# Snow Foam - Whats your recipe?



## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Ive recently got a foam lance for my Karcher and have been having mixed results with thickness of foam and actual ability to remove road scum! 

I have experimented with mixing products and higher concentrate levels but with little or no change to the effectiveness.

Ive used SSF, Citrus Snow foam, Megs APC, Citrus Wash etc etc etc

What recipes do you use and for what purpose? Light soiling, Heavy traffic film, A total minger!!:lol:

Any help much appreciated.:thumb:


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## Phil23 (Nov 29, 2008)

Did my truck the other day as it was proper dirty. Used 100ml of Valet Pro PH neutral snow foam and 10ml of Meguiars Super degreaser and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Certainly got rid of most of the muck and my truck hasn't been polished for about 6 months.


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Phil23 said:


> Did my truck the other day as it was proper dirty. Used 100ml of Valet Pro PH neutral snow foam and 10ml of Meguiars Super degreaser and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Certainly got rid of most of the muck and my truck hasn't been polished for about 6 months.


Do you find using the Megs Super Degreaser strips the LSP?


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

105 iews and 1 reply!! 

Come on I was relying on you lot:lol:


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

901 for the regular wash on own car.
HW / APC(if needed) for 'other peoples cars' - whether its filthy or not


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## Glossboss (Feb 28, 2007)

901 and citrus degreaser 461 at nearly 50/50 mix!


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## ahaydock (Jan 4, 2007)

For most washes an inch ot two of snow foam, topped with warm water does it :thumb:


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

This



to give this


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## Sav (Jan 9, 2007)

citrus degreaser does that not kill your wax LSP........After I foamed today for the first time all i was left with was a thin film of dirt...that was done easy with the mit. if i got any of this film off It would be clean.....

Citrus degreaser would be good would it not to strip my wax, LSP for a fresh start?

VXRMARC thats all fine and well but what is this?????that gives it this ?????


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

Dilution rate of citrus degreaser should be .25% of volume of water in my opinion and anything above that can attack the wax but others may disagree.


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

monkeyboy173 said:


> Ive recently got a foam lance for my Karcher and have been having mixed results with thickness of foam and actual ability to remove road scum!
> 
> I have experimented with mixing products and higher concentrate levels but with little or no change to the effectiveness.
> 
> ...


Having the same problem here mate, (although Matt from i4detailing hooked me up with some VP I think so thats getting a go this weekend), what Karcher have you got, is it a 2 series?


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Sav said:


> After I foamed today for the first time all i was left with was a thin film of dirt


Maybe im expecting to much. That is exactly what I am left with just a thin layer of crud. I was worried about washing over this dirt incase of marking the paint.

So is it possible to remove this final layer to alow safer TBM washing?


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Mother-Goose said:


> Having the same problem here mate, (although Matt from i4detailing hooked me up with some VP I think so thats getting a go this weekend), what Karcher have you got, is it a 2 series?


Karcher is a K6.8 does that make any difference?


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## Sav (Jan 9, 2007)

We are needing some Mad test me thinks………..So your view is a small part of C.D works fine and is safe on wax……..Interesting. more Interesting is the Foam companys don’t add it themselves to aid the wash.

Monkey when I say Thin layer I’d say dirt visible that you could move off the paint with your finger with next to nothing pressure you could write in it…..and the letters would be clean….Slightest agitation and its run off…….I’d not say Crud……Crud suggests well stuck on large parts…….. I probably could do better but I’m mega cautious keeping the PW at a distance form the car.


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Sav said:


> Monkey when I say Thin layer I'd say dirt visible that you could move off the paint with your finger with next to nothing pressure you could write in it…..and the letters would be clean….Slightest agitation and its run off…….I'd not say Crud……Crud suggests well stuck on large parts…….. I probably could do better but I'm mega cautious keeping the PW at a distance form the car.


Yes thats exactly what ive got. Id say that the foam gets rid of say 90% of the traffic film but there is always just enough of a layer to get me worried about picking up some grime and marking the paint finish.


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## popey (Jan 4, 2009)

what make is your foam lance, I got a Karcher one and its pants


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

popey said:


> what make is your foam lance, I got a Karcher one and its pants


Karcher Heavy Duty Foam Lance


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## theshrew (May 21, 2008)

They aint the best mate. 

Have a look in the Group buy section. Foam lance group buy is now on at a good price !


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

For the best cleaning Use 170ml of Bilt hambers Aoutfoam to 830ml of warm water.


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

90% removal is probably about right for a foam, i'd be happy with that at any rate, it's not supposed to remove everything.

Something worth a go perhaps is AS Durafoam. It's much more agressive, and will (eventually, but you should be safe for about 5 washes before you notice any change) strip the wax off. Alan from samplesRus did 9 washes before there was no more beading, and that was only with 1 coat of LSP.

I asked about what washer you had as I was wondering if it had enough pressure but the 6 series blatently does, it's most likely down to the lance, get a "proper" one and I'm sure you'll see the difference immediately.


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## Epoch (Jul 30, 2006)

As others have covered the Bilt Hamber Acti foam is a cracking product and relies on the action of application to remove the road muck.

My current fave, as it works incredibly well, is 15ml of Dodo BTBM in 1 litre of warm water in the lance (daddy lance on a Karcher 7.85M)

The cleaning agents in this shampoo ARE second to none. On a really dirty car it may take a bit more or multiple applications but it is a awesome product.

