Foam cannon vs Hand wash? Is your vehicle in need of a wash but you’re not in the mood to drive it to the car wash? If so, your two major options are to hand wash the vehicle or use a foam cannon.
Which is the most suitable choice? To be honest, most individuals find it difficult to respond to that question. We created this thorough guide to assist you in figuring out the most effective way to wash your vehicle.
When you’re done reading this article ” Foam cannon vs handwash”, you’ll know just how to get your ride looking brand-new before hitting the town.
What is hand washing a car?
The majority of individuals prefer to wash their cars by hand. This technique requires several microfiber towels and a bucket of soapy water.
Towels are dipped in soapy water and then rubbed over your vehicle by hand. Then, you will spray down the automobile and wipe it dry using a fresh stack of towels.
Advantages
- Proper cleaning
It enables you to access virtually every part of your automobile and give it a thorough cleaning. This method ensures that no dirt and grime is left untouched.
- Relatively inexpensive
This approach is economical. The handwashing method can help you get outstanding cleaning results without breaking the bank. Additionally, this approach uses car wash detergent and a garden hose to remove dirt.
- Environmentally friendly
Compared to the foam cannon approach, the handwashing method uses less water during the car wash, making it more environmentally friendly.
What is a foam cannon?
Videos of vehicles getting foam-cannoned are very popular and easily found online. It’s a car washing tool with a pressure washer-like appearance and functionality. Some of the more popular models can even be connected directly to a standard pressure washer.
Water and car soap are mixed and shaken before being shot out of the nozzle. It releases a thick foam( like a shaving cream) after being sprayed. A foam cannon applies much more soap compared to a wash mitt which applies a thin layer of soap.
Foam cannons are used by detailers to coat their vehicles with foam. Doing so rapidly covers the car in a consistent, thick layer of soapy water. Some surface dirt and grime get blasted away during application since the liquid is pressurized.
You should wash your car with a clean wash mitt after using the foam cannon. After finishing this, give your car a quick spray with regular water and a dry wipe.
The use of soapy water is the primary distinction between hand washing and using a foam cannon.
Hand washing involves dipping a cloth into a bucket of soapy water and then wiping off your car. On the other hand, using a foam cannon involves spraying water all over the car without reusing any water.
Advantages
- Faster application
Foam cannons save a ton of time. The application is carried out using pressurized water. You may completely cover your automobile in just a few minutes without requiring any towels.
- Your suds won’t get diluted
It’s quite possible that after hand washing every panel, you won’t have any more super thick suds.
It is preferable to use foam cannons for bigger cars rather than refilling the wash bucket with soap, making fresh suds, or cleaning it out.
- Perfect soap-to-water mixture
Getting the perfect mixture at the beginning of your hand-washing process takes quite a bit of time. You will mix, measure, measure once more, and then cross your fingers.
That whole process is automated when using a foam cannon. Measuring cups and buckets are unnecessary because it is merely an attachment for a regular pressure washer.
What are the requirements for a foam cannon?
You’ll require the following components to use a foam cannon on your car:
Car shampoo
This could be your go-to car shampoo for hand washing.
Wash mitt
After using a foam cannon, wipe down your vehicle with a mitt. This removes extra debris and dirt.
Pressure washers
There’s no reason to purchase a specific model because almost any regular pressure washer will work. If you happen to have one lying around in your garage, it’s most likely ideal for a foam cannon.
Foam cannon
The actual cannon is an attachment. Just a nozzle with a reservoir, handle, and connector needs to be purchased. It attaches itself directly to a typical pressure washer.
What distinguishes a foam gun from a foam cannon?
Although foam cannons and foam guns are sometimes mistaken for one another, they are not exactly the same. The explanation for this distinction is straightforward: a foam cannon is designed to be used with a pressure washer, whilst a foam gun is designed to be used with a regular garden hose.
Thus, which performs better a foam cannon or foam gun? The foam cannon is the undisputed winner. The foam gun provides the car with the thickest, most consistent foam. It usually remains on the surface for a considerable amount of time as a result.
