Perhaps the most critical aspect of a snow foam is the dilution ratio. Whether it’s coloured snow foam or not, you don’t want to make the mistake of using an overly concentrated mixture.
Most professionals will advise you to mix snow foam and water in a 1:10 ratio. This is good advice except that not every car snow foam comes with the same constituents. In light of this, it’s best to adhere to manufacturer instructions.
There’s a hack to determine the right dilution ratio. Typically, the foam needs to have enough thickness to stay on the surface of the vehicle. Simultaneously, it shouldn’t be so thick that it’s hard to rinse it off.
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. Light snow foam will not soak in properly, heavily reducing the efficacy of the cleaning process. Reduced effectiveness will only lead to a waste of your effort and time.
So, during the dilution process, you want to be as near as possible to the recommended manufacturer dilution ratio. In fact, if possible, use a measuring cup while diluting the car foam. This way, you’ll be able to make accurate measurements that translate to adequately mixed snow foam that’s perfect for a car wash.
Finally, you can use car snow foam in two ways. The first option is to work with a pressurised washer complete with an attachment. Or you can go with a tried and tested pump sprayer. Jennychem experts recommend using a pressurised washer as it offers faster, cleaner results.
To that end, here’s a step-by-step to using car snow foam:
Step 1
Start by parking your vehicle in a cool area. You don’t want to use snow foam on the surface of a hot vehicle. Neither do you want to use it under the glare of a hot sun. If coloured snow foam dries up before you get a chance to rinse it off, it will leave your car with soap streaks.
Next up is rinsing the vehicle. A mild rinse with water is a good idea. This holds especially if your car is very dirty.
Step 2
The next step is to mix your car foam with the right amount of water, as discussed above. Then, attach a plastic bottle of the resultant mixture to a car foam lance. This step is the same whether you use a pump stay or a pressurised washer.
While mixing the car snow foam, you may notice that rushing water will froth the car snow foam. To avoid this, add the concentrate to the bottle and then drop it into a tub of water. This way, there will be slow, even mixing of the concentrate with water.
Step 3
Before you start applying snow foam, be sure to adjust your lance for effective distribution. This applies even if you have to use pump sprays. Adjust the size as well as the angle of spray that will hit your car’s surface.
Once you do this to perfection, you can start to apply coloured snow foam. Ideally, it’s best to spray from the top of your vehicle. Be sure to cover the trunk, bonnet and roof before moving on to the sides.
Your car should have a light covering of white snow foam when the process is over. A good reference is how your car looks when snow falls on it.
During the application of car snow foam, pay special care to the tires and wheels. Since they are your car’s primary contact with dirt, you may need more snow foam.
Step 4
Up next is testing your patience. Wait for the snow foam to dissolve before you begin to wash your car. While waiting, you can agitate the snow foam with a soft-bristled brush. Do this for stubborn areas like door handles, badges and window sills.
Step 5
After dissolving, the snow foam will wash down to the bottom of your vehicle. It’s a signal that it’s time to rinse the car foam. Using your pressure washer, remove every inch of snow foam on your car.
The area of the bonnet just beneath the window as well as the mirrors, are key areas to target. Wheel arches also tend to hold snow foam. Be sure to rinse out these parts of your car.
Step 6
This step is an addendum to help you avoid wastage. For an untrained professional, you may not get the stunning results you want from a single snow foam car wash. Usually, you should still have some car snow foam in the lance. It’s okay to re-do steps 1-5 for unsatisfactory areas on your car.
