Foam Gun usage/ ratio/ method?????

[AutoSpa]

First off I would like to thank eric@thompsonracing.us for answering my questions about the adam's foam guns. He still has in stock if anyone wants one. I ended up purchasing a "Gilmour 75QGFMR Foamaster Adjustable Multi Ratio Cleaning Gun" from amazon because I had a $30 amazon gift card laying around.

 

 

I have a black car () and I am trying to prevent swirls best that I can. I was wondering the method with the foam gun to use on my car. This is what I was thinking:

 

1. rinse with water.

2. Foam soak for 2-3 mins (what ratio is best?)

3. Rinse car off again.

4. Foam soak the car again.

5. use wash mitts to wash car thoroughly.

6. rinse & final dry with my blower.

 

Thank you in advanced for your input!

 

 

James.

[Team Adam's]

The foam does not actually do anything to remove the dirt or soak it loose. So foaming twice is a waste of product. The foam acts more like shaving cream, it protects the skin of your car when you run your wash mitt over the surface. There aren't any ACTIVE ingredients in the car shampoo that attack the dirt. It's your wash mitt providing agitation that removes grime. The shampoo simply provides lubrication and suspends and surrounds the loose particles of grime in a protective solution so as not to cause damage to the paint.

 

 

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Bingo!

 

Our soap (and any quality ph balanced car wash) are not active cleaners... they're not lifting.... its not effervescent.... its not removing dirt without agitation. As much as all of us here at Adam's would appreciate you doubling your soap usage its just wasteful of product and your time. Somewhere along the way someone planted the idea that pre-foaming a car had some inherent benefit to cleaning. I'll admit I even bought into this thinking for a short time, but the truth of the matter is that the soap is just sitting there, running down the panels, and falling to the ground.

 

The same effect can be accomplished using a strong blast from the hose to do a thorough rinse prior to the initial foaming.

 

NOW... if you plan to strip wash using the method I outlined in my F350 detail by mixing APC and CWS to make an off pH strip wash... then yes... foaming and allowing it to sit does have a benefit. The slightly acidic pH will be breaking down the waxes on the surface prior to you taking a mitt to the paint. So in that case you could strip wash foam, allow it to dwell, rinse, refoam and wash for a benefit.

 

The big advantage from a foam gun comes in from delivering lots of lubrication (soap/foam) to the paint easily. This is pretty essential when washing in full sun and relying on the soap to prevent spotting. It also makes sure you have plenty of soap on the surface while washing. A swirl and spot free wash CAN be accomplished by doing a traditional wash using the 2 bucket method, it just requires more time/effort.

 

As far as ratios, I like about 5oz of CWS to 32oz of water for my washing purposes, but a lot depends on your water pressure and how well its pulling mixture thru the gun. For lower pressures you sometimes need more, and you can get away with less if you water pressure is lower.

 

Start somewhere around 4oz of soap to 32oz mixture, adjust up or down from there until you find your 'sweet spot'. Its much harder to define a one size fits all approach with foam guns due to inconsistent hose water pressure.

[AZGTO]

I love my Adams Foam Gun!

[luvmyride]

Used the Adams Shampoo for the first time in my Gilmore today. WOW!!! what a difference it made. I had been using Meguiars Gold Class and was reasonably pleased with the results (have only had the gun for 2 weeks). The 2 oz of Adam's shampoo on the high setting with 24oz of water was much thicker than the Meguiars at double that amount. I still have a bit left in the cup on a mid-sized car.

It was also the first time I have used the detail spray and GW towel. That is like a whole different world from what I have done for years.

Simply amazing!!

[AutoSpa]

Been raining here so I haven't been able to try it yet.

[TEAK]

I used my new foam gun for the first time the other day and did the foam, rinse, foam method for one nasty yellow reason. Pollen! This time of year the pollen is horrible here in the great southeast. I found that foaming the car then ginsing removed more of the pollen from the surface, this keeping me from grindong It into the paint. I'm no chemist but it almost seemed as if the foam held onto the pollen better than just water. I dunno, maybe I'm delusional.

[eric@thompsonracing.us]

Good to hear you got a gun. They are a nice addition to your cleaning process.

 

I use similar methods to Sandra. I use 2oz of Adam's Car Shampoo in my Adam's Foam Gun w/ 1/2 water for my Viper. I use 4oz of Adam's Car Shampoo in my Adam's Foam Gun, full water for my GMC truck.

[Sandra Dee]

Yah...on my well I have.pretty high water pressure....so with it filtered I only need about 2 oz per canister. Water blasts out here in the Southern part of heaven....

