Foamage

[TheCarBarber]

just a quick question

those of you that use a foam gun [as i do], do you get to washing right after you foam the car? Or do you let the foam sit for a minute, then rinse the foam and whatever grime it loosened off, and then wash?

 

I never really thought about it so I thought I would ask! Personally, i just foam and then get to washing. I don't fill my bucket with soap either, i just soak the pads with the foam gun

[kmartind4]

I tried foaming my entire vehicle then washing, but by the time i finished the windshield and hood all the foam ran off the sides. Since I am working with such a large vehicle, suburban, I will do one section at a time.

[07RS4]

I rinsed some heavy dust off a car in direct sunlight during a humid day once this summer. I wasn't going to wash it because it was a rental. Steam rolled off the car in gobs as I rinsed it. By the time I put the hose away and closed up my garage, that car had a billion dried up water spots on it.

 

I'm a bachelor so I don't have to juggle time with the family and all (just the women ), but with that said, I'd rather leave a car dirty than to wash it at the wrong time or wash it improperly. Dirt doesn't hurt the paint as long as you don't touch it.

 

Juggling women, Bwahaha. Those were the days;)

[Junkman2008]

I rinsed some heavy dust off a car in direct sunlight during a humid day once this summer. I wasn't going to wash it because it was a rental. Steam rolled off the car in gobs as I rinsed it. By the time I put the hose away and closed up my garage, that car had a billion dried up water spots on it.

 

I'm a bachelor so I don't have to juggle time with the family and all (just the women ), but with that said, I'd rather leave a car dirty than to wash it at the wrong time or wash it improperly. Dirt doesn't hurt the paint as long as you don't touch it.

[Doug123]

Is this clinging grime coming off of your waxed vehicle?

[07RS4]

Mixing Waterless Wash into the foam gun is a complete waste of WW and serves no practical purpose. Save your money.

 

The Car Shampoo while sitting on the car will begin to break up and soften any dirt that is on the car so yes, that process does serve a very important purpose. Since I wash my car in my garage, the soap doesn't dry before I get to it. For those of you washing in a driveway during the middle of the day, I'm surprised that your car doesn't have a million water spots on it once you get done. You cannot wash a car in direct sunlight and expect to have any kind of success. That is just torturing yourself.

 

I was adding the WW because I thought it might cut the dirt and grime better than straight shampoo, not to avoid waterspots. Somebody stated when they dried their car, it was still dirty as evident on the GW drying towel. Dylan said to boost the PH of the shampoo to increase cleaning effectiveness, and I thought that might help. It didn't works well .

[07RS4]

So who is allowing the soap to dry on the car anyway? I know that I don't. That's why I tell guys to wash their car at sundown or before sun up if you have to do it outside. I do mine in the garage just to avoid anything drying on the car.

 

I try not to, but with a family time is not always right. I know it's not ideal AJ, but to be fair, Adam washes that black corvette in peak sunlight and says it's perfectly fine.

 

To tell you the truth, even in 100 plus temps when I do wash, I never get water spots anyway. If I get a few, the DS knocks them right out during the dry process. Even when I wash my car at night though, in the moonlight, the foam is usually gone by the time I finish. I must be slooowwww man!

 

Thanks for the tips Mr. Junkman:patriot:

[Wardo]

So who is allowing the soap to dry on the car anyway? I know that I don't. That's why I tell guys to wash their car at sundown or before sun up if you have to do it outside. I do mine in the garage just to avoid anything drying on the car.

 

I have been. Since its so hot here, everything drys no matter if your outside or inside with the sun down. I always use detail spray when drying so there is never water spots.

 

I got the idea of letting the soap sit because its better than straight water sitting on the paint.

[Junkman2008]

So who is allowing the soap to dry on the car anyway? I know that I don't. That's why I tell guys to wash their car at sundown or before sun up if you have to do it outside. I do mine in the garage just to avoid anything drying on the car.

