How To Use Foam Gun Efficiently

[Perm]

Hi,



I am looking to lean how to wash my car as fast and efficiently as possible........



When using a foam gun (Gilmore) do you :



a) Cover the whole car with foam, let it sit for a few mins and then rinse it all off and wash car as normal ? OR





b) Cover one area of the car with foam, wash that area using the foam on the car and then rinse off area and move onto the next panel ? (rinsing the wash mitt between panels in clean water)



Or do you use it on some other way ????



Thanks





Perm

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Different people use different techniques for the foam gun, and many caution not to expect a foam gun to be faster, but to save time in the long run by not having to polish out wash swirls as often.



Your a) pre-soak is a nice idea if the car is really crudded up, but unless the dirt was really not attached (light pollen, dust, etc.), you won't have removed enough to want to do a regular bucket wash after that, IMO. For the actual washing, you really need to do one section at a time as the foam tends to run off/dissipate too fast to just spray the whole car.

 

[blkyukon]

Hi,



I am looking to lean how to wash my car as fast and efficiently as possible........



When using a foam gun (Gilmore) do you :



a) Cover the whole car with foam, let it sit for a few mins and then rinse it all off and wash car as normal ? OR





b) Cover one area of the car with foam, wash that area using the foam on the car and then rinse off area and move onto the next panel ? (rinsing the wash mitt between panels in clean water)



Or do you use it on some other way ????



Thanks





Perm

I usually rinse the vehicle first to remove loose dirt



Pre soak with foam gun to loosen the remaining dirt



I also spray the area with foam while I wipe to a) help lift the dirt off the paint and b) help the wash mitt glide over the paint to reduce the risk of marring while wiping.



Here is a short video on how I use it:

http://paintcare-n-detailing.com - in the washing section

 

[Accumulator]

BlkYukon- Good video!



Perm- I'm among those who spend *more* time with the foamgun and consider it a tool for reducing marring more than a tool to save time. But you can still do that too:



As per blkyukon's video, rinse, presoak, then wash.



I'd do the washing *little* differently, long explanation follows:



The general idea is to "dislodge and flush away" the dirt.



I'd use a BHB (especially if you're trying to save time), which will free-rinse pretty well if you blast the foam at the point where the bristles touch the paint. When I rinse my BHB out the rinse bucket hardly gets *any* dirt in it, so if you really want to save time you can do some pretty large areas without stopping to rinse the BHB at all. I can't get this sort of free-rinsing with a mitt, though shooting foam from inside a MF/chenille mitt (the "mitt balloon" technique) is sorta similar.



I just "jiggle" the BHB/mitt instead of making wipe/long passes. That way if I get any marring it'll be short, little scratches and a 1/4" scratch isn't as bad as an inch long one (let alone a really *long* one).



I move the foamgun so that it sprays suds along the full length of the BHB, really close so that the suds hit with some force- this does the flushing. This takes a little practice (rub head/pat stomach type of thing) especially if you're jiggling the BHB while you move it across the panel. You really do need to keep the whole contact-area of the brush well flushed.



Gotta watch that you don't bump the panels with the foamgun's bottle or the hose when you do the horizontal surfaces, this makes it tricky to keep the suds right at the point of contact. I usually have the hose over my shoulder the way I do with the cord of a polisher and I hold the foamgun at an angle (which works OK if the bottle's full).



The process of spraying foam right where the bristles touch the paint, holding the BHB so that you barely touch the paint (just enough to barely bend the tips of the bristles), jiggling the BHB while moving it across the panel, and moving the foamgun to spray along the full length of the BHB sure isn't easy! For vertical surfaces, I rotate the foaming nozzle of the foamgun so it sprays vertically.



Instead of rinsing in a bucket, you can just spray the BHB out with the foamgun. Not as good as dunking it, but we're trying to save time, right? Again, if you do the washing right it'll pretty well rinse itself out, all the dirt will get flushed away.



This is the best combination/trade-off of speed, lack of marring, and effective cleaning I've found yet.

 

[ashsarna]

I usually rinse the vehicle first to remove loose dirt



Pre soak with foam gun to loosen the remaining dirt



I also spray the area with foam while I wipe to a) help lift the dirt off the paint and b) help the wash mitt glide over the paint to reduce the risk of marring while wiping.



Here is a short video on how I use it:

http://paintcare-n-detailing.com - in the washing section

That is you! LOL, I always wondered who made that detailing page with those videos. That site is great step by-step for more than using a foam gun: You have helped me immensely with my pc usage when I recently started :2thumbs: .

 

[blkyukon]

BlkYukon- Good video!



Perm- I'm among those who spend *more* time with the foamgun and consider it a tool for reducing marring more than a tool to save time. But you can still do that too:



As per blkyukon's video, rinse, presoak, then wash.



I'd do the washing *little* differently, long explanation follows:



The general idea is to "dislodge and flush away" the dirt.



I'd use a BHB (especially if you're trying to save time), which will free-rinse pretty well if you blast the foam at the point where the bristles touch the paint. When I rinse my BHB out the rinse bucket hardly gets *any* dirt in it, so if you really want to save time you can do some pretty large areas without stopping to rinse the BHB at all. I can't get this sort of free-rinsing with a mitt, though shooting foam from inside a MF/chenille mitt (the "mitt balloon" technique) is sorta similar.



