What type of "foam cannon" to get?

[ocdwasher]

So in another thread I was recommended to get the Gilmour Foam Cannon.



But there were many different types, which model did you pick and WHY, like what is the difference between it and the other ones that look very similar by the same maker but with different model numbers?



Also, what do I put inside the foam cannon? Just car shampoo? Or is there a pre-soaking solution I need to put in there?



Until I order a cannon what can I do in the meantime to properly soap the car before handwashing? Would a self serve car washes "pre soak" solution work?



Thanks!

 

[Accumulator]

ocdwasher- Welcome to Autopia! I saw your other thread about handwashing, but didn't add my 2₵ as my wash method is awfully over-the-top



BUT, since my washing is soooo Gilmour Foamgun-centric I might as well respond here I *NEVER* wash without the Gilmour. Never. I consider it utterly essential for marring-free washing.



The Gilmour is a FoamGUN, not a Foamcannon. Big diff IMO as the latter works off a pressure washer and is basically used to coat the vehicle with a fairly thick layer of clingy foam, primarily as a presoak. Which is not how I wash at all.



I find presoaking to be of rather limited value (perhaps surprisingly). Useful and of some benefit, but it doesn't work as one might expect.



The Gilmour produces a more watery output (I don't even like to call it "foam"), at least with most shampoos.



*I* use the Gilmour primarily to provide constant lubrication and flushing; if my wash media touch the vehicle, the foamgun is blasting output at the point of medium-to-paint contact. It's a "dislodge and flush" methodology. This works so well for me that I'm able to keep my vehicles (virtually) marring-free for many years, hardly *EVER* needing to polish them any more. No more "post-winter corrections" for me :grinno:



There are three models of the Gilmour, one of which doesn't foam at all (the one without the long black plastic "nozzle", which does the aeration). Skip that one.



The two (real) foamguns differ with regard to the mixing valve that determines the dilution ratio- one has a rotary dial and the other has a sliding brass bar. I use the latter, but I gather some people prefer the dial-type (can't imagine why :nixweiss). With either, I'd ditch the pistol-grip handle that it comes with in favor of a shutoff valve (the pistol-grip is awkward to use when washing cars IMO).



I just use regular shampoo in mine (currently using Griot's exclusively). I mix up gallons of concentrate (~six ounces shampoo, remainder water to make a gallon) and fill the foamgun with that.



I'd be concerned that the self-serve wash chemicals might be a bit potent for regular use.



But again, I'm using it the way *I* use it, and I don't want thick, clingy foam. I want the output to encapsulate and flush away the [stuff] that's on the paint (my rinse buckets basically stay dirt-free no matter how dirty the vehicle is). IMO once the dirt sticks to the wash medium (so that it'd need rinsed out) then *while* it's stuck to it that medium has become a potential scratch-machine. Note that I don't need/use gritguards; I do still use rinse buckets, but it's almost just for my peace of mind.

 

[Inzane]

^^ Accumulator, with your process of washing one of your typical vehicles with your foam gun method how often do you have to stop and refill the reservoir/container on your gun? I would think in the time it takes to wash a car you would run it empty at least once, no?



Also, do you use it while washing wheels and wheelwells as well?

 

[Accumulator]

^^ Accumulator, with your process of washing one of your typical vehicles with your foam gun method how often do you have to stop and refill the reservoir/container on your gun? I would think in the time it takes to wash a car you would run it empty at least once, no?

Yeah, I do go through a *LOT* of shampoo mix! And water. That, moreso IMO than the effort, is the downside of how I wash and a good reason why it's not right for everybody.



I have extra foamgun bottles plus I keep gallons of mix handy. I have redundant systems- buckets, plus hoses for foamgun and rinse, on each side of the wash bay, and each side has a few extra bottles plus a spare gallon of mix. Swapping the bottles only takes a moment, and if I need to refill the bottles from the gallon of mix I usually do it between the BHB and mitt stages of the wash.

Also, do you use it while washing wheels and wheelwells as well?

No. Using BHBs/mitts/swabs/Wheel Woolies, I do my wheels with using a pretty-strong shampoo mix in a spray bottle and the wells/undercarriage with either with that (if LSPed) or with APC (if not LSPed), also in a spray bottle. Both are more potent than my foamgun output (even at the strongest setting). Doing the wells/undercarriage is awkward enough without adding the foamgun to the process!



Also note that I use the foamgun(s) to avoid wash-induced marring, and I'm not as concerned with that on the wheels/wells. OK, on the S8 I can be pretty careful about the wheels, but not quite so much on the other vehicles.

 

[ocdwasher]

ocdwasher- Welcome to Autopia! I saw your other thread about handwashing, but didn't add my 2₵ as my wash method is awfully over-the-top



BUT, since my washing is soooo Gilmour Foamgun-centric I might as well respond here I *NEVER* wash without the Gilmour. Never. I consider it utterly essential for marring-free washing.