[TheCarBarber]

cool thanks for all the input. i guess i will keep doing what im doing

 

hard rinse, spray foam all over my pad, spray and mitt the car in sections, rinse as i go to prevent the drying of soap to hold dirt on the car, final rinse.

 

although letting this particular soap dry on your finish may not be harmful, i have found that when you do let it dry it tends to hold the dirt it removed where it dried. this is especially noticeable with white vehicles, obviously.

[Junkman2008]

Dude, that's what I've been thinking lately. I do the same thing, but in a few posts lately Dylan has been saying that the nuetral soap really isn't cutting any dirt and grime. Usually by the time I wash, my foam is done dried up on me.

 

I really like the foam a panel at a time idea...but first, and tell me what you think about this ....pre-foaming with mixture of 3 oz Car Shampoo and 3 oz. of the Waterless Wash. This way, the pre-treat is actually cutting some dirt free and or giving you some lube action. Yeah? Nea?

 

I say F it. I'm doing it. Haha

 

Mixing Waterless Wash into the foam gun is a complete waste of WW and serves no practical purpose. Save your money.

 

The Car Shampoo while sitting on the car will begin to break up and soften any dirt that is on the car so yes, that process does serve a very important purpose. Since I wash my car in my garage, the soap doesn't dry before I get to it. For those of you washing in a driveway during the middle of the day, I'm surprised that your car doesn't have a million water spots on it once you get done. You cannot wash a car in direct sunlight and expect to have any kind of success. That is just torturing yourself.

[07RS4]

I am not sure how effective it will lift the dirt but it should make it super slippery!! Try it and let us know...

 

Well, I did a "quick" 2 bucket on the RS tonight and tried foaming with the method I talked about. I did 24 Oz water, 4 oz WW and 4 oz Car Shampoo. I did not like how it came out, and I don't really think it served a purpose.

 

First, it was hard to get them mixed together properly before I even started to foam. I had to take the reservior off and stir it with a paint stick.

 

Second, after I was satisfied with the mixture, I foamed. I believe the WW kind of nuetralized the foaming of the soap. The foam came out really flat. It was slicker, but I didn't like the foam result.

 

No pics, but I was tired and just wanted to get it over with. I don't recommend doing it, but give it a whirl if you like.

 

Sorry, I understand::worth:

[Marylander]

I start washing as soon as I am done foaming!

 

Me too -- basic rinse/wet first to remove any big stuff, then foam the car, then start washing with a soapy wash pad. I do all the panels, then one rinse at the end.

[Doug123]

First, my HHR is a black DD and lives outside all year long, in a marine environment. (yes, brass things even inside the house corrode slowly).

 

I start with a hard rinse first, then foam, wait 3 minutes with the foam on the finish, rinse the first foam off hard, then foam again, and only then put a soapy wash pad on the finish. I have tested the difference in the finish (with my finger) during the first foaming, and during the 2nd foaming. Here near the beach, sometimes the finish gets a little tacky, very slightly, (must be the ocean air) and this holds the dust and grit on, no kidding.

 

By the time the 2nd foam is on the car, I estimate that about 75 percent of what I felt initially is off the finish(yes, with the 2nd foam on the car, I checked it again with my finger), and I haven't even touched the paint with the wash pad yet. Worth it? I would say yes. I am polishing the finish less, and that's a good thing for me.

 

Try it and see if this works for you - do a little experiment - it may not be necessary in other areas

 

additional note: I do wash it in the shade, mornings, (sometimes evenings) and dry it in the shade. Once I final rinse the car, I mist it with Detail Spray, and then start drying it with GW towels and the Blaster Sidekick. The water here is hard, and this works. But with black paint, washing and drying shade is really important -

[07RS4]

I am not sure how effective it will lift the dirt but it should make it super slippery!! Try it and let us know...

 

Yeah, for sure.

[Chris@Adams]

I start washing as soon as I am done foaming!

