.

Basically that's what I'm saying. The GDWM just using fresh mitts for each section of the car. You'll get the pick up that the microfiber won't. Toss them
In the washing machine when done and you are good to go!