New Shampoo & VRT Feedback *Vid Update*

[clg82]

No it is not.  The purpose of the foam gun is to add a coat of soap to act as lubrication between your wash media.  The foam cannon has no benefit other than the fun factor and coolness factor to catch the eye of passers by.  It would be recommended to initially rinse all dirt from the surface using either tool. 

 

Gotcha so if someone is ONLY using the 2 bucket wash method...with limited amount of suds from the Adams car wash shampoo....they are doing it incorrectly and should be using the gun or cannon first and than the two bucket wash method.....if that is the true correct method what about people that appreciate more "suds" from their shampoo they use to wash their car?

[The Guz]

Gotcha so if someone is ONLY using the 2 bucket wash method...with limited amount of suds from the Adams car wash shampoo....they are doing it incorrectly and should be using the gun or cannon first and than the two bucket wash method.....if that is the true correct method what about people that appreciate more "suds" from their shampoo they use to wash their car?

 

No that is not true either. 

 

Soap is there to act a lubricant between the wash media.  Suds do nothing for you. 

 

The fact that a 2 bucket wash is being done is the correct way to wash. 

 

Heck I only use one bucket when I use a foam gun.  Am I doing it wrong?  No indeed.  The added soap from the gun is adding more lubricity between my wash media and the paint allowing the wash media to glide effortlessly. 

 

If you want to add fun to your wash get a foam gun or foam cannon.

 

Here's another example.  I was sent another manufacturers shampoo for review and it is intended to not sud.  Does that mean it is not doing anything?  On the other hand it is doing what it should be and that is clean the surface as well as being easier to wash off the paint without leaving any sort of soap film residue.  It had the lubricity to not harm the paint.  It was odd not seeing suds on the paint because we are all obsessed with suds. 

 

Here in the states we are love our suds because it makes us feel all warm and tingly inside.  Overseas the shampoo's used do not form suds. 

[clg82]

No that is not true either. 

 

Soap is there to act a lubricant between the wash media.  Suds do nothing for you. 

 

The fact that a 2 bucket wash is being done is the correct way to wash. 

 

Heck I only use one bucket when I use a foam gun.  Am I doing it wrong?  No indeed.  The added soap from the gun is adding more lubricity between my wash media and the paint allowing the wash media to glide effortlessly. 

 

If you want to add fun to your wash get a foam gun or foam cannon.

 

Here's another example.  I was sent another manufacturers shampoo for review and it is intended to not sud.  Does that mean it is not doing anything?  On the other hand it is doing what it should be and that is clean the surface as well as being easier to wash off the paint without leaving any sort of soap film residue.  It had the lubricity to not harm the paint.  It was odd not seeing suds on the paint because we are all obsessed with suds. 

 

Here in the states we are love our suds because it makes us feel all warm and tingly inside.  Overseas the shampoo's used do not form suds. 

 

Gotcha...I'm totally new to all of this "proper washing technique" and didn't mean to come off as rude...thanks for the helpful info!

[Ricky Bobby]

Guz is on point. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Think about it this way you probably take baths with muscle soaks and special soaps and your bath doesn't suds up. We stopped taking bubble baths when we were kids right? Bubbles are fun for baths (and car washes) but it's everything else but the bubbles that's important when washing and bathing both yourself and your car.

[TheWolf]

Than what is the point of the foam gun and foam cannon?  Isn't the suds supposed to encapsulate dirt and junk to keep it from scratching the paint? 

 

The cleaning agents and polymers in the shampoo, not the suds, help loosen and encapsulate the dirt, to help prevent scratching.

 

My earlier comment on the suds not being the only important part of the shampoo was not meant to imply that the suds are not needed, but rather that the suds are a part of the shampoo, along with the cleaning agents and lubricating polymers.  There is a balance between them, and more lubrication often means less suds, and vice versa.

 

I do not agree with a couple of the comments above.  I think the suds are very important, as they allow the shampoo mixture, with the cleaning agents and polymers, to dwell longer on the surface, so you have a chance to use your wash media.  The suds provide "hang time" for the shampoo; without the suds, then the mixture runs off quicker.  The more hang time with the suds, the more lubrication that stays on the surface, the safer the wash, and the less you have to hurry before it runs off.

 

There is more to a foam cannon or foam gun than just fun, even though both are fun to use!  The point of the foam gun or foam cannon is to get more shampoo on the surface, faster.  This makes it safer for washing, and also means fewer trips back to the bucket to get more shampoo.  The big benefit of the foam cannon is that the high pressure water is used to mix air into the shampoo, giving you thicker foam that clings even longer.  I use a foam cannon for every wash, and it is safer and more efficient, especially with a large truck to clean.  I only use one bucket as a rinse bucket for the wash media (wedge or pad).  All the shampoo gets onto the surface from the foam cannon, and the foam stays there long enough to clean 3-4 panels, with a rinse of the wedge between each panel.  Before getting a pressure washer and foam cannon, I used to spend more time running back to the bucket to get more shampoo, and never seemed to have enough shampoo on the surface to feel like it was entirely effective.

[clg82]

The cleaning agents and polymers in the shampoo, not the suds, help loosen and encapsulate the dirt, to help prevent scratching.

 

My earlier comment on the suds not being the only important part of the shampoo was not meant to imply that the suds are not needed, but rather that the suds are a part of the shampoo, along with the cleaning agents and lubricating polymers.  There is a balance between them, and more lubrication often means less suds, and vice versa.

