At it's most effectiveness snow foam is a thick and clingy soap solution that's designed to cling to the surface of your car. Once applied it penetrates dirt that sits on the paintwork and gently lifts it from the surface.
Once rinsed off the result is a surface that's ready for a deeper and safe contact wash. Due to most surface dirt and grime being removed with snow foam, this risks of these causing scratches or swirl marks is significantly reduced.
In this guide we're going to educate you on the benefits of using snow foam and how to get the best results. We want to make you ready to transform your car wash routine and leave your vehicle looking better than ever.
Essential snow foam tools and accessories
Before you can unleash to power of snow foam, it's crucial to get the right products, tools and accessories. Having the right rights and best snow foam shampoo will maximise the results and leave your car looking like it's fresh out the showroom.
Snow foam tools
1. Snow foam shampoo
Selecting the right snow foam shampoo is the first step. At Chemical Guys we provide a range of options designed to meet a variety of needs. From Honeydew Snow Foam that's gentle to the surface and ideal for regular washes, to Clean Slate that's engineered to strip the surface of all existing waxes and sealants ready for further detailing.
2. Pressure wash or hose pipe
A pressure washer is the tool that applies the power the turn your car shampoo into thick snow foam suds. It's vital for an effective touchless car wash.
3. Foam cannon or foam gun
Attach a foam cannon to your pressure washer, or foam gun to a standard garden hose. Dependent on the type of pressure washer you have you'll likely need a separate attachment - see our foam cannons and accessories page for details.
Our big mouth foam cannon even has an adjustable nozzle so you can adjust the coverage as you wash. Ideal when you're wanting to concentrate the snow foam on hard to reach areas such as wheel arches, or working with bigger vehicles.
How to apply snow foam
This guide will enable even the newest detailing enthusiast to achieve professional grade snow foam results.
1. Mix the snow foam solution
Begin by diluting your chosen snow foam shampoo with water within the reservoir of your foam cannon or gun. Most products have a recommended ratio of 1 part snow foam to 5 parts water but it can vary. Making your mixture more concentrated will create thicker suds but this can also result in wasted product, especially if you're performing regular washes.
2. Cover your vehicle in thick suds
Attach your cannon or gun to your pressure washer or hose and cover your vehicle in a layer of snow foam. Start from the top and work down to ensure complete coverage. The snow should be tick enough to cling to the surface, is at this point that it will begin to break down and lift dirt without you directly contacting the surface.
3. Let the snow foam dwell on the surface
Let the snow foam sit of the surface for around 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you leave it the more effective it will be but after 10 minutes you risk the product beginning the dry. This could result in water spotting and swirl marks.
Avoid applying snow foam in direct sunlight (this recommended for any car wash session) as this will significantly speed up the drying process and make it much harder to rinse off.
4. Thoroughly rinse the snow foam off
Rinse your car making sure you remove all snow foam and loose dirt. This should leave a clean surface ready for further detailing.
5. Perform a contact wash with a 2 bucket method (optional)
If you're wanting to perform a thorough car wash or have stubborn dirt left, follow up your snow foam with a contact wash. The surface should be free of most dirt and grime which makes a contact wash much safer.
To further reduce the risk of scratches we recommend a 2 bucket wash method. This involves using 1 bucket for your wash suds and another bucket for rinsing.
6. Final rinse and drying
Give your car a final rinse to remove remaining soap residue before drying the surface with a quality microfibre or drying towel. This will prevent water spotting and leaves the paintwork clean and dry for additional waxes.
Maximise the effectiveness of snow foam
By following these steps you've empowered yourself with a technique that's both effective and satisfying. You can ensure your car doesn’t just come out clean but also enjoys a level of care and protection that’s hard to match with traditional washing methods.
