[poconojoe]

What's all the buzz? Maybe I just don't see it. You use your power washer to apply foam. What's the advantage? I know from past experience that washing a vehicle with a power washer just doesn't do the trick. You still have to hand wash it before you rinse or it just won't come out clean.
Seems to me, if you foam the whole vehicle, by the time you get around to the other side, the foam will be either gone or dried up. Maybe if you're in dense shade it would help? Also, I can't see dragging my power washer out and setting it up to just apply foam.
Enlighten me...I do like new gadgets!

 

[404 Not Found]

Gadgets for lazy people. If you don't wash it by hand, it will never turn out right.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I was in the same camp as you. My AR383 pressure washer (cheap amazon) came with a bottle for window washing etc. Same as a foam cannon. I used about 2oz of my normal car wash soap and filled with water and applied, early in the morning or it would dry before I got the whole truck done. It's works great if the truck is not covered in mud. Yesterday I drove 350 miles and spent several hours playing on the beach in the sand. Truck was fairly dirty but the cannon and pressure washer got all the bug guts and sand off the truck. I blow dry with a quick trip done the road and back then wipe down with a towel. Vacuumed all the sand out of the inside and it is clean. Only time I touched the paint is when drying. If I find a dirty spot and spray some nano wax and wipe.

This is the third time I've used the cannon, after the second time I liked it enough to order a better cannon. I wounder if the soap youuse makes a difference.

 

[White016]

What's all the buzz? Maybe I just don't see it. You use your power washer to apply foam. What's the advantage? I know from past experience that washing a vehicle with a power washer just doesn't do the trick. You still have to hand wash it before you rinse or it just won't come out clean.
Seems to me, if you foam the whole vehicle, by the time you get around to the other side, the foam will be either gone or dried up. Maybe if you're in dense shade it would help? Also, I can't see dragging my power washer out and setting it up to just apply foam.
Enlighten me...I do like new gadgets!

Agreed, if you hit it hard enough to get it clean with pressure the flippin paint is going to come off too. Sure it will help to get the big stuff off but so will the hose, seams like a waist of time and soap to me.

 

[bnemmie]

What's all the buzz? Maybe I just don't see it. You use your power washer to apply foam. What's the advantage? I know from past experience that washing a vehicle with a power washer just doesn't do the trick. You still have to hand wash it before you rinse or it just won't come out clean.
Seems to me, if you foam the whole vehicle, by the time you get around to the other side, the foam will be either gone or dried up. Maybe if you're in dense shade it would help? Also, I can't see dragging my power washer out and setting it up to just apply foam.
Enlighten me...I do like new gadgets!

The advantage is ( as far as I know ) is the shear quantity of suds you make. It tends to make up for the cheap car wash soap I buy. Plus you still have to wash by hand for anything more than very light dirt. So its not just a "just foam cannon, rinse and the truck is clean" sort of thing. Its just a better way to apply soap I feel. I soap everything down, go at it with a very soft brush, and then hit everything with the power washer. Especially on a dark truck, the suds prevent the truck from drying too fast because the water isn't as exposed to the sun. Plus it forces soap into all the nooks and crannies better then applying the soap by hand.

So this was taken just after I set the foam cannon down after using it. I have been buying the cheapest and biggest car wash soap I can find:


Hope it helps. Maybe its not for everyone, but I feel I do a faster and better wash job with it.

 

[Fasted58]

I was an old school sponge and bucket car wash guy. I swore off black 25 years ago because it was a PITA to take care of but decided to try the foam cannon on the new Onyx Black Canyon. Sounded gimmicky at the first reading about it. Think of it as a pre-soak that loosens dirt, mud, bird crap etc before ever touching it w/ a wash mitt. There's a foam gun also for garden hose use. It adds a step w/ pulling out the PW but not that bad. I don't use it every wash though and I wouldn't buy a PW just for a FC. Prolly wouldn't bother w/ it all w/ my old silver paint.

Not a detail fanatic by any means but now only use microfiber wash mitts and drying towels, wash bucket grit guard and started to clay bar. Surprising how much dirt a clay bar can pull out of new paint, particularly the hood, roof and tailgate. Not a huge investment but it's all about taking care of the Onyx Black. I'd rather have a foam cannon than not.

 

[G2SKIER]

The advantage to a foam cannon as stated above is the sheer amount of suds. A good quality cannon and soap will make shaving cream like suds. Being this thick, they will stay on the truck long enough for you to go around the whole thing with a wash mitt or brush assuming you're not in the sun.