That does not negate the effectiveness of a foam gun, though. The impact is just significantly lower. foam guns are a bit more basic. Using a foam gun is more like pouring a bucket of soapy water onto the surface of your car. Although foam guns spread suds all over your car, they aren’t quite as thick and won’t stick to the paint as effectively. Though less efficient, foam guns are still better than nothing.
Foam cannons and foam guns are generally priced similarly. The requirement of a pressure washer to operate the cannon is the largest expense difference.
Using a less expensive electric pressure washer will help you save some money, but it will still cost several hundred dollars. Remember that to make it all work, you could need to purchase more fittings. A foam gun, on the other hand, will attach to your garden hose in the same manner as a conventional nozzle. That implies that setting it up also takes less time.
Do you have to hand wash after foam cannon?
Automotive experts advise hand washing your vehicle after you use a foam cannon. Even though foam cannoning is the only method that a lot of people use to clean their automobiles, it is not a completely effective approach to cleaning the surface of the vehicle.
The reason for this is that foam cannons are unable to sufficiently displace the impurities from your automobile.
It will require manual cleaning to get rid of all of the dirt, dust, oil, and other impurities from the surface of your car. Therefore, whether you own a foam cannon or not, you should occasionally hand wash your car.
Car owners need to realize that dirt and dust aren’t the main enemies of a clean car. Grease and oil are the real enemies.
Your car will get surface oil buildup from the atmosphere after several days of driving. Additionally, over time, the oil gathers additional dust and debris on it.
Now, even if you use a foam cannon to remove dust and debris from the top layer of your vehicle surface, the oil layer will still remain, thus your car won’t be completely cleaned. Therefore, after giving your automobile a foam cannon wash, you will need to hand wash it to get rid of the residual oily layer.
FAQ
Is foam cannon better than hand wash?
In reality, it’s about your preference. However, foam cannons are generally better because of their speed, efficiency, and power.
Nevertheless, hand washing a car is perfectly acceptable if you don’t have a pressure washer or simply choose to take your time cleaning it.
Can you use any car wash in a foam cannon?
Theoretically, almost all pH-neutral soaps should work just fine. However, some soaps perform better than others.
You should be mindful of the settings and dilution of your foam cannon setup if the consistency of the foam is essential to you.
You can get weaker suds even with the best foaming soap if you dilute it in the canister by adding an excessive amount of water.
However, you may be able to use any soap you choose if you take the time to modify your setup.
Does foam clean better?
Although foam has relatively little cleaning power on its own, its surface-clinging ability makes it perfect for cleaning applications.
Foam increases dwell time on surfaces and aids in penetrating stubborn dirt, mud, oil, and other grime. The product’s ability to clean is essentially unaffected by the amount of foam. There are situations where having snow foam will make cleaning more difficult.
Do I really need a foam cannon?
Although they are not always required, foam cannons can be useful in some circumstances. When cleaning a large area, they might help you get done much faster. If you don’t like using a foam cannon, you generally aren’t obliged to.
Although foam cannons are more of a novelty item, they can increase safety a little bit by adding extra lubrication to soft paint.
Ultimately, your specific scenario and preferences are going to determine whether or not you require a foam cannon.
Does foam wash better?
YES. The foam helps in lifting the dirt and road grime for effective removal. This thereby enhances your wash process.
Foam cannon vs hand wash: conclusion
At the end of the day, it really depends on your budget and preference. All things considered, I heartily advise car enthusiasts or anyone driving a larger truck or SUV to have a foam cannon.
I strongly advise you to wash your car by hand each time after using the foam cannon. This will guarantee that the surface paint on your car is always incredibly shiny and spotless.
Combining the two methods is usually a better option because you can benefit from both techniques and get a flawless, scratch-free cleaning.
Recall that while a foam cannon wash expedites cleanup, a hand wash consistently yields outstanding results.
I hope this guide “Foam Cannon vs hand wash” is of immense help to you.