Written by Ryan GilmorePublished: 24 February 2023Updated: 20 March 2024
Part of the pre-wash family, anyone who is serious about cleaning their car properly needs the best snow foam.Often applied via a pressure washer, at its core, snow foam is a detergent that’s mixed with air and water to produce make a nice clingy foam that helps loosen and soften any muck present, clumps of mud, road film and even ex-insects.
The best snow foam deals
It’s the Amazon Spring Deal Days event and there are lots of deals to be had on car care products, snow foam included. Take a look at the best deals here or keep scrolling for the best snow foams.
Save 17%: Car Gods Triton Arctic Storm Snow Foam Shampoo
15% off: Meguiar’s Ultimate Car Snow Foam Xtreme Cling
30% saving: Triplewax Vortex Blast Snow Foam, was £16.99, now £11.90
This is all in the name of minimising the risk of scratches occurring, something that can happen if you accidentally drag these contaminants across your car’s paintwork. Snow foam works as a purely chemical cleaner, meaning it requires no agitation from you whatsoever which limits that scratch risk. Let it dwell on a panel as it loosens and treats muck before rinsing it off and getting to work with a good car shampoo.
If you’re at all serious about improving your car cleaning skills and want to leave fewer scratches in your paintwork, consider the best snow foam for your needs. A versatile product, snow foams come in different strengths for different cleaning tasks as well as a rainbow of colours and tropical scents to make it just that little bit more exciting. We’ve broken down the best examples below.
The best snow foams at a glance:
Editor’s choice: Bilt Hamber Touch-Less – Buy now from eBay
The best ceramic snow foam: Auto Finesse Lavish – Buy now from Amazon UK
The best heavy-duty snow foam: ValetPRO Snow Foam Combo 2 – Buy now from Amazon UK
The best snow foams
Without a shadow of a doubt, the best snow foam on the market today is Touch-Less from the boffins at Bilt Hamber. Recently updated, Touch-Less now boasts twice the concentration as before, and better cleaning without relying on nasty chemicals. With a pH of 12, it's an alkaline cleaner, meaning it'll cut through grime expertly but shouldn't pose a threat to any applied wax. It may not be the thickest foam on the market, but that's no issue; the thinner foam will drag dirt off the car quicker than some of the shaving foam-thick snow foams on sale. To top it all off, Touch-Less is made from sugar and, therefore, fully biodegradable, and it even contains rust inhibitors, which is good news for any older car owners.
Pros
- Fantastic cleaning performance
- Fully biodegradable formula
Cons
- Not the thickest of foams
| Volume: | 5000ml |
| pH level: | 12 |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | Rust inhibitors, wax safe |
The best simple snow foam
Rrp: £22.99
Price: £15.82
Alternative Retailers
Everyone's heard of Autoglym, knows of its quality and has a couple of bottles rattling around in the shed. The company's sole snow foam is Polar Wash, a gentle yet effective choice that works as a simple way to remove excess dirt before a proper shampoo wash. The foam Polar Blast creates is thick, even from a weaker pressure washer which makes this a great option for beginners. If you're worried about using strong, harsh chemicals or your car isn't too dirty, this straightforward pH-neutral snow foam does what it says on the tin; what more could you want?
Pros
- Nice thick formula
- Gentle formula
Cons
- You'll use a fair amount of product per wash
| Volume: | 2500ml |
| pH level: | 7 |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | N/A |
Ceramic technology is a hot commodity for car care, offering almost unrivalled paint protection. What started in specialist waxes, ceramic tech (Si02) can now be found here. Auto Finesse Lavish is a ceramic snow foam that promises up to six months of protection from a single application. Safe to apply to all exterior surfaces, it may not be the most powerful cleaner, but for a moderately dirty car, it's a top choice. The foam application not only makes everything quick but also makes it easy to spot any missed areas. It may not have the same qualities as a proper ceramic coating, but it will top up an existing layer and protect an unwaxed car.
Pros
- Provides paint protection
- Thick foam
Cons
- Rather expensive
| Volume: | 1000ml |
| pH level: | N/A |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | Provides protection |
Citrus oils are fantastic natural cleaners against grease and grime while also offering a delicious scent and remaining gentle on paintwork. The only downside is that these oils do come at a price premium. This option from Gtechniq makes use of these oils alongside a slew of other biodegradable detergents to offer a deeper clean and get the best pre-cleaning possible. It's non-caustic and non-acidic which will help keep paintwork shiny and it's reasonably priced too.
