Meguiar's Ultimate Snow Foam

• Product: Ultimate Snow Foam.
• Manufacturer: MEGUIAR'S.
• Packaging: 946ml.
  
  

Description:



Meguiar's introduces with Ultimate Snow Foam its first pre-wash foam, which fits directly into the Ultimate range (the brand's technical consumer range).
This was the missing piece for the brand to complete its already very extensive shampoo lineup.
Sold at over €25 per liter, we will judge whether or not Ultimate Snow Foam is truly worth it.

Usage:

Meguiar's recommends a dilution that seems really very (too) uneconomical to us, namely between 100ml and 200ml in the foam cannon! Just imagine that one bottle would only last for about 5 to 10 pre-washes..

First, we will simply use 50ml of product in the foam lance and observe whether that is sufficient or whether we need to increase the product concentration.
Many pre-wash foams from other brands suggest such dilutions, so it's worth trying.



Ideally, first fill your foam lance reservoir (or foam gun if you don't have a pressure washer) with warm water to prevent the product from foaming too much. Then pour in your 50ml of Ultimate Snow Foam.

Note that for a medium-sized vehicle, half a reservoir may be more than enough. Adjust your dilutions accordingly.

In order to let the foam act on the bodywork and encapsulate contaminants as much as possible, we will perform the pre-wash on a dry body. If the vehicle is exceptionally dirty, rinse with high pressure beforehand.

Always start from the bottom and work your way up.



At this dilution (1:15), Ultimate Snow Foam turns out to be quite runny despite the nozzle being set to maximum and a high water flow. This would not be too detrimental if the vehicle is only lightly dirty (less need to let the foam dwell).

The film tension, however, is very good, and — an important detail — the scent of Ultimate Snow Foam is very pleasant (grenadine, blackberries...), which is not the case with many products from other brands.


On the other side of the vehicle, we re-evaluated the dilution by increasing to 80ml per 800ml (1:10 dilution).

The foam produced is thicker without going to excess. This dilution is much more interesting as it gives Ultimate Snow Foam sufficient time to properly encapsulate contaminants (mud, insects, etc.) by softening them before rinsing.



It is worth noting that the great quality of Ultimate Snow Foam is that it offers a film that holds for a long time without drying on the surface, which gives the user time to clean bodywork details such as seals, grilles, etc.
This is a big plus, as products often tend to generate too much foam, and due to gravity, the film slides down quickly and the remaining product dries on the surface.

Make sure to rinse the product thoroughly once the residual film becomes very thin (3-5 min).



In a final test, we increased the product concentration further to 100ml per 800ml of water (1:8 dilution). The pre-wash was carried out on the rear of the vehicle, which was dirtier than the other parts.



At this configuration, the film is quite static. It is necessary to adjust the foam lance opening slightly to avoid a foam that is too "whipped cream"-like. This dilution is best reserved for fairly dirty areas that require more product before being carried away by gravity.

It is worth noting that in all three cases, particularly the last two, the cleaning capacity of Ultimate Snow Foam is very convincing, especially for a "Wax-Safe" pre-wash solution — meaning it has no highly alkaline, detergent base that would tend to strip waxes.

On this last point, one can observe on the half of the bonnet treated only, that the wax present is not removed after pre-washing with Ultimate Snow Foam. You can therefore preserve your layer of natural or synthetic wax. However, plan to regularly top up your wax layer with a spray wax to further extend its durability.




Finally, it is worth noting the very attractive appearance of the bodywork after a simple pre-wash; the vehicle's curves are nicely enhanced, especially on this light color.


Overall conclusion:

Overall, Ultimate Snow Foam does the job perfectly. It offers a foam dense enough to properly encapsulate contaminants and facilitate their removal by rinsing and washing using the two-bucket method.

The scent is truly pleasant and a welcome change from other products typically encountered with their strong detergent smell.

However, you would need to be a devoted fan of the brand to accept spending over €25 per liter for a pre-wash. Fortunately, a 1:10 dilution is perfectly sufficient, whereas Meguiar's initially indicated a 1:5 dilution!!

Indeed, you will find many other pH-neutral, wax-safe products offering the same effectiveness for half the price with the same packaging and often with a lower dilution.

Worth trying for "pro-Meguiar's" enthusiasts.

Advantages

+ Scent.
+ Good foam film tension.
+ Dwell time.
+ Wax-safe.
+ Finish.

Disadvantages

- Very high price, which may be a dealbreaker for some.