 

 

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[Stryker]

I just got mine today!!!

 

I used The Junkman's advice of 4:1 and it came out pretty decent.

 

These pics were taken about a minute after I foamed it

 

 

 

 

For those of you wondering....Yes those are rain clouds. But I really wanted to try it out. You can't expect me to wait all the way till tomorrow!

[AutoSpa]

Thanks everybody, Can't wait to try it out tonight!

[Golf for Life]

Thanks Dylan, that was very helpful, just in from a wash and used 4oz to 32oz and foamed like crazy. Also for the first time I washed the entire car before any rinsing, followed by a sheeting rinse.

[Z71_Denali]

my method for perfect foam is:

 

fill foam gun bottle with enough water to fill about half an inch below the 32oz line.

fill the remainder of the bottle with car shampoo, up to the 32oz line.

attach the bottle to the lid/gun portion of the foam gun.

swish it around in a circular motion, trying to make as little foam as possible inside the bottle, while mixing the solution.

 

rinse vehicle off, use pressure washer if needed for heavy dirt/bugs on the front.

give the foam gun one last shake mixing some of the shampoo that settled to the bottom.

foam vehicle from top to bottom. i use the light blue colored nozzle inside the gun. i usually have enough to foam my full size truck twice.

then immediately start the two bucket wash with my merino wool mitt for the top 2/3 and jumbo wash pad for the bottom 1/3 of the vehicle.

 

it takes me between 45 minutes and an hour to completely wash one vehicle. from setting up my hose, pressure washer, wash buckets, & foam gun; to the initial rinse, foaming, two bucket wash, 2nd rinse, final "pooling" rinse, blow drying nooks and crannies with blaster sidekick, towel drying, and finally putting stuff away.

[XQIZT]

One other thing to keep in mind, especially since we are in Florida: Do your washing as early as you can, in the shade, or in the late evening. The heat right now just super heats the surface and even though the Shampoo is good at not spotting, it will still happen in the baking sun. Let us know how it turns out.

[Chewy]

When I rinse my car off, I let it soak for quite a while and then spray it off using my Adams Fire Hose Nozzle and making sure to spray every square inch thoroughly with high pressure to loosen and remove the dirt. This may take me 10-15 minutes alone.

 

I only foam once, and use it on the highest setting. Let it sit, and then grab my jumbo wash pad, fluff it up to get the foam all worked up in it, and then wash. Two swipes on the top panels per side of the pad, and one swipe for the sides of the car, then into the bucket of clear water unless I can visibly see dirt, and then I hose it off and then into the clear water bucket and then into the soap and repeat until done.

 

Mine is black as well, AND my DD. It is corrected.

 

Chris

[Chobbs]

And don't forget... Two bucket wash!!! You'll need to keep your mitt free from grime so your not grinding dirt back into your finish.

 

Watch the Junkmans videos on proper wash technique. It is very important to follow his steps completely. Especially with a black car!!!!!

 

 

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[Chobbs]

The foam does not actually do anything to remove the dirt or soak it loose. So foaming twice is a waste of product. The foam acts more like shaving cream, it protects the skin of your car when you run your wash mitt over the surface. There aren't any ACTIVE ingredients in the car shampoo that attack the dirt. It's your wash mitt providing agitation that removes grime. The shampoo simply provides lubrication and suspends and surrounds the loose particles of grime in a protective solution so as not to cause damage to the paint.

 

 

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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandra Dee]

I put 2 ounces of adams shampoo in filtered water that is already in the canister of the foam gun. That way the shampoo does not stick to the bottom of the canister. I have hard water since I am on a well, hence the filtered water.

Hope this helps...

 

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[Chris@Adams]

If your car is realllllllly dirty, that's when to foam it up twice. If it's just in need of a wash, rinse the car thoroughly with water, blast the car with foam, then start your two bucket wash. No need for an extra round of foam if you don't have to.

 

I mean, I'm sure Adam doesn't mind you using more soap, thus needing to order more! But, to me, no sense in wasting product if you don't have to.

 

I only foam twice usually in the winter time, when there is a bunch of extra junk all over the SS or the wife's 6.

 

Mook

[THE Mook]

If your car is realllllllly dirty, that's when to foam it up twice. If it's just in need of a wash, rinse the car thoroughly with water, blast the car with foam, then start your two bucket wash. No need for an extra round of foam if you don't have to.

 

I mean, I'm sure Adam doesn't mind you using more soap, thus needing to order more! But, to me, no sense in wasting product if you don't have to.

 

I only foam twice usually in the winter time, when there is a bunch of extra junk all over the SS or the wife's 6.

 

Mook