Pros
- Excellent pre-cleaning abilities
- Good value for money
Cons
- Not the thickest of snow foam
| Volume: | 1000ml |
| pH level: | N/A |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | Uses Citrus oil |
A little bit more specialist than the other options here, this powerful option from ValetPRO won't be used every time you wash your car but will come in seriously handy when doing a really deep clean. It's designed to lift petrol and oil stains as well as strip wax. It's a strong-alkaline snow foam which makes it harsh but perfect for adding a new layer of protection. The foam is also really thick, and it's safe to use on aluminium, a concern with strong cleaners like this.
Pros
- Nice thick foam
- Incredibly strong pre-wash
Cons
- Rather specialist application
| Volume: | 1000ml |
| pH level: | 13 |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | Strips waxes and sealants |
Hold on, isn't this a proper car shampoo, not a stand-alone snow foam? This may be true, but it's designed for use as both. As snow foams are often weaker shampoos, some can be used for both duties depending on the dilution. Mr Pink from Chemical Guys is one such example. It's designed as a gentle ph-balanced shampoo with exceptional lubrication properties, all features of good snow foam. Applied via a snow foam gun, it can help soften grime before you switch to a bucket and wash mitt to finish the job off. Beyond this, Mr Pink is an excellent shampoo, biodegradable and smells like American candy, aka sickly sweet before diluting.
Pros
- Foam and car shampoo in one
- Excellent lubrication
Cons
- Not a dedicated snow foam
| Volume: | 1000ml |
| pH level: | 13 |
| Biodegradable? | Yes |
| Extras: | Strips waxes and sealants |
What you need to know about snow foam:
How does snow foam work?
Snow foam is basically a weaker car shampoo that foams up when mixed with water (from the pressure washer) and air (from the atmosphere). It is important to realise what snow foam actually does. It coats your car in a layer of lathered foam, where it’ll sit for several minutes, loosening and even removing dirt and muck caked on the surface.
Like any good pre-wash, when you rinse it off, the cleaning agents in the foam will have worked away at the grime and makes the subsequent task of washing easier and more successful.
It’s easy to see snow foam as an alternative to shampoo and a replacement for traditional cleaning when it’s actually designed as a supplement. That’s not to say there are snow foams capable of washing a car, but it’s not the best course of action.
What should I look for in a good snow foam?
Concentration – Snow foams aren’t designed to be used neat; you’ll always need to add a little bit of water to make the foam. Products like Koch Chemie’s Gsf require a tiny amount (as low as 10ml) of product because it’s so concentrated, while Autoglym’s Polar Wash requires 100ml to make a proper foam. As such, check the concentration ratio when shopping around, as a huge bottle of snow foam may not always be the best value for money.
Thickness – Some snow foams are so thick they put whipped cream to shame, but that’s all for show. Not only will you need a very powerful pressure washer to achieve that thickness (and use a load more product), there’s no cleaning benefit to foam that thick. While a long dwell time is good, the foam needs to eventually slide off the car, pulling the muck with it. A thickish foam that clings well but does gently fall down the car is preferable.
Biodegradability – An increasingly important aspect in selecting the right car care products, biodegradability will ensure you’re not leaving nasty chemicals around that may be harmful to the planet. Some companies will proudly print that their snow foam is 100% biodegradable, while others don’t bother, but we know that all the snow foams we’ve selected are biodegradable.
Scent and colour – The most subjective part of snow foam, how it smells and looks on a car, has no bearing on performance but can make cleaning a little bit more fun. While there are plenty of plain, white foam offerings available, there are an equal amount of zany-coloured and deliciously scented options too. Just for fun, we had a quick look to find the craziest snow foam scents and weren’t left disappointed. We even found beer-scented snow foam.
How to use snow foam
First and foremost, it’s fun. The theatrics of spraying thick foam all over your car is very satisfying. Gather everything together – the pressure washer, the garden hose, the gun, the foam solution – and get set up. Follow the snow foam guidelines on the label regarding how much you need to dilute the solution with water.
In applying the foam, you want to get an even and complete coverage without spraying on such a thick layer that the top foam is excessive and wasted.
Having sprayed on the foam, leave it for the recommended length, usually about five to 10 minutes. Following this, you rinse it all off. Now it’s shampooing time.
Does my snow foam gun matter?
Yes, it does. The lance that came with your pressure washer may get a reasonably thick foam, but to get the most cleaning power from your machine, an aftermarket option (like this Autoglym model) is preferable. These will provide a thicker foam, help your product stretch further and will be packed with clever ergonomic features to make car cleaning less arduous.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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