[camaro2ssblack]

Dude, that's what I've been thinking lately. I do the same thing, but in a few posts lately Dylan has been saying that the nuetral soap really isn't cutting any dirt and grime. Usually by the time I wash, my foam is done dried up on me.

 

I really like the foam a panel at a time idea...but first, and tell me what you think about this ....pre-foaming with mixture of 3 oz Car Shampoo and 3 oz. of the Waterless Wash. This way, the pre-treat is actually cutting some dirt free and or giving you some lube action. Yeah? Nea?

 

I say F it. I'm doing it. Haha

 

 

I am not sure how effective it will lift the dirt but it should make it super slippery!! Try it and let us know...

[07RS4]

Personally I think foaming twice is overkill...it sounds good in theory but with PH neutral mild soap, the foam is not doing any work on the dirt just sitting there. Your basically just wasting soap by foaming, rinsing, and foaming again. Now if you are doing a strip wash with added APC to the mixture, then letting it sit on the car has merit.

 

I used to foam the entire car then wash but I have found that the foam will slide off the vertical panels before you get a chance to scrub that area. Now I simply prep my buckets and foam gun, then do a really thorough rinse of the entire car. I then will foam a panel (starting with the roof), then wash it. Then hit the grit guards and foam the next panel, and repeat.

 

That way the foam is always fresh and your mitts/pads are clean for each section of the car. I also have started hitting my wash bucket with a shot of foam to revive the suds...so far this has been working great for me and I dont feel bad for wasting soap and water (money and environment).

 

Just my $0.02

 

Dude, that's what I've been thinking lately. I do the same thing, but in a few posts lately Dylan has been saying that the nuetral soap really isn't cutting any dirt and grime. Usually by the time I wash, my foam is done dried up on me.

 

I really like the foam a panel at a time idea...but first, and tell me what you think about this ....pre-foaming with mixture of 3 oz Car Shampoo and 3 oz. of the Waterless Wash. This way, the pre-treat is actually cutting some dirt free and or giving you some lube action. Yeah? Nea?

 

I say F it. I'm doing it. Haha

[Vincenzo]

I spray the car down with water, then with foam, then I have a water/soap/apc at a dilution of 10:5:1 which I apply liberally to any particularly bad spots on the car, like the bottom of the 1/4s and the front bumper. Next, I rinse the car off, and re-spray with foam, which I allow to sit for a minute before I get to actually washing it. While washing then, I occasionally spray some extra foam onto an area where needed. It wastes alot of soap, but it works well.

[camaro2ssblack]

Personally I think foaming twice is overkill...it sounds good in theory but with PH neutral mild soap, the foam is not doing any work on the dirt just sitting there. Your basically just wasting soap by foaming, rinsing, and foaming again. Now if you are doing a strip wash with added APC to the mixture, then letting it sit on the car has merit.

 

I used to foam the entire car then wash but I have found that the foam will slide off the vertical panels before you get a chance to scrub that area. Now I simply prep my buckets and foam gun, then do a really thorough rinse of the entire car. I then will foam a panel (starting with the roof), then wash it. Then hit the grit guards and foam the next panel, and repeat.

 

That way the foam is always fresh and your mitts/pads are clean for each section of the car. I also have started hitting my wash bucket with a shot of foam to revive the suds...so far this has been working great for me and I dont feel bad for wasting soap and water (money and environment).

 

Just my $0.02

[BlueGenCoupe]

I use a foam cannon and what I do is, rinse off the car, spray it down with the foam cannon, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse it off. Ispray the car down again with the foam cannon, then I use the wash pads, scrub her down and rinse it off again.

 

The whole point of the first spray down and rinse is to losen any dirt, bugs ect... and so that I dont get any dirt in my pads and cause swirls/scratches.

 

On the sencond pass all the contaniments are removed from the car and now its safe to give it a scrub down.

 

Junkman did a video on waterspots, but its the same technique I use every wash.

 

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