Snow Foam

[TheDan]

Hi guys,

What snow foam do you E85 and G29 guys use (E85 and G29 as I am looking for soft top safe options for accidental overspray).

I tried the Meguiars Ultimate Snow Foam and it just doesn't foam very well and does not remove much (or any) of the surface crap.

I've heard Bilt Hamber are good, but which one? Surfex HD or Auto foam? Also are Bilt Hamber ones okay if they are accidentally oversprayed onto the soft top?

 

[idej_z4]

So long as it's PH neutral they're all fine. I would check your foam mix / foam cannon if the Meguairs isn't foaming well. I'm not sure about the reasons for not foaming the soft top. I hit mine a bit with it sometimes to loosen the crud - just takes longer to rinse.

 

[Rockhopper]

I always foam my soft top, as well is spraying it with APC then attacking it with a scrubbing brush and the jet wash.

 

[TheDan]

So long as it's PH neutral they're all fine. I would check your foam mix / foam cannon if the Meguairs isn't foaming well. I'm not sure about the reasons for not foaming the soft top. I hit mine a bit with it sometimes to loosen the crud - just takes longer to rinse.

It foams averagely. I have bought a separate adjustable foam cannon and it still isn't the best.

In terms of not foaming the soft top, I don't know much about why you should or shouldn't foam it, so I was erring on the side of caution. When I clean the soft top specifically, I use the Renovo cleaner which is designed for the job.

This Bilt Hamber stuff has a pH of 13 (when concentrated) so I'll probably avoid this and go for something with a neutral pH.

I always foam my soft top, as well is spraying it with APC then attacking it with a scrubbing brush and the jet wash.

Any particular brands of foam or APC you like to use?

 

[Scubaregs]

Have you tried adjusting the foam/water ratio?

 

[TheDan]

Have you tried adjusting the foam/water ratio?

Yep, have it set to full foam and while its better, I see so many other people get better results and wonder what they are using.

 

[Scubaregs]

Do you have a bottle for the mixture? I was referring to that.

 

[TheDan]

Do you have a bottle for the mixture? I was referring to that.

Oh I see, I have upped it which also makes a difference, but as before its still pretty liquidy and doesn't really hang on the car. Even if it did though it doesn't get much grime off as I applied a second coat of it once and it still had a load of surface crap on the car after rinsing. Just wasn't impressed with the Meguiars stuff and thought I'd get recommendations for other brands that people like.

 

[Scubaregs]

PRO-Kleen, half/half mixture in bottle on pressure washer.

 

[enuff_zed]

Do you have a bottle for the mixture? I was referring to that.

Oh I see, I have upped it which also makes a difference, but as before its still pretty liquidy and doesn't really hang on the car. Even if it did though it doesn't get much grime off as I applied a second coat of it once and it still had a load of surface crap on the car after rinsing. Just wasn't impressed with the Meguiars stuff and thought I'd get recommendations for other brands that people like.

Snow foam looks awesome but having tried a few different ones, there are none that really do much more than remove the loose grit and dust, no matter how long they hang on to the car. You still need to rinse it all off then set to with shampoo and a sponge. All it really achieves is lifting off the bigger particles that you may otherwise rub into the paintwork.
I tend to use it more in the winter before a proper wash. In the summer I find that usually, assuming a decent layer of wax is on the car, then a good rinse with plain water from a hose removes as much dust and quicker than snow foam.
I wonder if maybe you're expecting too much?
Of course, other opinions may vary. :wink:

 

[Scubaregs]

My 718 was ceramic coated. In 3 years it had about half a dozen proper washes, normally rinse/snow foam/rinse and a drive to dry off left it pristine.

As you can see, only dirty part was number plate which was added after car had been ceramic coated.


Z4 is already booked in with the same guy.

 

[enuff_zed]

normally rinse/snow foam/rinse

Ah, well if the OP is doing that and rinsing first then it's no wonder the snow foam is not sticking as long as he thinks it should.

 

[Scubaregs]

normally rinse/snow foam/rinse

Ah, well if the OP is doing that and rinsing first then it's no wonder the snow foam is not sticking as long as he thinks it should.

The 2 pics of my Z4 above were done using this method.

 

[enuff_zed]

normally rinse/snow foam/rinse

Ah, well if the OP is doing that and rinsing first then it's no wonder the snow foam is not sticking as long as he thinks it should.

The 2 pics of my Z4 above were done using this method.

Ah well, I did say 'opinions will vary'.
I always found the snow foam just ran straight off a wet surface.

 

[TheDan]

Maybe expecting too much, but I see so many photos of other people's experiences with snow foam and it just seems so much more successful than mine.

I do pressure wash -> snow foam -> pressure wash -> two bucket wash -> pressure wash -> microfibre dry.

But the main problem I have is when I go to two bucket wash, there is still loads of contaminants on the surface of the car which will just scratch up the paint when I come to wash it with mitts.

 

[M1k3yC]

I don't have a soft top Z4, but I have a Mk 4 MX-5. I'm not concerned about snow foaming the top, but I do turn down the pressure on my Kranzle before I rinse it. Mazda provides quite a bit of guidance on care of the soft top in the owner's manual, for example:

Gently clean the convertible top with a synthetic neutral detergent, lots of water, and a soft brush.
Automatic and high-pressure car washes are harmful to a convertible top. Avoid them.
Some leather treatment products can ruin the convertible top's gloss. Be careful of the one you choose. Test on an inconspicuous, small corner of the convertible top if you are not sure.
Do not wipe the convertible top using alcohol, chlorine bleach, or organic solvents such as thinner, benzene, or petrol. Otherwise, they may cause discolouration or stains.
Do not get any car wax on the convertible top. If you do, remove it with a good leather cleaner or mild detergent (about 5% solution).

You could argue it's mostly common sense, and I assume it's applicable to other soft tops made of the same material.

The results you get from snow foam depend on what else is on your paintwork protecting it and how dirty the car was to begin with. Anything you can shift is a benefit because it won't get caught in your mitt at the contact wash stage. Avoid the temptation to bring the pressure washer closer to the paintwork to try and shift more dirt - you don't want to force water into places that it shouldn't be.

 

[DPG]

I used autobrite and the foam is always quite thick when applied. I don’t pressure wash before though

 

[idej_z4]

Maybe expecting too much, but I see so many photos of other people's experiences with snow foam and it just seems so much more successful than mine.

I do pressure wash -> snow foam -> pressure wash -> two bucket wash -> pressure wash -> microfibre dry.

But the main problem I have is when I go to two bucket wash, there is still loads of contaminants on the surface of the car which will just scratch up the paint when I come to wash it with mitts.

If you're not a fan of the snow foam have you tried Auto Finesse citrus power? Does the same sort of thing and is a prewash. You just spray directly on the car, leave to dwell and then rinse. I use it on the front bumper for all the roadkill.

 

[NCN35i]

I used to use bolt hammer on my mx5, and while the cleaning power of it was great I felt it really didn’t foam well, since ceramic coating my Z I’ve been using valet pro formula 1 snow foam and it’s excellent, not as aggressive so it foams more, really cheap think I paid £25 for 5L of the stuff. This is with a cheapo eBay foam cannon I’ve had for 3 years and my karcher K4 pressure washer.

 

[Benderloch]

Tried a few and Bilt Hamber is the best for me. The new contactless is not worth the extra cost in my opinion.