3 Best Snow Foam Car Wash Reviews | Autodetailinglab
Snow Foam Car Wash, latest fad or serious detailing substance?
These are the two schools of thought when it comes to the foaming white mass we shower over pour pride and joy.
Some say it is simply a waste of time and a good jet wash is better.
Others swear it is the best thing since Carnauba car wax was discovered!
Let's take a deep dive into the foaming mass to reveal just what is happening in there, see if its dollars wasted or well spent!
What is the purpose of Snow Foam?
To put this into a single sentence definition it is:
"To remove grit and grime particles without human intervention, so that the risk of scratches are minimised during the washing stage"
Snow Foam car wash is a super way to to break down and remove the dirt from your cars paintwork.
Spongy sanding block!
It is a much safer option than attacking your grime coated car with a bucket of water and a sponge. As this can produces swirls and scratches in the paintwork as the ole yellow brick sponge collects the dirt particles and changes into a sanding block!
Think of that sanding block and the pressure you put on it as you scrub away at your cars surface. Can now see why it is best to use a pre-wash product like snow foam to minimise the damage when you do get to the washing stage?.
What is Snow Foam?
Snow foam is a pre-wash product that contains detergent that helps lift off some of the dirt on your car.
It does this by creating a thick clingy foam that sticks to the surface of your car. The thick foam increases the time the detergent stays on the surface so making it more effective.
Dwell time
The time it takes the foam to slide over the bodywork is know as "Dwell time". Because of this increased time spent on the surface compared to normal soap and water the chances of it breaking down and lifting off the grime are greatly increased.
The easing and lifting is provided by surfactants in the foam.
These are: Substances that reduce surface tension of a liquid in which it dissolved
They are the contact part of the snow foam that is help onto the surface with the foam. The extra time it spends on there eases and lifts the dirt off.
Therefore, no human contact is needed and so the risk of scratching the surface is greatly reduced.
So now we know the purpose of snow foam car wash and what it is, lets take a look at the different types and the foams themselves.
The types of Snow Foam
When choosing a snow foam there are three main types to choose from:
- Cleaning Foam
- Decontaminating Foam
- Deep Cleaning Foam
Cleaning Snow Foam
This is the normal type of snow foam that will loosen up the dirt and grime but will not really clean the surface oxidants. It is also safe to use on well waxed or cars with sealant applied.
A good example of a Cleaning Foam is:
Adams Mega Foam Snow Foam Car Wash
This PH neutral Snow Foam has a chemically advanced foaming agents to ensure the best of foam coverings. Designed to remove dirt, pollen and soot with its advanced foaming capability.
Whilst effective on bodywork it is also gentle on the cars plastic trim and will not remove the wax coating.
Sunlight or shade and no streaks!
Adams Mega Foam has a unique quality is its ability to work equally as well in sunlight as it does in the shade.
The Mega Foam leaves a slick feel to your cars surface finish and after rinsing rarely leaves any streaks..
Definitely a great Snow Foam to use as a first attempt due to its ease of use an guaranteed, confidence boosting superb finish.
Whats to like about Adams Mega Foam
Decontaminating Snow Foam
A good Decontaminating snow foam will have ingredients that will help remove Iron Fallout from the body work. This can be difficult to remove if not treated correctly at the start of the cleaning process. A good snow foam really helps starting this fallout removal.
A good example of a Decontaminating Snow Foam is:
Mothers Triple Action Snow Foam Car Wash
This versatile, triple action snow foam car wash is designed to safely dissolve surface contaminants with its penetrating polymer surfactants.
Its super lubricity ensures a steady dwell time is achieved along with strong polymer foam blend to remove every dirt particle.
Dilute to suit!
The strength can be adjusted to suit your needs by the dilution rate. So if your looking for a quick all purpose wash or a deep foam concentrate Mothers Foam Wash will come up with the goods.
But regardless of strength you decide to use it will not strip back your cars protective layer because of its PH balanced formula. And it will leave a streak free surface after a simple rinse off.
What's to like about Mothers Triple Action Snow Foam Car Wash
Deep Cleaning Snow Foam
This type contains much stronger detergents designed to remove all surface contaminants, oxidation but can struggle with Iron Fallout.
Good example of this is:
Chemical Guys Snow Foam Car Wash
The Chemical Guys Honeydew snow foam has a concentrated deep cleaning power that one requires one cap full per gallon of water.
This will provide adequate grit busting foam to cover any average size vehicle, It's PH balanced formula. Throw in a superb fresh natural smell and you have the ideal deep cleaning snow foam.
Its unique PPM (Parts per Million) formula delivers millions of bubble onto the car surface. They immediately get to work lifting off the and cleaning grime to leave a silky smooth surface ready for final washing.
Secret Chemistry
Honeydews latest formula is thicker and slicker than previous snow foams. Its PH neutral quality allows perfect performance even in direct sunlight.
Chemical Guys believe the secret lies with their team of chemists who have put together this unique, powerful blend of super polymers and hyper surfactants.
Snow Foam Car Wash FAQ's
Q. Do I still have to wash the car after snow foaming or can I just start polishing?
A. Yes you do. Snow foam is the initial phase of washing and its purpose is to remove grit and grime with our human intervention. Leaving a surface free of particles ready to further wash.
Q. Do I have to use a pressure washer?
A. No, it can be applied using a pump gun like the type used to kill weeds.
Q. My car has decals, will snow foam affect these?
A. No they should not be affected by most snow foams, but best check the label if its a strong detergent one.
Q. Does snow foam leave water spots?
A. Most of them don't especially if you use deionized water. But with rinsing off with hose straight after usually leaves no water marks.
Final Conclusion
Snow Foam Car wash is fast becoming a recognised step in the preparation of a car to be cleaned properly.
As with any step by step process the end result will always be better if the early stages have been done correctly. If you check our How To Wax Your Car the Ultimate Step by Step Guide you will see how it fits into the overall plan.
It certainly serves its purpose of loosening and removing the ground in grime and is particularly useful on heavily soiled cars.
Interestingly there is a school of thought that suggests that by snow foaming your car you are more mentally stimulated to perform better with the later stages such as polishing and waxing.
It is definitely the way forward if you do not want to minimise the risk of any scratches, as the most scratches are caused by human contact.
We hope you are now able to make a more informed decision on which snow foam car wash will suit your vehicle and look forward to any comments.