Soak car before using foam gun?

[ymc226]

Just ordered the Tornador Foamer HP foam gun using an air compressor.

Do I need to give the car a complete soak with the hose prior to spraying the foam on or will the pre-soak make the foam less clingy and just slide down he vertical panels?

[wdmaccord]

I prefer to foam first, power rinse, then 2BM.

[ymc226]

Can you please clarify what is a power rinse and 2BM?

[trekkeruss]

Most people use a foam cannon with a pressure washer, not a foam gun with an air compressor. A power rinse would be done with a pressure washer. 2BM is doing a two bucket wash after the foaming, to remove road grime that can't be removed by foam or a pressure wash.

[J Cole]

I've used both the Tornador foam gun and a foam lance on my pressure washer. The foam gun will produce much thicker foam but in my experience it doesn't last longer than the foam from a pressure washer.

I usually use my foam gun on tires and by the time I've hit the fourth tire the foam on the first tire has died down. However, of course, this may vary depending on what you put in your foam gun. I usually mix some degreaser, sonax full effect, and APC.

In my foam lance I mix Iron X snow soap, degreaser, APC, poor boy's bug squash, and some Meguiar's hyperwash. I find that it works pretty well as a pre wash soak. But you don't get a lot of soaking time. A lot of the foam and what not runs off the car. But I'd say you get a good five minutes. So I usually hit the car once, work on the bugs up front, or some tar or something, hit it again, maybe hit some spots with Iron X, then I rinse it all off, so I get about 10 minutes of good soaking time and it does seem to help during my 2BM wash.

In my opinion I would use your foam gun before rinsing the car if it has a moderate to low amount of contaminants on it. But if it's really dirty, such as mud, I would definitely rinse it first.

[Mask]

Rinse with pressure wash follow by Foam party ^^ and rinse again.
Then... choose your like:
- 2 bucket wash
- rinseless wash
- waterless wash

Regards

[Ccrew]

Can you please clarify what is a power rinse and 2BM?

2BM = 2 Bucket Method

[SameGuy]

J Cole: I'm not knocking whatever works for you, but that does seem like an awful lot of chemicals to mix in a foam cannon solution. Have you checked the various compositions and pH numbers? I'd think a few of them probably neutralize the others.

[FUNX650]

I always hose down a vehicle before washing it...That's
washing it using the 2-Bucket/Grit-Guard/Wash-Mitt
System.


Don't be too disappointed if "foaming" does not
get your vehicle as clean as you expect it should.


Bob

[Souldetailer]

I always hose down a vehicle before washing it...That's
washing it using the 2-Bucket/Grit-Guard/Wash-Mitt
System.


Don't be too disappointed if "foaming" does not
get your vehicle as clean as you expect it should.


Bob

I agree with Bob on this one, although I DO foam after the hitting it with the PW. I don't know why, I guess I'm one of the folks that thinks it helps. I mean, come on, who doesn't like a ton of foam to make things fun. That's reason enough! Then 2 bucket and proceed as usual. Take care.

Peace,

Darrin

[J Cole]

J Cole: I'm not knocking whatever works for you, but that does seem like an awful lot of chemicals to mix in a foam cannon solution. Have you checked the various compositions and pH numbers? I'd think a few of them probably neutralize the others.

They're all either around 7 or close to 14 at 13.5. I originally didn't use the Iron X Snow Soap or the Bug Squash but slowly added them in. When I added in the Iron X I ensured that it still reacted with areas iron was present. The snow soap isn't as strong as normal Iron X but when I rinse the car off there is still some purple in the foam being rinsed off. And last I added the bug squash, I'm still trying to determine if it's better to add that to the foam lance or if it's more beneficial sprayed onto the surface of the car by itself. So far it seems like it's working pretty well and by putting it in the foam lance it does save time.

Obviously every car is different so it's hard to compare side by side. It may add no benefit at all but the cars seem to come cleaner easier during the following 2BM wash - and the foam lasts a bit longer.

[Bunky]

Unless I am using AF Avalanche, I like:
1. Rinse
2. Foam
--optional
Rinse
Foam
------
4. Wash

[shagnat]

I don't think two foams are going to do much unless you've got some sort of 4x4 that's just terribly filthy from going off-roading.
If it's just a DD I think a 2 foam waste product/water/time/energy.
Just my 2 cents

[DZ302]

I always rinse the vehicle first to remove any large debris, mud, dirt, bird dropping etc than I use the foam gun....much better final product and your not grinding mud , dirt etc you can not longer see through the foam over the painted surfaces....make sense ?

[ducksfan]

Isn't foam like horsepower ? Can you have too much ?