Maniac-Auto Tutorials: The Foam Lance
DETAILING STEP N°1: THE PRE-WASH
What for?
The Foam Lance is a foam cannon that attaches to your pressure washer to safely perform a pre-wash.
The pre-wash removes the bulk of the dirt from your vehicle without physical contact with the bodywork. This avoids creating defects with your wash mitt during the shampoo wash.
In what situation(s)?
It is very important to perform a pre-wash on vehicles that are heavily soiled. Indeed, the dirtier the bodywork, the greater the risk of micro-scratches during washing. A pre-wash with the Foam Lance allows you to considerably reduce this risk and to remove a large portion of the dirt without touching the bodywork. Once the pre-wash is done, the two-bucket wash phase will be much easier: your wash mitt will glide over the bodywork without creating defects.
With which product(s)?
The most important thing is to use the right products to obtain an intense and dense foam. The dilution bottle should contain a shampoo and a foaming agent.
In our video we use the most well-known foaming agent on the market: Ph Neutral Snow Foam, Valet Pro. To this product you can add any kind of shampoo. Whether it is a gentle shampoo to preserve an existing protection, or a strong shampoo to remove a layer of wax.
Examples:
Mr Pink, Chemical Guys
Honeydew, Chemical Guys
Bug Bugger, Chemical Guys
Lather Shampoo, Auto Finesse
Black Bubble, Fictech
There are also products combining shampoo + foaming agents. The advantage is that you do not need to mix different products. The disadvantage is that you cannot use your favorite shampoo with a foaming agent as in the example from our tutorial video.
Example:
Pre-wash NHP, Alchimy7
Avalanche, Auto Finesse
What dilution?
If you are using PH Neutral Snow Foam, Valet Pro with your favorite shampoo, we recommend:
- 100ml of PH Neutral Snow Foam
- 50ml of shampoo
For 2-in-1 products, here are the dilution ratios:
- Pre-wash NHP, Alchimy7: from 60 to 150ml depending on the condition of the bodywork
- Avalanche, Auto Finesse: 100ml
- Apple IFoam, Dodojuice: between 60 and 120ml depending on the condition of the bodywork
Warning: It is important to fill the rest of the reservoir containing the washing solution with hot water. This will allow you to obtain a much denser foam. Once full, mix everything well.
How to use it?
The Foam Lance connects directly to the outlet of the pressure washer hose. There are various adapters available to make the foam lance compatible with the vast majority of pressure washers on the market. Maniac-Auto offers the following adapters:
- Karcher K
- Karcher HD
- Kranzle
- Nilfisk
- Lavor
- Bosch
Warning: The latest versions of our Foam Lances come with a Teflon tape. This should be added to the fittings you screw on to prevent leaks.
Once connected, turn the dial until you achieve the desired foam:
- Clockwise for a dense, thick foam
- Counterclockwise for a finer foam
Then spray onto the vehicle. Leave for 5 minutes then rinse your vehicle with clean water.
Maintenance?
It is important to clean the Foam Lance thoroughly after use. To do this, we recommend emptying the contents of the reservoir and replacing it with clean water.
Then, turn the dial fully counterclockwise and run it for 1 minute. By taking care to clean it properly, you will eliminate all remaining foam residue.