By Jeff Glucker
I don’t love cleaning my vehicles. I don’t hate it either, and I certainly appreciate it when they are clean. Especially since I enjoy getting my Montero dirty and my Jag attracts dust as if it were part of the original idea for the car. My typically cleaning regimen involves either hitting up the local pay and spray if there’s serious dirt or using a quick method in my driveway. That’s typically Meguiar’s waterless wash and a few microfiber towels. But recently Meguiar’s sent me its new Ultimate Snow Foam car wash and I wanted to try it out properly; that means using a foam cannon!
My buddy (who you can follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/i_play_with_cars/) let me borrow his Ryobi power washer. And since I had a dusty Ford Bronco in my driveway, I figured it would be a willing test subject. First, I hosed the car down with plain water. Next, I dumped in one part snow foam with five parts water, swirled it up, and set to spraying down the Bronco. And from there you just let it all sit for a few minutes. The foam clings to the dust and dirt. Meguiar’s refers to the dwell time of this foam, which means it will hang out for a bit really trying to give you time to get all the junk off your pretty paint. And hang out it does.
Even with the sun shining down, the foam clung so I could easily get to any trouble spots, but really all that was required was a water bath and then hitting a few spots with a microfiber. It was quick, easy, and dare I say it, kind of fun.
You can buy this stuff online or at your local auto shop. Here’s a link to the product at Amazon, and if you buy it from there we could earn a few bucks. It comes in 32 oz and 128 oz sizes, with the 32 priced around $19.99 and the 128 landing just under $40.
Next up, I’m going to try it out on the Jag. It’s a great solution when you want to keep your car shining and also get to use a power tool of sorts. Having a giant foam gun in your hand makes car washing far more entertaining.
[Disclaimer: Meguiar’s sent us the snow foam to try out for ourselves., free of charge.]
always been curious about this. is this a no-mitt solution? if it is, is the inconvenience of the agitation step not more than offset by having to set up and tear down the pressure washer? what would this rig get me over a bucket and a wash mitt?
It’s more of a no-bucket option. Depending on where you live and the stickyness of the mud/dust/birdshit and/or bat turds you’ll probably still need something to give it a wipe over.
I personally prefer it over having to drag a bucket of muddy soapy water around with me. The pressure washer makes short work of anything that’s encrusted on, splash on the foam and the car just needs a cursory wipe before rinsing.
Yeah that’s a good way to explain it – plus if the car isn’t that dirty to start, it’s only a mild bit of wiping.
I suspect this no-touch wash system works best in a bird-gunk-free “it never rains in California” environment where you only get static-cling dust.
My only personal “miracles of mechanization” car-wash-trick is not for car-washing but drying. I use a leaf blower and air dry the car – no chamois or wet towels – quick and easy. I do use a spot-free car wash soap though, so ymmv if you don’t.
Interesting, in our “it always rains”-environment, I also wash my cars when it rains. Everything is so much easier. No drying, no staining, but the car is super clean. For a handful of moments, at least. S
The pressure washer can knock off the gunk pretty well.
Good trick with the leaf blower though
You’ve sold me on the foam cannon. The Amazon link seems to be broken.
Fixed, thank you