Car shampoo and snow foam may seem fairly similar, but they are actually very different products. Both are designed to clean the exterior of a vehicle, but they should be used at different stages of the wash process and have quite different formulations resulting in different consistencies.
In this article, I’ll be talking about all the key differences between snow foam and car shampoo, and what happens when you use one in place of the other.
The Quick Answer
Snow foams are applied to a car before shampoo to remove as much dirt as possible without using a wash mitt, so they have higher cleaning power than shampoos. Car shampoos are used after snow foaming to remove any remaining dirt with a wash mitt so provide better lubrication to reduce the risk of scratches.
It’s really important to understand the distinctions between these two wash products to make sure you are cleaning your car safely and effectively.
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What is a Snow Foam?
Snow foaming is the first product you use in the wash process. After you’ve thoroughly rinsed the vehicle down, to remove as much loose dirt as possible, you can apply the foam.
Snow foams are normally applied using a foam cannon attached to a pressure washer, however they can also be applied using a pump sprayer, or a cannon attached to a regular hose.
The idea, is to let the foam sit on the car for a few minutes to soften the remaining dirt on the paintwork. Then the car can be rinsed again, removing the dirt that the snow foam has loosened.
The effect, is that most of the dirt and grime is removed before physically touching the paintwork with a wash mitt. This helps to reduce the risk of scratches and swirl marks and makes the overall wash process much safer.
What Makes a Good Snow Foam…
Softens as much dirt and grime (traffic film) as possible.
Easily rinsed away without leaving residue.
Highly concentrated so you don’t need to use much product.
What is a Car Shampoo?
A car shampoo is designed to be used after snow foaming and rinsing the vehicle. The shampoo is mixed with water in a clean bucket, and then gently wiped over the panels on the car using a microfiber wash mitt, to remove all the remaining dirt and grime. Then, the car can be rinsed to leave a squeaky clean finish.
What Makes a Good Car Shampoo…
Lubricates the paintwork to avoid inflicting scratches and swirl marks.
Good cleaning power (so you don’t need to scrub at the paint).
So both products are designed to clean the car, but they are formulated differently. Snow foam is designed to clean without agitation, whereas shampoo is designed to be used with a wash mitt. Now let’s take a look at the differences between car shampoo and snow foams in a little more detail.
Snow Foam
Shampoo
Used at the start of the wash process (pre-wash)
Used after the pre-wash (contact wash)
Higher cleaning power to remove dirt without contact
Lower cleaning power as it assisted by a wash mitt
Less lubricity (as contact is not required)
High lubricity to prevent scratches
Cleaning Power
Both snow foam, and car shampoos, need strong cleaning power. A high power snow foam, will remove a lot of traffic film before you ever need to touch the car. And a high power shampoo, will remove grime swiftly, without the need to scrub at the paint, again reducing the risk of scratches.
Snow foam tends to have a high cleaner power than car shampoo, in order to clean the car without the agitation a wash mitt provides. Hence, snow foams tend to be a lot more concentrated than car shampoos when it comes to cleaning agents. They also tend to have a higher pH as the alkalinity helps to soften the dirt.
Lubrication
The second thing to consider, is how much lubrication these products provide. Snow foams provide little lubrication, as they are not designed to be agitated with a wash mitt.
Car shampoos on the other hand, contain chemicals designed to lubricate the paintwork, and are more “gel-like”, in comparison to snow foams when mixed with water.
This means that you can safely use a wash mitt and car shampoo together to wipe the panels without causing scratches. Snow foams when paired with wash mitts, tend to provide less lubrication to safely glide the mitt over the paintwork.
Can You Use Snow Foam as a Shampoo?
Snow foams should not be used as car shampoos in a wash bucket to clean the car with a mitt, because they do not provide enough lubrication. This increases the risk of causing scratches and swirl marks during the wash process.
Instead, you should always go for a dedicated car shampoo when physically wiping the panels. This ensures that there is plenty of lubrication on the surface, to make washing the car safer and scratch-free.
Can You Use Shampoo as a Snow Foam?
Car shampoos do not usually work well in snow foam cannons because they don’t foam up well and the concentration of cleaning agents is usually too weak. Unless a very high ratio of shampoo to water is used in the cannon, the foam will be very thin and have poor cleaning ability.
If you’ve run out of snow foam, push comes to shove, you can sometimes use a shampoo as a snow foam, if the car is only lightly dirty. But it is always much more effective to use a snow foam to pre-wash the car as it removes more traffic film, and reduces the risk of scratches during the contact wash.
Check out what happens when you use shampoo as a snow foam and vice-versa in this video.
So Do You Need Both?
This is usually the question that car owners ask at this point. Two products can seem a little bit over the top when washing your car, plus it does add an additional cost. So is using a car shampoo and a snow foam actually worth it?
In my opinion, it’s important to always use a snow foam, followed by a car shampoo to wash any vehicle.
This process dramatically reduces the risk of scratches and swirl marks, so for me, it’s 100% worth it. Plus, it’s miles cheaper and easier than removing scratches later down the line.
Chances are, if you’re reading this article you care about your car’s paint too. So I’d definitely recommend purchasing both a snow foam and car shampoo, and using them every time you wash your car.
Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve found this article useful. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the website to learn everything you need to know about car detailing.
As we said above, snow foam isn't a car shampoo and shouldn't be used as a contact wash. Unlike a car shampoo, snow foam doesn't contain any lubricant to help cloths glide over your car's surface, so wiping it off can cause scratches on your paintwork. Always rinse off your snow foam with a hose or a pressure washer.
Any car shampoo works, but seek out the proper stuff
“A proper snow foam formula will be design to cling to the car and work much better than a shampoo,” Lee explains, adding, “The chemicals need to be strong in order to soften and decompose the oils/bugs/general road grime”.
