need some foam advice please

[budinsc]

hey guys-

i recently got my foam gun from ag and need some thoughts on how to best use it. my first attempt was to foam the whole car and try to wash it down all at one time. i found the foam started to dry at the top way before i could get the wash done.

my next attempt im going to just foam the top and windows and wash that part and rinse it. next im going to do the front clip the same way then the rear clip in a like manner. finally ill do the same for the wheels and tires. is this process ok or am i doing something wrong? in all the videos i see on the forum most everyone is foaming the entire car at one time.

would appreciate some help guys!

budinsc

 

[dad07]

use the foam as pre-wash....foam let dwell,rinse then do your regular wash.

 

[Old Tiger]

use the foam as pre-wash....foam let dwell,rinse then do your regular wash.

Bud I do the same as Tim! Our water is soft so you wont have to worry about spotting!
After rinsing I often just use No Rinse. It is very easy and safe!

 

[PA DETAILER]

could have really warm/humid out too. in the summer, i go for early morn or late eve.

 

[BobbyG]

Hi Bud,

With a separate pail of washing solution properly clean the wheels, tired, and wheel-wells first.

If it's hot or especially if the surface temperature is high then the faster the foam solution will tend to dry. Applying a rich mixture of foam will also tend to dry quicker than one that's less concentrated.

Be sure the finish is cool or at least air temperature. Washing in the shade is almost mandatory unless you're using a soap that's designed to be used in direct sunlight.

I mix up a solution of water and soap then slide the mixing rod to the middle notch to balance the two nicely.

Exterior Finish

1. Spray the car with fresh cool water
2. Foam the entire car
3. Take your bucket of premixed washing solution and wash your car as you normally would
4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water
5. Dry with a high speed leaf blower
6. Get those minor spots you may have missed with a Guzzler drying towel.

 

[budinsc]

tks so much for all your thoughts guys! this forum is the best i have ever participated in and the quality of the members is outstanding.

jim, what is no rinse? if i do not dry completely and fast i do get some spotting even using a blower. maybe our water is different in greenville vs seneca. let me know when you are coming over.

bobby, love you as a friend and your advice is always so detailed. you are a credit to the forum. will keep you posted on the performance of the mez s 500 as we discussed but it is coming from uk so it will be a while.

tks again fellows!

budinsc

 

[budinsc]

bobby, forgot to tell you about a little trick i was taught on wheel wells. once heavy dirt is removed by a wand pressure washer at any local spray wash site, spray the wells with armorall tire foam and let them drip dry. the results are amazing and close to the factory color with no brush scrubbing will result. the wells can be either wet or dry as it makes no difference.

budinsc

 

[CrownKote]

Hi Bud,

With a separate pail of washing solution properly clean the wheels, tired, and wheel-wells first.

If it's hot or especially if the surface temperature is high then the faster the foam solution will tend to dry. Applying a rich mixture of foam will also tend to dry quicker than one that's less concentrated.

Be sure the finish is cool or at least air temperature. Washing in the shade is almost mandatory unless you're using a soap that's designed to be used in direct sunlight.

I mix up a solution of water and soap then slide the mixing rod to the middle notch to balance the two nicely.

Exterior Finish

1. Spray the car with fresh cool water
2. Foam the entire car
3. Take your bucket of premixed washing solution and wash your car as you normally would
4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water
5. Dry with a high speed leaf blower
6. Get those minor spots you may have missed with a Guzzler drying towel.

I use this method a lot!

bobby, forgot to tell you about a little trick i was taught on wheel wells. once heavy dirt is removed by a wand pressure washer at any local spray wash site, spray the wells with armorall tire foam and let them drip dry. the results are amazing and close to the factory color with no brush scrubbing will result. the wells can be either wet or dry as it makes no difference.

budinsc

I have been using the AA TF trick for a few years on my quick details... it works great but for the more in depth details I do scrub them and then spray a matte engine detailer on them... looks a bit better IMHO...

 

[BobbyG]

bobby, forgot to tell you about a little trick i was taught on wheel wells. once heavy dirt is removed by a wand pressure washer at any local spray wash site, spray the wells with armorall tire foam and let them drip dry. the results are amazing and close to the factory color with no brush scrubbing will result. the wells can be either wet or dry as it makes no difference.

budinsc

Sounds interesting, thanks for the tip Bud! rops:

 

[Bunky]

bobby, forgot to tell you about a little trick i was taught on wheel wells. once heavy dirt is removed by a wand pressure washer at any local spray wash site, spray the wells with armorall tire foam and let them drip dry. the results are amazing and close to the factory color with no brush scrubbing will result. the wells can be either wet or dry as it makes no difference.

budinsc

I have used this several times for a quick remote wheel well detail. It works but it is not as cost effective as other methods (Undercarriage or a good wheel dressing on mostly plastic wells).