I have always just hand washed my vehicles (and I'm anal about detailing) but after getting a foam cannon a few weeks back, I'll never wash without one again.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[93civEJ1]

What cannon are you guys using. Im interested in finding one.

 

[Duken4evr]

I run Dawn dish soap in my AR390 electric power washer (a good unit by the way) for the dirt bike, as dish soap kicks ass on dirty dirt bikes. It kicks too much ass for cars though, as it will strip the wax, so I use car soap when washing my truck.

My truck does not get thick mud on it very often. When it does, I hit it with pressure first to knock the chunks off, then soap, then pressure to rinse. Using the foam/soap setting pretty much negates having to use a wash mitt for my purposes.

Handy tip to consider if you have a power washer with a hard plastic hose. Is it unruly and does it drive you insane? Get some hooks and store it this way, no more hassles

 

[Vinolush]

Use a good low Ph soap formulated for use on painted vehicles, like Adams

Exterior - Washing - Foam Guns & Foam Cannons

The best Foam Gun & Foam Cannon's are right here. Our Foam Gun's hook up to a standard hose and shoot thick foam on your car to help pre-soak the vehicle. Foam Cannon's on the other hand, require a pressure washer. Foam Cannon's produce tons of foam and help reduce scratches while washing your...

adamspolishes.com

It's costy but worth it to me. My truck is ceramic coated as well

I also use Deionized water for a spot free rinse

I made this mobile wash cart mounting a pressure washer, DI water and accessories. I can do 3 cars in the time it used to take to do 1, and my shoulders thank me!

 

[Yendor]

I used mine last weekend on 2 cars, speed. Plain and simple. I did a spray down with the PW then hit it with the foam cannon. Wiped it all down with a bucket of water to clean my mitt and it was over in a few minutes. Rinse and done. Made quick work of the whole wash.

 

[Airmousam]

I love mine too

 

[.boB]

If you use a foam gun/cannon to get mud and a lot of dirt off, you should ONLY use the hose to remove it. If you use a mitt/sponge/whatever, it's like cleaning with sandpaper. Just like the automatic car wash does, add the foam and let it sit a few minutes. Then hose it off. Then go back and clean by hand. Nothing beats a good hand job.

For my truck, I just drive it through the car wash when it needs it. I just got back from MO this evening, so I'll take it over to the car wash tomorrow.

 

[93civEJ1]

Nothing beats a good hand job.

Thats what she said.

 

[Iamscotticus]

You should raise your standards and get a GREAT hand job!
With premium soap!

 

[Iamscotticus]

This may start a ruckus, but I went from micro fiber mitt to long bristle brush.
A good quality car wash brush, kept clean, applied lightly, will wisk away dirt and not grind it in the surface.
I have found I can be very gentle with a brush and not damage the paint.
I only use the fine brush on the paint and use a stiffer plastic bristle brush on the grey plastics and wheels.

 

[Johnnyone]

This may start a ruckus, but I went from micro fiber mitt to long bristle brush.
A good quality car wash brush, kept clean, applied lightly, will wisk away dirt and not grind it in the surface.
I have found I can be very gentle with a brush and not damage the paint.
I only use the fine brush on the paint and use a stiffer plastic bristle brush on the grey plastics and wheels.

No brushes of any kind is used on mine. My truck is white so small abrasion/swirl marks probably wouldn't show on it. But a dark color especially if clearcoat is warm is going to show any kind of brush used on it no matter how gentle you try to be. Not a ruckus, just fact.

 

[Speedy4x4]

I use brush, scrub the brush 1st, I make 3 trips around with brush.
1st - 1 foot from bottom of body to the top.
2nd - bottom 1 foot
3rd wheels and tires
With brush indo not do swirl motion in always try to brush in lines that the air would move across.

My 04 sapphire silver blue crossfire has seen ALOT of car washes over the years, and paint is still perfect.

 

[Airmousam]

No brushes of any kind is used on mine. My truck is white so small abrasion/swirl marks probably wouldn't show on it. But a dark color especially if clearcoat is warm is going to show any kind of brush used on it no matter how gentle you try to be. Not a ruckus, just fact.

I use this brush at home (2 bucket with grit guards) or a touch less car wash....does not scratch my black truck?

 

[Snipesy]

Invest in kerosene heated pressure washer. Much more effective than foam cannon.