Why Should You Create A Snow Foam Car Wash?
So what exactly is this magical white stuff? Snow foam is a special car wash product that creates a thick, foamy layer on your car, like a fresh coat of snow. Unlike regular car shampoo though, snow foam itself doesn’t actually wash your car. Instead, it acts as an important first step to prepare your car for washing.
Micro-dust particles that your naked eye can't see often stick a lot on the surface of the car. And if you do not remove them, the scrubbing process will cause the car's paint surface to be scratched. The snow foam clings to your car longer than plain water, which just runs right off. It also sticks to vertical surfaces and under areas like bumpers that regular shampoos can miss. The thick foam encapsulates dirt, grime, and contaminants like pollen so they don’t scratch your paint as you wash. This is an important step that every car lover needs to know when they want to wash their car at home without paint damage.
The foam uses special hydrophobic polymers that help the water sheet off your car in a streak-free finish. Many popular brands like Chemical Guys are pH balanced too, so they won’t strip wax or damage paint.
Making Snow Foam For Car Cleaning At Home
If you don't have the patience to wait for your car wash foam order to arrive, start making them right away. I believe it is not difficult and anyone can do it in their own home.
1. What to Prepare
There are simple things that you can find out in your house. This is real, let's check the list below:
Baking soda or white vinegar
Warm water
A big bowl ( or contains)
Baby shampoo (or dishwashing soap, or conditioner available in your house)
2. DIY Snow Foam Car Wash at Home
After preparing all the necessary ingredients, follow the steps below and follow the correct ratio between the ingredients (the wrong ratio may cause the solution to not produce the right amount of foam).
Mix 800ml warm water (using warm water will be faster than normal) with 100ml of shampoo and stir well to dissolve the mixture
Add 70ml of baking soda and keep stirring. Remember to stir as slowly as possible
Add a teaspoon of table salt (about 5ml) to the mixture and mix them together
Test pH at 7 is suitable for car washing
Keep it covered for 2 hours. When you're done, you'll have a foaming solution that can be mixed with water to wash your car
How to Spray Foam
The most important thing you have done above, the rest is quite simple. The foam spray will be done mainly in 2 ways: using a spray bottle or using a pressure washer and combining it with foam cannon.
1. Using Foam Cannon Attachment
The main item you will need is a foam cannon attachment for your pressure washer. Right now, check to see if your pressure washer kit has the above item attached. Many pressure washers include a basic foam cannon as an afterthought, which often does not produce enough foam with the proper consistency for thorough car cleaning.
During our testing process, we recommend purchasing and using a dedicated snow foam cannon designed specifically for generating thick foam. These custom foam cannons tend to work much better, allowing you to produce the snow-like foam needed to deeply clean your car's paint.
Since you may be new to this, choose a foam cannon that is easy to install and use. Once you have a high-quality foam cannon, follow these steps:
Attach the foam cannon to your pressure washer hose.
Fill the foam cannon's reservoir with foam wash concentrate.
Turn the pressure washer on and activate the foam cannon trigger.
Adjust the air and foam ratios until thick foam comes out.
Spray the foam all over your car, ensuring full coverage.
2. Foam Sprayer Bottle
Using a spray bottle with foam detergent is a lower-cost alternative to a foam cannon. However, in return, the foam will be sprayed unevenly and may affect the washing process of your car. If the volume of the bottle is too small will takes a long time to refill.
If you do not have a pressure washer, we still think this is an effective method and should be applied. After all, your car is still in the best care.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does the foam turn brown?
Brown foam typically means there is a lot of dirt and debris in the foam as it lifts off the car's surface. This is normal and expected, especially if the car has not been washed in a while. The brown foam should be rinse away during washing.
2. How do I prevent brown foam?
To reduce brown foam, wash your car more frequently to prevent a buildup of dirt. Pre-rinse the car before foaming it to remove loose dirt. Use a deeper foam mixed with more water to encapsulate dirt particles instead of just lifting them.
3. How long will the foam solution last?
Properly stored, foam solution can last months. Be sure to close the cap tightly after use and store the bottle in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Agitate the bottle before each use to remix the solutions.
4. Can I use dish soap instead?
While dish soap can be used as an alternative to foam solution, it is not recommended. Dish soap is not pH-balanced like car wash soaps and can strip waxes and sealants from your car's paint. It also does not cling and foam as well.
5. Why doesn't the foam cannon produce much foam?
The most common reasons for a lack of foam are an air leak in the foam cannon or hose, the foam solution being too diluted, or there is dirt or mineral buildup blocking the foam cannon's nozzle. Check all hose connections, clean the nozzle, and try a fresh batch of more concentrated foam solution.
