I was thinking about getting a regular hose type foam gun but then realized they are also available for pressure washers as well. I figured I could use it around, and on, the house as well as for the cars.
Does anyone currently have one? If so, do you like it or would you recommend something else?
Id like to keep it as affordable as possible as its not something I will use daily, or for that matter weekly.
Any input would be great!
Dan
:inhale big breath:
If you spend that much more time with your pressure washer actually RINSING, you will save the coin that would go into the purchase of it plus the copious amounts of soap that you will effectively go through. Plus you don’t have to foam the car, then run around like a madman trying to rinse it off before it dries.
Foam cannons are cool to look at but unless that cannon bottle is filled with a product(read: slightly alkaline to rip through road film) that is not pH neutral, while you read all the time about how they soften this and that, you will quickly realize its the fact that something moist is on it that is doing the softening and the rinsing under pressure that is doing the removal.
Think about a touchless wash(and a regular death tunnel wash), they certainly aren’t spraying your car with chemicals the pH of 7. They are spraying hydroxides in one step, mild diluted acids in another step. Why? Because non reactive products simply do not clean. Hydroxides and alkaline chemicals do well on oily roid filmy soils and mildly acidic products do well against anything that is metallic related and actually can help with situations of mineral deposit and hard water film.
Cannons were made for chemical cleaning of industrial situations and fertilizer/pesticide application - not for pH neutral/car wash soap wasting. I would recommend saving your money, unless you just want to have one to have it for just the house. The reality is of those chemicals is that they also are not pH neutral and thus clean considerably better in solution than a “touchless” situation would with a non reactive chemical.
If you want something for house and deck cleaning application, home depot has a green plastic one for pressure washers that is around 20 dollars.
Tons and tons of marketing go into the cannon sales for automotive use, but it seems as though they leave out the part that they are limited in first hand applicable knowledge or the fact that its not that cannon, nor the car soap that gets the vehicle cleaner - its the non-pH neutral cleaner and the pressure rinsing. They sell a product because at first glance it makes sense, second it looks cool.
disclaimer: I do not own a cannon but have used one many times any have been a ‘detailing nerd’ long before detailing was ‘cool’. Applicable functionality and effectiveness regardless of cost comes wayyyy before anything else in how I choose what I choose.
Thanks for the response. This is exactly what I was looking for, an honest opinion.
I really didnt look into this too much I just see lots of examples of people using some sort of foaming pre-wash step and figured it would be good to use on both car and house (moreso for the house to get product up high using the power of the pressure washer).
I think Ill just go for the HD cheapie applicator for the house/deck, and just use the pressure washer as my auto pre-rinse.
Dan
I have a gilmour for regular hose, but the Home Depot $20 one for pressure washers actually gets good reviews.
FWIW, foam gun is great for washing a very dirty car, and for winter washing. If the car isn’t super dirty, not necessary. I use a mixture of CG Max Suds II and Citrus Wash mostly.
Thanks for the HD link. Looks like Penfield has four in stock. Ill have to stop by on the way home and grab one.
Dan
So you would rinse the car off after this, and then continue to wash it like normal? Looks pretty cool :tup:
In for gt08vapor’s thoughts.
I really like my foam cannon. I will agree with getch, Most people buy these thinking to save time, or put non ph balaced cleaners in.
Yes it does look cool, is it needed. Nope
Does it use a little more soap, Yes but nothing that is gonna be a huge notice or cause you to go broke.
Depending on the company alot of marketing goes into these, But they do sell and alot of people like them. I like it alot. Would i miss it? Not really, but i did buy it and enjoy using it.
I have used it for spraying cleaner on my deck, and siding also. This makes it a little more usefull when you use it for other cleaning methods.
Seeing how i pressure wash every car, i find it useful. It saves washing with two buckets. It grabs peoples attention, Helps add lubracation to the paint to help dirt slide off easier while pre soaking. I rinse, foam, wash. Rinse mitt in bucket after a few passes, Depending on the weather, if your sprayed a whole car and let the soap dry. Your going to have a mess on your hands trying to remove the dried soap. So sections at a time when neeed be.
So for the occasional user would the HD cannon be good enough? It seems hard to beat the price.
Dan
I would assume so. You can play with diffrent soaps, Put APC (all purpose cleaner in them). Both are gonne dispence the product. Just going to have to play around with it untill you find what works best for you.
Yes.
In fact you actually need a solution(not a foam) for more thorough contact of whatever you are cleaning. The $20 cannon is more than adequate, and will probably be more effective because foam dries quicker than aqueous solution so you are getting better contact on whatever you are trying to clean.
I would be curious what your solution would be.
It is just car soap and water. Not unless your using it to wash something other than a car. Your not going to get pure foam, not unless one puts pure car soap in then you might get a ton of foam. Reguardless water will always be mixed in.