Bigpikle has tried these two together and found them to work alright too.


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## Slim V5 (Mar 29, 2007)

can I just ask why people top up with warm water in the bottle, surely this will be immediatly cancelled out by the cold water from the pressure washer?


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## Epoch (Jul 30, 2006)

It help activate the cleaning agents in the bottle before they are diluted onto the car.

Try disolving Megs Hyperwash in cold water and then warm


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## Sav (Jan 9, 2007)

Monkey….I’d say what was left would not harm my paint as I go over the car with the mitt nice and gentle, If I got that level off then it would be touch less and is that not just a myth around here…………..I’d be interested in trying some Citrus stuff to the mix all the same. 

I did read about Bilt Hamber Acti foam but could not by it at the time as it was lance only and the gil would not cut it. 

Dodo BTBM is a new on for me……?

There should be a sticky that lists all the foams plus a few well know concoctions….


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## Epoch (Jul 30, 2006)

BTBM through the Gilly is pretty good also

I will check what setting the gauge is on and report back how much and at what concentration.

It was about 25ml in 300 ml of water, but i don't know what setting at the mo


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## Sav (Jan 9, 2007)

I've got the HD Lance now.........


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Acti foam works really well


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

theshrew said:


> They aint the best mate.





Mother-Goose said:


> it's most likely down to the lance, get a "proper" one and I'm sure you'll see the difference immediately.


Now Im confused I thought this lance was the dogs bo**ox? Which one are you using then?

This is my one.


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## amiller (Jan 1, 2009)

monkeyboy173 said:


> Now Im confused I thought this lance was the dogs bo**ox? Which one are you using then?
> 
> This is my one.


That's the one everyone is talking about. I've got this one (or at least it looks identical to this one) from CYC and it is fantastic.

Will flow rate of the PW make a big difference?


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

Regular wash:
inch of snow foam
half an inch of maxi-suds 2
quater of an inch of Z7
warm water top up
shake

Winter wash:
inch of snow foam
quarter inch of Chemical Guys Orange Degreaser
quarter inch of Chemical Guys Strong Wash
warm water top up
shake


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

inch of snow foam, inch of shampoo

fill with luke warm water


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

Might be worth reading this through - http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=96382&page=6


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## leeumh (Mar 24, 2007)

Does anyone know the correct dilution ratio for PH neutral snow foam? I was under the impression it was 25ml per 500ml of water - however, using 50ml to the full bottle of a CYC karcher lance gives very watery results.


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## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

vxrmarc said:


> This/QUOTE]
> 
> Any warm water added to your bottle?


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

amiller said:


> That's the one everyone is talking about. I've got this one (or at least it looks identical to this one) from CYC and it is fantastic.
> 
> Will flow rate of the PW make a big difference?


Absolutely.



David said:


> inch of snow foam, inch of shampoo
> 
> fill with luke warm water





leeumh said:


> Does anyone know the correct dilution ratio for PH neutral snow foam? I was under the impression it was 25ml per 500ml of water - however, using 50ml to the full bottle of a CYC karcher lance gives very watery results.


I've said this many a time, the ONLY way to know how much foam you need in YOUR lance's container, is to do the maths - http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=71201

It's nice to feel helpful by suggesting depths or measures, but as the feed rate and flow rate are two wide ranging variables, then the well intentioned suggestions are unfortunately pretty meaningless.

I also don't advocate mixing shampoos nor shampoos with foams, in some sort of amateur chemist concoction - if there were a need for such like, it'd already be done properly and scientifically by real chemists prior to bottling.
Still, as it's a free country (for now) work away if it makes you happy or believe your mix is better than the foam alone.

As for water temperature - again, feel free to do as you have been, but warm water in the container won't do much, by the time the diluted solution is spat out of the lance nozzle, unless you use warm water to feed it with.
Although it'll cool rapidly at this time of year, once it hits the paintwork, it'll still do more than cold water will, and more so if you rinse with warm water.
In fact, that's probably as much a benefit, as making warm foam in the first place.

Lastly, the distance from the lance to the panels will make a difference in the amount of residual grime after rinsing - don't be afraid to use at close quarters.


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## Sav (Jan 9, 2007)

"Lastly, the distance from the lance to the panels will make a difference in the amount of residual grime after rinsing - don't be afraid to use at close quarters."


Must say i should have tried a bit nearer the car with the HD lance as I don’t think it’s the same force as the rinse lance that came with the Mac Washer…got to say I stand with the lance a good few feet away for that.


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## Superhands (Jan 7, 2009)

TBH i always have loads of snow foam in the bottle after doing my car 

I use 200ml of "super snow foam" and the rest warm water, what i tend to do is foam the car twice


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## mistryn (May 17, 2007)

i have found that adding warm/hot water from the tap (not boiling) makes a big difference in the thickness of foam. whereas just adding 2 inch of snowfoam and topping up with cold water, i find i dont get thicker foam compared to using warm/hot water

normally i just use AB SSF, 2 inch and topped up with water and add a dash of AG shampoo :lol: becuase i have no longer use it so just trying to use it all up
but a while ago i found some DW snowstorm that i ordered ages ago and forgot i had 2 litres of it left, put an inch of that in along with inch AB SSF and the results appeared to be i had covered my car in shaving foam :lol:


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## jasonbarnes (Sep 10, 2008)

same as marc on this one use maxi suds 2 and ph neautral snow foam :thumb:


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