Honestly, is foaming even effective? Isn't a simple wash mitt much better?

Kitoy22 said:
When foaming then rinse and then do the 2 bucket wash, is the life of the wax or sealant shortened faster? I am assuming this, since the wax/sealant was exposed 2 times to the shampoo.
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Just the act of "touching" the paint, for example pushing any type of wash mitt, sponge or brush with any type of soap over the surface, will act to micro-abrade the paint to some level.


I always frame topics like this in extremes to help make it easier to understand, like this...


Does washing your car add more wax?


What's the opposite of the word adding?


Nothing lasts forever, not even you or I. Except now there are coatings, that theoretically last longer than waxes and paint sealants even when washed...


3-Categories: Waxes, Paint Sealants and Coatings



:D
 
Pureshine said:
Not so you will actually have more chance of marring cause the loos dirt is still on car. Your missing the whole point of foaming is to get the loose dirt of so you don't mar the paint. If your washing the car with foam on it all your doing is rubbing loose dirt all over the car.
Foam
Rinse
2bucket wash
Rinse
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Agreed! I foam dry, let dwell, rinse, two bucket wash, rinse.
 
So the foam should be put on a dry car . Then let it dwell and rinse the car off . After that wash with a two bucket method and then rinse . Couldn't you spray the car down with foam agin and do the two bucket wash after the dwell and rinse?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using AG Online
 
If you have power washed the car first, then foamed it, I don't see why you couldn't just then wash it with the two bucket method. The power wash will have gotten rid of all the loose stuff whereas the foam would soften it preparation for the hand washing, at least as I see it.
 
BTW I hear some people foam wet and some foam dry. I think the foam might stick better to a dry surface so that is how I have always done it but I'm not sure if that is doing it right or not.
 
timsatx said:
If you have power washed the car first, then foamed it, I don't see why you couldn't just then wash it with the two bucket method. The power wash will have gotten rid of all the loose stuff whereas the foam would soften it preparation for the hand washing, at least as I see it.
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This makes sense. I'm still relatively new to the "foam party" but with the pH neutral wash soap I have been using in the foam cannon I don't see it taking off very much dirt/grime from the paint.

Rather than foam a dry vehicle I will, at a minimum, pressure wash w/ 40* nozzle the lower panels, fender wells, and rocker panels. Once all the large particles are removed I foam up, rinse, foam and traditional 2BM wash. I am wondering, though, if the initial foam/rinse is necessary as it does not seem to be removing very much (if any) more loose dirt than was removed in the initial "water only" pre-rinse.
 
I did the foam then let it dwell for 5 min then rinsed and the two bucket wash today . I don't see were the dwelling did anything at all . I mean if I'm using something to strip the cars lsps and all then yeah . But I think that a good pw rinse. Then foaming and washing with the foam on the vehicle is the way to go . Something about all the foam on the car seem like it would be safer for the clear coat . The wash mitt glides across the paint . So wouldn't the foam be making a barrier between the cars paint an the mitt . As if the mit wasen t really touching the paint at all.? That's just a theory of mine I could be wronge .

Sent from my SPH-L710 using AG Online
 
One of my favorite Drive eps:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Sqi1lAj1A]Audi R8 BLACKBIRD: Basic Car Wash Techniques - DRIVE CLEAN - YouTube[/video]

Skip to 7:40 if you don't care for the beginning to see his "wash mitt foam gun technique." Pretty interesting.
 
I don't have a foam gun, but I did experience something yesterday that makes me believe in them. I used a touchless wash (it was still in the 20's here in Indiana...) and it started with two separate foam pre-soaks. With each one, I watched the foam completely carry away three different spots of bird poop on my window and windshield. By the end of the second soak, they were gone! I know they probably use a stronger soap than most of us would, but the idea is the same. So, the foam obviously helps carry away some of the dirt. If your car is especially dirty, it can help prevent some micro-marring.

On another note, I was super excited to find this wash :D. It was the most thorough and effective touchless I've ever used!
 
^ exactly... if touchless car washes can remove some gunk from a car by just foaming .. i am sure that foam canons also help
 
Pureshine said:
Not so you will actually have more chance of marring cause the loos dirt is still on car. Your missing the whole point of foaming is to get the loose dirt of so you don't mar the paint. If your washing the car with foam on it all your doing is rubbing loose dirt all over the car.
Foam
Rinse
2bucket wash
Rinse
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Read this please before you post and ask a question when the answer has already been posted.
 
I have a karcher foam attachment. It is not a foam lance and does not produce much foam. it foams well and is runny, which I personally like because it strips the diet right away. Cut time too.

I mix OPC or strong cleaner with pH balanced shampoo for stronger cleaning action. As for maintenance, i use mildest shampoo. Oh mixing ONR in your 2 BM is also useful.
 
AutoHeed said:
I mix OPC or strong cleaner with pH balanced shampoo for stronger cleaning action. As for maintenance, i use mildest shampoo. Oh mixing ONR in your 2 BM is also useful.
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Of course you are then taking a product which will often be expensive due to being mild and mixing it with an aggressive and inexpensive product. At this point, you are totally negating the pH balanced element so why not just use a cheaper foam wash product which will be alkaline in the first place and won't require you to add the cleaner?

Alkaline traffic film removers are a very well accepted way of vehicle cleaning and cost much much less than your fancy shampoos - effectively this is what you have made!
 
AutoHeed said:
I have a karcher foam attachment. It is not a foam lance and does not produce much foam. it foams well and is runny, which I personally like because it strips the diet right away. Cut time too.

I mix OPC or strong cleaner with pH balanced shampoo for stronger cleaning action. As for maintenance, i use mildest shampoo. Oh mixing ONR in your 2 BM is also useful.
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Try Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss in your foam gun. A little goes along way and it is highly concentrated. Strips wax and cleans very well. No need for APC IMO with this soap.
 
Will definitely try that. Been hearing nothing but good reputation. Thanks!
 
TheCougarGuy said:
There has been a couple times when my truck has just been dusty from sitting in the garage, etc. that I just foamed it, rinsed it then dried it with the Master Blaster.

No touching, no scratching!
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Is the Master Blaster something AG sells?
 
Bert31 said:
Is the Master Blaster something AG sells?
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Yes. They cary the 4HP and 8HP models.

The Metro MasterBlaster is Metro's most powerful blower/dryer at 8hp! Blow dry your motorcycle & your vehicle with this big blower.

autogeek_2253_148229972.gif
 
BrutalNoodle said:
One of my favorite Drive eps:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Sqi1lAj1A]Audi R8 BLACKBIRD: Basic Car Wash Techniques - DRIVE CLEAN - YouTube[/video]

Skip to 7:40 if you don't care for the beginning to see his "wash mitt foam gun technique." Pretty interesting.
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Good stuff. What I was doing was almost the same process except after the initial foam, I would foam one panel and wash with mitt then rinse and so on and so forth. I have to try his method.
 
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