[robbo51]

Many people now use Snow Foam as part of their wash regime
BUT what is your technique in its application?
I used to apply on a dry car, but since the summer Ive done it the other way round. I now always rinse first and then apply the foam afterwards as I believe it helps to remove more dirt before I get the buckets out.
I did a small poll in another forum. Here are few replies:

I tend to go straight onto the snowfoam. When I've rinsed the car first, the snowfoam tends to slide straight off. Seems to defeat the point!

Yes always pre rinse, get what you can off to start with.
Give the snow foam more chance to work, if car is treated correctly very little water should remain on the car after a rinse anyhow so shouldn't effect foam.

Rinse first, snow foam will never remove heavily soiled motors on it's own I am afraid........

What do you do?
I'll post the other Forum Poll results when this has run its course

 

[Kotsos]

I never rinse because I believe foam stay longer in a dry car. Tommorow I llrinse first to make a comparison. A 50/50 might help

 

[Magic]

I go straight to foam. I have done it both ways, and many times. I find the foam clings better to a dry car. In terms of performance, very difficult to compare. It saves me 5mins rinsing the car first though, so from a business perspective, if there's little difference in performance, it's the fastest solution which gets used the most...

 

[fat4y]

I always rinse to get the dirt off first..then wait a bit for the snowfoam..is that not right?

 

[robbo51]

It may boil down to Preference V Performance
Getting as much dirt off prior to SF is priority to me

 

[wanner69]

Straight on to a dry car for me also and for me magifoam has excellent cleaning abilities therefore no need for me to pre rinse

 

[thieftakers]

Rinse first for me

 

[Ron240]

Personally i have always put the snow foam straight onto my dry car, believing that it will run off quicker if i rinse first. I say always, but only started using it this year.
The first snow foam i used did not say anything about rinsing first, and every demonstration video i had seen just puts the foam straight on, but when i bought Autobrite Magifoam i noticed that it states in the how to use instructions, that the car should be rinsed first before applying the foam.

Unlike conventional contact washing, when using snow foam i cant see it making a whole lot of difference whether you rinse first or not. The only thing i can think of with the Magifoam, is that it helps the thick foam + dirt to run off the car slightly better with it being wet.

 

[robbo51]

This is a quote from Baker21 on my other Forum

Rinse first, snow foam will never remove heavily soiled motors on it's own I am afraid........

He details many cars and is highly respected.

 

[shaunwistow]

Done it both ways, however, I found that the foam dwells better on a dry car. This gives me more time to do the badges, shuts etc. Also saves time without rinsing first & saves water.

 

[Magic]

This is a quote from Baker21 on my other Forum

He details many cars and is highly respected.

He does all his details under the wing of Dooka. DW is a fantastic source of information, but you have to read posts from the right people. It really is better to try things for yourself, its the only way you'll really learn anything tbh. I personally don't think there's any right or wrong way to snow foam a car (apart from getting the solution mixed to the correct strength!). I just do what works for me, which is spraying it onto a dry car - it saves me time, and yields the same results as rinsing first. It really is difficult to tell the difference between rinsing or not, so it saves a step for me.

 

[Windlepoons]

i always assumed the point of snow foam was to get most of the dirt off before the wash, so with that in mind I never see the point in rinsing the car before snowing it.

I snow foam it, then pressure wash it off, then move onto the main wash with shampoo and mitt.

 

[wanner69]

i always assumed the point of snow foam was to get most of the dirt off before the wash, so with that in mind I never see the point in rinsing the car before snowing it.

I snow foam it, then pressure wash it off, then move onto the main wash with shampoo and mitt.

same as me

 

[robbo51]

He does all his details under the wing of Dooka. DW is a fantastic source of information, but you have to read posts from the right people. It really is better to try things for yourself, its the only way you'll really learn anything tbh. I personally don't think there's any right or wrong way to snow foam a car (apart from getting the solution mixed to the correct strength!). I just do what works for me, which is spraying it onto a dry car - it saves me time, and yields the same results as rinsing first. It really is difficult to tell the difference between rinsing or not, so it saves a step for me.

Many years experience tells me, as you do, that its a preference issue ...and for me, that it depends on the amount of dirt on the car..its never a time issue for me.
In the Winter I always rinse first these days but admit that if its just a quick wash to remove dust, then I dont.
The reason fo this thread was to see what others do..As you rightly say there may be no correct way at all.
BUT I do think that the Foam works better if the large particles of dirt have been removed first

 

[robbo51]

Detailing World answers to same question:
Wet or Dry before Snow Foam ? - Detailing World

 

[Kotsos]

I ll make the test now and when i ll finish i ll upload the photos. I don't know if i have to rinse with open hose or pressure water.
Love Sunday wash

 

[Kotsos]

Test completed and results are very interesting.

I made a 50/50 wet dry on roof to see what is the best part.

Roof before had lot of stain from yesterday rain

Then i rinsed with open hose back of the roof

Car foamed

I didnt see any difference after few minutes and foam was staying on wet part aswell

Then i had to see the cleaning abilities of a foam in the wet part

And when i dried towel was clean

Then i dried the dry part

And towel was very dirty

I voted foam in a dry car on the poll but from now on i ll always rinse the car before.

Hope i helped you

Now i ll go to continue my washing routine

 

[shaunwistow]

Nice work Kostas, so it would appear rinsing 1st is a better routine. Plus damn you for your good weather, no chance of doing mine, drive & road are frozen

 

[Kotsos]

We have 16c today but when I finished washing start rain again

 

[thieftakers]

Thanks for running the test Kotsos and pictures.