Snow foam is what's known as a pre-wash – it's a kind of detergent you put on your car immediately before you give it a proper wash to help lift some of the dirt off your car so the proper wash can work more effectively.
Snow Foam works wonderfully to lift up and away any minor grime, such as pollen and dust. Our formula functions well as a pre-wash as well as a mild shampoo, while other snow foams still need a thorough shampoo after rinsing it away. However, heavy dirt and filth will require a car shampoo to cut through the grime.
Soft on the car's body: Soft-touch car washes use cloth strips to clean the car instead of abrasive brushes or bristles. Therefore, the chances of scratches and swirl marks on your car are very minimal.
Let the Foam sit for about 10-15 minutes at least to let it do its job. If you try to wash it off too quickly, chances are it will not have had a chance to loosen any of the dirt on the surface of the car. The longer you leave the foam in place the more dirt it can pull away from the surface of your car.
But we all love playing with Snowfoam! Pre washing is a must to help keep the infliction of swirl marks, scratches and abrasions to an absolute minimum. The key is to remove as much dirt as you can before actually touching the car.
While all soaps might produce some sort of suds, there are some formulas that are just made to create thick foam. All Chemical Guys soaps except Rinse Free are engineered for use with a foam cannon or foam gun.
Do I really need Snow Foam? If your serious about your paintwork then yes you do. If you take into consideration everything we have talked about so far, not using Snow Foam greatly increases your chances of scratching your paintwork by rubbing around dirt and contaminants.
Surprisingly, specialized shampoos are not always the best option if you're looking for a quick fix, as the concentrated chemicals require you to take a lot of care when using them. This means that if used incorrectly they can be more damaging than cheap products. Always check the label to avoid corrosive chemicals.
With a “touchless” automatic wash, no brushes or bristles are used to clean your car. Pressurized air and high-pressure water are used instead of harsh chemicals to clean the cars. It seems to be a game-changer for auto washes in general.
Even though you may be tempted to just quickly hose down your car, it is best to wait until the temperature rises. Generally, the safe temperature for a car wash is 49 degrees Fahrenheit and above. The ideal temperature, however, is between 50 and 89 degrees.
So, can you use snow foam without a pressure washer? Typically, snow foam is applied with a pressure washer, but other tools can also be used in absence of a pressure washer. A handheld foaming pump sprayer or a foam cannon attached to a garden hose will achieve a similar effect.
It might seem unnecessary to some, but washing your car in the winter is actually very important in preventing rust and damage. Rust can develop almost anywhere on a car where snow, moisture, and road salt accumulate, including in areas that you may not think to look.
Meguiar's Ultimate Snow Foam is engineered specifically towards car enthusiasts looking for the ultimate wash to use along with a foam cannon and pressure washer. Ultimate Snow Foam, with Xtreme Cling foam, is the perfect way to obtain a swirl-free wash!
No, Snow Foam is not a gimmick. Using Snow Foam as a part of your washing process significantly reduces the risk of scratching the paint on your car because it helps to soften the dirt on your car and make it easier to rinse off.
If you want a fast and effort-free way of stripping away grit and grime with no scratch risk, snow foam is a great option. If you want an effective dirt remover before a thorough wash, polish, and wax, snow foam is excellent.
So, if your car has been the victim of a recent dive bombing, the safest and quickest way to respond without any car shampoo is to take a soft microfibre cloth and soak it with clean water. Place the cloth over the offending mark and leave it to sit for 5-10 minutes to take effect.
According to Ganther, if the weather's not too harsh where you live, washing your vehicle every two weeks is a good rule of thumb. However, if you apply a coat of wax at the end of each cleaning session, you may be able to wash it less often.
Today – there are more than a half-dozen different grades of car shampoos – some formulated for specific applications, and others more 'general' in nature.
You'll need a pressure washer and snow foam cannon for pre-washing, two buckets and a microfiber car wash mitt for foaming and washing, and clean cotton or microfiber towels for drying.
For fluffy snows, use a snow brush with plastic bristles or a broom to clear windows, followed by a light scrape with an ice scraper as needed. Heavy snows may require clearing snow with a push broom, but don't use your snow shovel or you risk damaging your car.
Do I really need Snow Foam? If your serious about your paintwork then yes you do. If you take into consideration everything we have talked about so far, not using Snow Foam greatly increases your chances of scratching your paintwork by rubbing around dirt and contaminants.
When snow foam is too thick, it won't do its cleaning job effectively. In the end, the snow foam will only settle on the dirt on your car. The same goes for a heavier dilution ratio.
Many people forget about this step, but it's key to getting thick snow foam; put your snow foam liquid into the snow foam lance bottle and mix it with some warm water. This will help the liquid activate, giving you the thick, clingy foam that you're after.
This rich foaming soap is also an excellent choice to use with a snow cannon, or foam cannon, at a 5-to-1 mix ratio for washing. Whether washing traditionally with a bucket or with a foam cannon, it's the ideal choice when you begin washing and detailing your car.
The snow broom is the preferred snow-clearing tool for the dealership. It's a foam contraption that can be dragged across the body of a car without causing damage to the finish.
The acetic acid in vinegar is a chemical compound that lowers ice's melting point, but it doesn't melt ice quite as well as rock salt and some of the above alternatives. Like isopropyl alcohol, vinegar can technically be used on its own, but it provides better results in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and hot water.
Shovels, household brooms and nylon-bristled brushes will damage your paint. Instead, order a good foam brush with a nonabrasive, freeze-resistant polyethylene head covering a recessed hard-plastic scraper, along with a telescoping handle. Use the brush to pull, not push, the snow off your car.
Introduction: My name is Wyatt Volkman LLD, I am a handsome, rich, comfortable, lively, zealous, graceful, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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