The Gilmour is a FoamGUN, not a Foamcannon. Big diff IMO as the latter works off a pressure washer and is basically used to coat the vehicle with a fairly thick layer of clingy foam, primarily as a presoak. Which is not how I wash at all.



I find presoaking to be of rather limited value (perhaps surprisingly). Useful and of some benefit, but it doesn't work as one might expect.



The Gilmour produces a more watery output (I don't even like to call it "foam"), at least with most shampoos.



*I* use the Gilmour primarily to provide constant lubrication and flushing; if my wash media touch the vehicle, the foamgun is blasting output at the point of medium-to-paint contact. It's a "dislodge and flush" methodology. This works so well for me that I'm able to keep my vehicles (virtually) marring-free for many years, hardly *EVER* needing to polish them any more. No more "post-winter corrections" for me :grinno:



There are three models of the Gilmour, one of which doesn't foam at all (the one without the long black plastic "nozzle", which does the aeration). Skip that one.



The two (real) foamguns differ with regard to the mixing valve that determines the dilution ratio- one has a rotary dial and the other has a sliding brass bar. I use the latter, but I gather some people prefer the dial-type (can't imagine why :nixweiss). With either, I'd ditch the pistol-grip handle that it comes with in favor of a shutoff valve (the pistol-grip is awkward to use when washing cars IMO).



I just use regular shampoo in mine (currently using Griot's exclusively). I mix up gallons of concentrate (~six ounces shampoo, remainder water to make a gallon) and fill the foamgun with that.



I'd be concerned that the self-serve wash chemicals might be a bit potent for regular use.



But again, I'm using it the way *I* use it, and I don't want thick, clingy foam. I want the output to encapsulate and flush away the [stuff] that's on the paint (my rinse buckets basically stay dirt-free no matter how dirty the vehicle is). IMO once the dirt sticks to the wash medium (so that it'd need rinsed out) then *while* it's stuck to it that medium has become a potential scratch-machine. Note that I don't need/use gritguards; I do still use rinse buckets, but it's almost just for my peace of mind.

So can you give me the exact model number for the foam gun you use? I would prefer to buy it on Amazon unless I can get it cheaper somewhere else.



Also, can you tell me the steps you take to wash your car? Like I am a total noob to this so spell it out like you're telling someone from the 1700s how to wash a car when they don't know what one is.



I would imagine it goes something like:



Foam shampoo on with gilmour (for presoak)

Rinse

Foam same shampoo again with gilmour (to lather car for lubrication during wash)

2 bucket wash, 2 microfiber mitts, 1 mitt for top of car 1 mitt for bottom half, washing top to bottom.

Final Rinse

Waffleweave/microfiber dry

Leafblower dry crevices

Apply quick detailer wax (Meguiars) with microfiber cloth





Please edit my hasty list with the proper, idiot proof instructions.

 

[Accumulator]

So can you give me the exact model number for the foam gun you use? I would prefer to buy it on Amazon unless I can get it cheaper somewhere else..

No, sorry...never paid enough attention to that. It's the one with the sliding brass bar, that's all you really need to know. I get the smaller-bottle version (one-quart) so I don't bump the paint with it.



Also, can you tell me the steps you take to wash your car?



Again, uhm..."no". Sorry, I know I sound like a [jerk] but I've never gotten around to doing a proper write up. There are a few abbreviated versions here ...see if the dreaded SEARCH can bring up "Accumulator's Non-marring Wash Technique". IIRC the latter pages of that have something pretty close to what I'm doing now.



Gotta do a conference call in a minute, but if I get a chance I'll post back with a bit of info later.

 

[Accumulator]

ocdwasher- Some short-version tips related to my "dislodge and flush" appproach:



The idea is to *NOT* press dirt against the paint and then move it under that pressure.



-Get the "big stuff" off without rubbing it against/into the paint

-Always keep foamgun output flowing at the point of wash medium-to-paint contact

-Never move dirty wash media across the paint under pressure

-Always move the wash medium in short, interrupted motions. The "short" is so that any marring that does happen won't be a long (hence obvious) scratch, and the "interrupted" is so that there's a better chance for the foamgun output to flush away the dirt (don't want it caught in/dragged by the wash medium)

-Clean relatively small areas at a time. I.e., probably smaller areas than you're currently washing

-Get things truly *clean*. Any residual dirt can cause marring if it gets rubbed into the paint during drying (or later when the vehicle is being used; people might brush against or touch the vehicle and if it's dirty....)



Let your results be your guide. If it stays marring-free, OK. If not, try to figure out how you're marring it and find a way around that.