How important is a foam gun to washing a car properly?

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I have a Glimour foam gun and use it as a presoak before washing the car using the 2 bucket method with a sheepswool mitt. I dont use it like the Pinnacle/Autogeek video shows with the foam gun in one hand and the mitt in the other washing the car. I fill the FG container with pure soap and dont dilute it I set the gun to the A 1oz per gallon and sometimes B 2oz per gallon when the car is really dirty. The first thing I do when washing my car is pre soak it with the foam gun let it dwell and then give a good rinse before starting to wash it with the mitt. My question is how effective is it using it like this? I sometimes feel I am just wasting soap and time and having all these connectors on the hose for what and if I use it full of soap not dilluting it will it strip LSP?
 
My method is:
1: Hose off car
2: Foam Gun
3: Hose off again
4: Foam again
5: 2 bucket wash
6: Rinse
7: Blower to dry
8: yes I'm anal
 
Foam guns are not a necessity when it comes to washing, but they can help loosen and remove some of the larger dirt particles prior to a good hand washing. I use mine followed by a high pressure rinse and my ONR wash is only slightly dirty when I'm finished. I also keep a couple concentrations of soap mixed up. One for a regular wash and the other to strip my LSP.
 
Once you perfect rinseless washing you will realize that you don't need suds nor foam to wash a car properly and you will do it faster too. It's about the chemicals not the foam and suds.
 
I only ever break out the foam cannon for very bad off vehicles. Anything else I take care of with standard washing.

Do you need it? Not really. I don't need a pressure washer, 10 different wheel brushes, 6 different wash mitts, 11 car shampoos, so on and so forth, but they're all nice to have.
 
AeroCleanse said:
Never used a foam gun, I don't see the need.
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To loosen up and release heavy dirt and grime on a vehicle?

I know your a fan of ONR but it has a better chance of marring a black vehicle than a pressure & foam gun wash with the two bucket method w/grit guards.

Dont you think???
 
Grizzly said:
To loosen up and release heavy dirt and grime on a vehicle?

I know your a fan of ONR but it has a better chance of marring a black vehicle than a pressure & foam gun wash with the two bucket method w/grit guards.

Dont you think???
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Not really. Never had an issue with black cars.
 
I have a foam gun, 2-bucket, DP rinseless, and DP waterless washes. They all have their place. I use the "foam gun" as a presoaker and prelubricator if the vehicle is really dirty. The foam is just a side effect that does nothing for me other than look cool. Before I ever heard of a foam gun I would shake out a solution of car wash from my mitt over a dirty panel coating it before I ever touched it. The foam gun is a just a quick way of doing the same for me.
 
Everything I have read says to rinse frequently but how can you foam the whole car then proceed to the 2 bucket method and do the whole car then finally rinse meanwhile not getting any water spots or the original foam streaking?

Hopefully more people chime in I am really considering ditching the foam gun from my washing regimen..
 
I really don't see the need either. I give the vehicle a good rinsing before washing (2 bucket) so typically all the heavy grime comes off. I have never had an issue with inducing swirls, even on black cars with soft clear. The foam cannon does look cool, but I can think of better things to spend money on.


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I'm sorry, but anyone who ONLY onr's cars isn't really getting them 100% clean. Sometimes there is no replacement for an intense jet of water to get all the dirt out of the nooks and crannies.

I have a foam cannon and pressure washer now that I love. Can the job be done without them? Yes. Would I ever want to go back to doing the job without them? NO!!
 
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I've never used a foam gun, but I've squeezed suds (off of the paint) from a foam sponge onto the paintwork for heavy soil, that is after spraying it with a hose.
 


Spicy McHaggis said:
Heck NO!!
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Fixed
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I don't see the need either, but I want one. Like killrwheels said "cool presoak". Who can resist a toy that shoots suds. Worth it for the entertainment value alone. Im the MANIm the MANIm the MAN
 
I just purchased a PW in the fall and it is definitely the way to go. It came with its own foamer which works "OK", well enough to where I am going to hold off on the foam cannon. Everything can be done without a PW or foam cannon but I personally like the PW much better.

I feel more dirt gets knocked off thus making it safer to wash the paint. Also with the wheels, there is hardly any scrubbing needed on maintained wheels because the PW knocks most of it off.

I like the foamer because I feel you can spray soap on it and it will break down some of the road film making the wash that much safer. Maybe it does nothing but I like it.

I also use it alot for stripping the protection on the car. I put dawn or OPC in there and spray it and let it sit.

As Spicy said, can it be done without them? Yes but do I want to do it without them? Nope!

Just my worthless .02
 
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