# Snow foam vs. pre-wash cleaner



## Darren.H (Dec 25, 2006)

As I have read on here in many topics that snow foaming works for some people and not for others. 

So I was wondering, as you do, to use a pre wash spray like Auto Finesse Citrus Power instead of snowing. But this does look a little more on the expensive route. 

Your thoughts


Darren


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

If your going down the citrus pre-wash route then I use VP Citrus Pre-wash.

As mentioned it's cheaper than AF Citrus Power and imo far more effective :thumb:


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

I have mostly moved away from snowfoam and prefer a pressure sprayer and a pre wash. I use VP Advanced Neutral Snowfoam.

It's quicker and easier than messing about with the snowfoam at times.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Stuart, try Espuma Astro in a snow foam lance.

It produced very impressive results for a touchless pre-wash :thumb:


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## Darren.H (Dec 25, 2006)

ben gum said:


> snowfoam is fine but imo a good prewash is much more effective. Neither way is sufficient for a proper clean and both will require a hand wash after.
> 
> I would not use citrus power as an example of a prewash because it is rfu and ridiculously expensive. Vp citrus prewash can be diluted 10x with water, orchard citrus preclean can be diluted 50x so both are massively cheaper for the same job (assuming that you can deal with diluting). Imo citrus power should be saved for quick and easy spot jobs when you cant be bothered doing a dilution.


"rfu" ?


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Darren.H said:


> "rfu" ?


RFU = Ready for use :thumb:
RTU = Ready to use :thumb:


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

Tips said:


> Stuart, try Espuma Astro in a snow foam lance.
> 
> It produced very impressive results for a touchless pre-wash :thumb:


Will need to try that soon as I get a chance.


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## O`Neil (Aug 13, 2007)

I`ve given up with SnowFoam altogether, I use ValetPro Citrus Pre Wash via a hand pump pressure sprayer


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Spoony said:


> I have mostly moved away from snowfoam and prefer a pressure sprayer and a pre wash. I use VP Advanced Neutral Snowfoam.
> 
> It's quicker and easier than messing about with the snowfoam at times.


VP advanced Snow Foam is good as a snow foam it is also very good as a pre wash too. Highly recommend.


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## Sneak Attack (Mar 1, 2012)

Big can of worms this. 

I always pre-rinse thoroughly then decide whether to foam or pre-wash. 

Some people don't rinse and just foam: personally, I think that doesn't make any sense. 

I've always had decent results with Meguiar's Hyper Wash; I know it won't completely clean the car but it helps to an extent. Auto Finesse's Avalanche looks like the best of both worlds: I seems to have a bit more power than most foams but with little or no effect on protection. It also seems to be very reasonably priced. When my Hyper Wash is finished, I'll be trying it next. 

For filthy cars, after a rinse and foam, I will often use Citrus Power, especially on the lower panels and rear of the car to loosen stubborn, baked on dirt. Then rinse again, then wash. 

Not a fan of Valet Pro; found it killed protection very quickly.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

^^^ Sneak Attack - I've used VP snow foam for more or less the last 5 years and never had any problems with drop in durability of LSPs. I even used it on our cars which were protected with Wolf's Body Wrap, which they don't recommend using SF, and their LSP was on our cars for well over a year before a) we sold one of the cars and b) I removed it to put a new sealant on the other car.


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## F2 Ed (Nov 6, 2006)

I snow foam, but i like a *strong* snow foam so i mix abit of this shampoo in...


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

I just prespray with ONR and then wash as usual with ONR


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Lol so snowfoam is another fad then.
You all seem to be going back to the pld way of tfr through a pressure bottle.
Ok ok you call it citrus wash its TFR 
All the foam does ia makes it cling longer so you get a better dwell time.
Rinse then foam or prewash (tfr) ???? What is the point of that.the point of this stage is to loosen crud BEFORE you rinse it.
Anything will kill LSP if used incorrectly...l..l


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

I don't bother with the hype of snowfoam i just use APC or Chemical Guys citrus wash,when i have any.


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

I resorted to both today, the wife's car was that bad!!

dirty so and so...

;-)


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## chrisgreen (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm a big fan of Snowfoam, and get very good results from both VP PH Neutral Snowfoam and AS Ultra Mousse.

However, when I'm over at my girlfriend's flat, where I only have a portable pressure washer (rebadged Mobiwasher V17) to hand, then I use VP Citrus Pre Wash at 1:8 dilution in either a 2l or 3l pump sprayer. The pre wash is a very good alternative for me when Snowfoam and a proper pressure washer isn't available. But it is still a 2nd choice and Snowfoam would always win out for me.

VP PH Neutral Snowfoam also works well as a pre wash in a pressure washer when the car is lightly soiled.


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

If you have good protection on then you will get the best removal rate from both a snowfoam at the proper strength and possibly a pre wash product, as for fear of valet pro citrus pre wash stripping wax.. not a chance from my playing as it removed less with a power washer than a snowfoam.

But as stated people have had mixed experiences with both.

We still go off and try ourselves mind.


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## Sneak Attack (Mar 1, 2012)

AllenF said:


> Lol so snowfoam is another fad then.
> You all seem to be going back to the pld way of tfr through a pressure bottle.
> Ok ok you call it citrus wash its TFR
> All the foam does ia makes it cling longer so you get a better dwell time.
> ...


Always rinse first! My cars always have a layer of mud etc on them; throwing a foam on that will do next to nothing. A pre rinse will remove that, allowing the foam to soften the more ingrained dirt.


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## Sneak Attack (Mar 1, 2012)

Blueberry said:


> ^^^ Sneak Attack - I've used VP snow foam for more or less the last 5 years and never had any problems with drop in durability of LSPs. I even used it on our cars which were protected with Wolf's Body Wrap, which they don't recommend using SF, and their LSP was on our cars for well over a year before a) we sold one of the cars and b) I removed it to put a new sealant on the other car.


I'd actually go so far as to say it was one of the poorest products I've used.

It also, where it dribbled down the bottle onto my work bench, did some fairly significant discolouration to the laminate on the work bench.

I stopped using it after that.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

Can anyone compare these to Autobrites Citrus wash?


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## cossierick (Jan 19, 2011)

Can the citrus pre wash's not be diluted down and put in the foam lance

rick


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## Karl woods (Mar 15, 2012)

I often use both vp citrus pre wash through pump sprayer and magi foam due to living out in the sticks cars get very muddy so I try to do as much as I can before touching car but unlike many here I don't seem to be getting much or any results from the citrus pre wash tried different dilutions , dwell times , also used a full 10 litre sprayer mixed 1 litre pre wash to 9 litre water on one car ( which I would have thought far to much ) and still feel it made little difference , and when it runs out I won't be getting any more .
I do think the magi foam a worth while step if left long enough will help to loosen some of the dirt left after initial power wash .


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