 

I do not agree with a couple of the comments above.  I think the suds are very important, as they allow the shampoo mixture, with the cleaning agents and polymers, to dwell longer on the surface, so you have a chance to use your wash media.  The suds provide "hang time" for the shampoo; without the suds, then the mixture runs off quicker.  The more hang time with the suds, the more lubrication that stays on the surface, the safer the wash, and the less you have to hurry before it runs off.

 

There is more to a foam cannon or foam gun than just fun, even though both are fun to use!  The point of the foam gun or foam cannon is to get more shampoo on the surface, faster.  This makes it safer for washing, and also means fewer trips back to the bucket to get more shampoo.  The big benefit of the foam cannon is that the high pressure water is used to mix air into the shampoo, giving you thicker foam that clings even longer.  I use a foam cannon for every wash, and it is safer and more efficient, especially with a large truck to clean.  I only use one bucket as a rinse bucket for the wash media (wedge or pad).  All the shampoo gets onto the surface from the foam cannon, and the foam stays there long enough to clean 3-4 panels, with a rinse of the wedge between each panel.  Before getting a pressure washer and foam cannon, I used to spend more time running back to the bucket to get more shampoo, and never seemed to have enough shampoo on the surface to feel like it was entirely effective.

 

That last part is exactly how I feel everytime I use Adams car shampoo....maybe I will try your way and not use adams shampoo in the bucket and just use my foam gun with a fresh bucket of water to rinse out my wash pad....

[TheWolf]

And this is why I use the Foam Cannon for washing.  TONS of suds and lubrication on the surface, and since the paint was not too dirty, I wiped the whole side of the vehicle with the wash pad before rinsing the pad, by just flipping the pad halfway through.

 

 

 

When using the Foam Cannon, I do not foam the whole car, so the foam does not all run off before I can hit it with the wash pad or wedge.

 

I foam the roof, windshield and hood, then use the wash media, rinsing the pad or wedge as needed, based on how dirty the car is.

 

Then I do the windows on one side, foam, wash media.  Then the windows on the other side, then go through each section, foaming and using the wash media.

 

Do the middle sections, one side, then the other, then the front, then the back, staying above the lower third.  I finish doing the lower sections, one side, next side, front bumper, then back bumper.

 

It also makes it easy and faster if you have a helper to run the Foam Cannon while you wash.

 

[The Guz]

How long did it take you to wash the truck after taking out the pressure washer, foam cannon and buckets?

[TheWolf]

How long did it take you to wash the truck after taking out the pressure washer, foam cannon and buckets?

 

How long it takes to wash the truck or Explorer depends on how dirty it is, how many bugs, and whatever else I am planning on doing. Those pics are from washing the Explorer, and I was going to seal it, so I spent extra time making sure it was super clean.

 

And whatever group of Ford designers came up with the three-piece, convoluted, more nooks than a bookstore, non-functioning grill that collects and hides pounds of bugs, should be fired.

 

It takes me an extra 1-2 minutes to get the pressure washer out and fill up the Foam Cannon, with is not much more time then filling up a second bucket for a typical two-bucket wash.  The pressure washer is on my detailing cart, the hose and wand stay connected and there is a hose reel, so all I do is roll the cart out, plug it in, pull the hose off the reel, and it is ready to go.

 

For this detail, I spent 3 hours total.  Tire scrub, wheels and barrels, thorough wash, clay bar, then HGG.  And since I used to just do two-bucket washes without the pressure washer or foam cannon, I know that the extra couple minutes getting the pressure washer and Foam Cannon out takes less time then having to keep going back to the bucket to get more shampoo on the pad.

 

I also know that doing a pressure washer pre-rinse removes more dirt and crud than a garden hose would, so more potentially swirl-causing stuff is removed before I even touch the paint.

[JDrach]

If only I had a pressure washer for all the extra foam... looks like a blast to wash. 

[Sako4me]

Heres a simple test, go to the store and buy 3 gallons of distilled water, it's cheap.  Fill your soap gun with that and use the rest for your wash bucket and see how that performs.  Easy way to see if you have water issues.  Your paint appears to be very hydrophobic in that video, which means you've got plenty of good protection on it.

[JDrach]

Thanks for the tip Jason, I've decided to get more suds when it comes to washing with the bucket and mitt to simply add more soap than I would expect to. Used the wash and wax stuff last weekend and i used a good amount from my 32 oz bottle i got and got great results with suds and overall process. 

[07RS4]

Thanks for the tip Jason, I've decided to get more suds when it comes to washing with the bucket and mitt to simply add more soap than I would expect to. Used the wash and wax stuff last weekend and i used a good amount from my 32 oz bottle i got and got great results with suds and overall process.

 

Are you saying you used almost 32 oz of Wash and Wax to wash your vehicle? Definitely try what Jason said, then you can rule out your water or confirm. There is no way you should be using more than 4 oz of any soap for a wash, you will go broke.

 

Heck, I use distilled for everything....you can even do a final sheet rinse with a gallon and not have to worry about spots.

[Ls1transam]

So I have a local spring that everyone around here gets water from. Could i use that?

[LT1xL82]

So I have a local spring that everyone around here gets water from. Could i use that?

 

Maybe. 

 

Have a sample of the water tested by a lab...it's not crazy expensive. Or get a meter to test for Total Dissolved Solids...they are not very expensive either. 

[JDrach]

Are you saying you used almost 32 oz of Wash and Wax to wash your vehicle? Definitely try what Jason said, then you can rule out your water or confirm. There is no way you should be using more than 4 oz of any soap for a wash, you will go broke.

 

Heck, I use distilled for everything....you can even do a final sheet rinse with a gallon and not have to worry about spots.

No no I put about 3-4 oz in my foam gun, and maybe like 2 to 3 in my wash bucket