I just "jiggle" the BHB/mitt instead of making wipe/long passes. That way if I get any marring it'll be short, little scratches and a 1/4" scratch isn't as bad as an inch long one (let alone a really *long* one).



I move the foamgun so that it sprays suds along the full length of the BHB, really close so that the suds hit with some force- this does the flushing. This takes a little practice (rub head/pat stomach type of thing) especially if you're jiggling the BHB while you move it across the panel. You really do need to keep the whole contact-area of the brush well flushed.



Gotta watch that you don't bump the panels with the foamgun's bottle or the hose when you do the horizontal surfaces, this makes it tricky to keep the suds right at the point of contact. I usually have the hose over my shoulder the way I do with the cord of a polisher and I hold the foamgun at an angle (which works OK if the bottle's full).



The process of spraying foam right where the bristles touch the paint, holding the BHB so that you barely touch the paint (just enough to barely bend the tips of the bristles), jiggling the BHB while moving it across the panel, and moving the foamgun to spray along the full length of the BHB sure isn't easy! For vertical surfaces, I rotate the foaming nozzle of the foamgun so it sprays vertically.



Instead of rinsing in a bucket, you can just spray the BHB out with the foamgun. Not as good as dunking it, but we're trying to save time, right? Again, if you do the washing right it'll pretty well rinse itself out, all the dirt will get flushed away.



This is the best combination/trade-off of speed, lack of marring, and effective cleaning I've found yet.

Thank for the info using the BHB, very informative!



I just received a BHB and haven't had a chance to use it...I've always used a sheepskin wash mitt and was wondering how does the BHB compare to a sheepskin wash mitt - i.e. washing, ease of use, dirt removal?

 

[Accumulator]

Thank for the info using the BHB, very informative!



I just received a BHB and haven't had a chance to use it...I've always used a sheepskin wash mitt and was wondering how does the BHB compare to a sheepskin wash mitt - i.e. washing, ease of use, dirt removal?

The BHB is a lot easier for me to be *very* gentle with as I find it tricky to hold the mitts in *extremely* light contact with the paint.



The BHBs, used the way I use 'em can be a bit *too* gentle when a vehicle's really dirty and/or the LSP is really holding onto the dirt, but I'd rather go over a surface a few times gently than scrub and induce marring.



The BHB sure rinses clean easier!



What I do is use the BHB as described (but usually with plenty of rinsing in a bucket) and then follow up with the mitt. The BHB gets the bigger bits of contamination that IMO are the most likely to cause serious marring, the sort of stuff I don't want stuck to my mitt when I move said mitt across a panel.



I try to just "jiggle" the mitt too..I have a real thing about trying to avoid long scratches; if it's gonna get marred I want the marring to be short and shallow. Filling the mitt with wash solution, holding the cuff shut, and then whisking it across the panel while the shampoo seeps out can be a good alternative to using the foamgun (not *as* good, but OK). Doing this *with* the foamgun too is optimal, but a bit of a pain.



Keep an eye on the BHB, the bristles do eventually wear and lose their flagged tips. I test mine, wet with wash solution, on a CD from time to time.



Seeing your video made me think what a job a black Yukon would be...I considered one after the black rent-a-Suburban, which took me forever to detail properly.



Oh, and I'm glad you didn't take my different wash technique to be a slam at how you're doing it. Whatever works for somebody is great by me, I just seem to have to go to extreme lengths to avoid marring, and that's on silver where I can get away with stuff that you black-vehicle folks can't.

 

[blkyukon]

The BHB is a lot easier for me to be *very* gentle with as I find it tricky to hold the mitts in *extremely* light contact with the paint.



The BHBs, used the way I use 'em can be a bit *too* gentle when a vehicle's really dirty and/or the LSP is really holding onto the dirt, but I'd rather go over a surface a few times gently than scrub and induce marring.



The BHB sure rinses clean easier!



What I do is use the BHB as described (but usually with plenty of rinsing in a bucket) and then follow up with the mitt. The BHB gets the bigger bits of contamination that IMO are the most likely to cause serious marring, the sort of stuff I don't want stuck to my mitt when I move said mitt across a panel.



I try to just "jiggle" the mitt too..I have a real thing about trying to avoid long scratches; if it's gonna get marred I want the marring to be short and shallow. Filling the mitt with wash solution, holding the cuff shut, and then whisking it across the panel while the shampoo seeps out can be a good alternative to using the foamgun (not *as* good, but OK). Doing this *with* the foamgun too is optimal, but a bit of a pain.







Keep an eye on the BHB, the bristles do eventually wear and lose their flagged tips. I test mine, wet with wash solution, on a CD from time to time.

Thanks for the tips and great info from you as always!! :2thumbs:

Seeing your video made me think what a job a black Yukon would be...I considered one after the black rent-a-Suburban, which took me forever to detail properly.

Yes it can be a PITA...never a "quick" detail or wash, that's for sure!

Oh, and I'm glad you didn't take my different wash technique to be a slam at how you're doing it. Whatever works for somebody is great by me, I just seem to have to go to extreme lengths to avoid marring, and that's on silver where I can get away with stuff that you black-vehicle folks can't.

Not at all, I've said it many of times, everyone has their own technique, methods & style when detailing. What works for some might not work for others....The hard part is figuring out the the one that works best for you or your needs.



I'm always try/looking for different methods and techniques to use. :waxing: