Foam Cannon Car Wash: SHOULD YOU RINSE YOUR CAR BEFORE FOAMING?

Should you apply foam to your paint dry? OR, should you rinse the area first and then foam? These are questions I get all the time, so I decided to make a video and cover this exact topic. The argument for applying your snow foam dry is that it is able to contact the dirt and buildup on your vehicles surface without being diluted by any extra water on the surface. I strongly agree with that and show a side by side comparison. However, there are cases where foaming on to a dry panel doesnt always make sense... ENJOY!
See the items I use and join the mailing list at: www.DTLRsupply.com
ITEMS IN THIS VIDEO:
MJJC FOAM CANNON PROv2 - dtlrsupply.com/products/mjjc-...
MJJC FOAM CANNON Sv3 - dtlrsupply.com/products/mjjc-...
ON AMAZON - amzn.to/44SlwwV
Koch Chemie Active Foam - dtlrsupply.com/products/koch-...
ON AMAZON - amzn.to/3UUnNEb
Gyeon Bathe - dtlrsupply.com/products/gyeon...
ON AMAZON - amzn.to/3UWzpGZ
Kosh Chemie Gentle Snow Foam - dtlrsupply.com/products/koch-...
ON AMAZON - amzn.to/4bdT0YE
TIME CODES:
0:00 - SHOULD YOU RINSE YOUR CAR BEFORE FOAMING?
0:31 - SIDE BY SIDE TEST
2:14 - WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY YOUR FOAM DRY
4:32 - RESULTS FROM THE TEST
6:52 - WHEN TO USE A SNOW FOAM
8:12 - WHEN AND WHY I PRE RINSE FIRST
8:58 - PRODUCTS I USE
10:45 - WHY I WON'T APPLY FOAM DRY ON A CAR
13:15 - SHOULD YOU RINSE FOAM AWAY BEFORE A CONTACT WASH
#FOAMCANNON #CARWASH #CARDETAILING #SNOWFOAM #PREWASH
**These are affiliate links to the products. We make a small commission on anything purchased from our links.
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond my control, I cannot guarantee against improper use of the information I share in my videos. (IMJOSHV) assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not (IMJOSHV) or any business affiliated to (IMJOSHV).

[@corypierce202]

Thanks brother for sharing your different scenarios. It’s always great to hear your tips

[@piggietruckerjones7545]

I love pre foaming with bilt hamber. It works amazing. Great video!

[@DetailsNMe]

Thank you for this precise and uncomplicated explanation of foaming vs not foaming...this continues to be a hot topic in the industry but imo is pretty easy to understand..it's completely situational and to the detailers discretion... look at the condition of the paint and go from there!!! Great video!!

[@ninji5226]

I Pre rinse because I work in my driveway and its almost always sunny when I detail a car so keeping the panels cooler outweighs having a slightly more diluted product. Doing a contact wash is going to work better than just foam regardless so its kind of a moot point.

[@JCoova87]

Foam is just perfect! Before another layer of foam, pre rinse then contact wash 🚿 it makes everything go by more effectively🙌🏽!

[@antonius138]

Super helpful as I was one of the peeps wondering about this...

[@superstring101]

Very good, thorough, well thought out video, Josh. Thanks!

[@imjoshv]

Thanks so much

[@indelibledotink]

Thnx for the comprehensive session!

[@jeremytelman6897]

Great video as always! I originally was doing a touchless wash (mostly fleet vehicles) so I’d foam, let it dwell foam again let that dwell and then rinse clean (manufacturers recommendation) But I’ve since switched to ph neutrals and I’ve adopted the foam rinse foam technique and I have to say for my auto details it’s been working incredible. I find the foaming a dry vehicle really helps boost the cleaning and lifting of the grime. And it makes the contact wash even safer since most of the heavy contaminants are gone

[@willdamian1066]

I recently started pre treating with GS on the lower or heavier contimated panels then foam rinse then contact. I did notice GS helping out in the rinse process knocking down some of the heavy mud and dirt. Next wash pretreating whole vehicle with rinse less before foam or put some rinse less in the foam cannon

[@johnniejohnson8026]

Thank you Josh for another lesson in doing it right another great video

[@imjoshv]

Glad you liked it!

[@randybecker7339]

Thank you Josh. I have always rinsed first either to cool down the car (living in Nevada always means hot panels) or to get the big chunks off first. And being in a generally hot and sunny climate, by the time I foam the car, most of it has dried. I guess I'm getting the best of both worlds! 🤔

[@pavanSingh-ts5ym]

I'm glad you did this video, it's good to hear advice from the pros, Ivan from DIY detail recommends foaming first, but you bring up some good points, at the end of the day, we all have our methods of madness, so best to keep learning and happy detailing.

[@imjoshv]

Yeah I agree with foaming on first and having that help to lift dirt to reduce any potential damage, but before we had foam cannons, we would always pre rinse and I don’t ever remember damaging anything like that. I still do prefer to foam first now though whenever I can.

[@user-ci2xg7rq5y]

I'm a foam on the dry surface guy. I then rinse and do another foaming for the contact wash. Really like the Sonax snow foam product and then i go with CarPro reset for the second foam and contact wash.

[@kulachartkongkeattikul9631]

Another very informative video!! How much AF do you use in your foam cannon and what is the dilution ratio? I have the Adam’s foam cannon which is 35 oz and i just bought some AF after watching your other pre foam video. Thank you.

[@golf007sd2]

Thanks for the great insight. Over the past few months, I have been doing the pre-wash foam wash, followed by the rinse; then a second foam followed with contact wash. This gets me the best result. The downside: more products is used and wash time is longer.

[@ubeuonly]

Not worth it. Never was. Never will be. Wash with good car wash and a mitt if your paint is special. Dry with chamois blow if u have to and drive only on not rainy or dusty days. Ridiculous..

[@M_IkeLeBlanc]

I do this as well. To put it into perspective though, I’m washing a small Porsche Cayman that’s more dusty than dirty. I also use the first foam application to catch the cracks and crevices with a detail cleaning brush. By the time I’ve finished, it’s time to rinse off the foam. The second foam application is when I start hand washing.

[@RedValleyMilsim]

@@ubeuonly Most people do not have luxury of foregoing driving based on weather lmaoo. ridiculous..

[@SuperchargedLlama]

Good video there! In the UK we've got a fairly big culture of pre-wash foaming, we'll tend to use something more like Super Foam in terms of pH levels, but we'd very rarely pre-rinse (unless there is thick mud). Obviously I don't speak for the whole nation 😂 but people who are properly into their detailing will always foam, and most will use something with a high pH. But now AF is in 1L (hopefully here soon) I will definitely give this a go!

[@Xxshadowman11xX]

Hey Josh, great video! If foam does dry on the surface do you typically have to polish the panel or will claying remove the spots? I've had issues with hard water spots and soap dried on older paint before.

[@frankcastaldi2531]

Thanks for the info, I haven’t been pre rinsing..

[@southplanet]

Saving water and time and getting a better result. Great Video once again Josh!

[@LimpioAF]

Love your videos brother... quick question how long do you take on a full wash and polish. How much would you charge?

[@chrism1157]

Apex Detail did a video about the acidic nature of pollen and recommended pre foaming with a higher ph soap to naturalizer it. I like the concept behind it.

[@imjoshv]

Thats makes sense, in my dide by side the pollen was able to wash away easier and was broken down more on ths ide that got foam on the dry panel.

[@lumberjact]

Great vid. I've always been a good car wash soap in a bucket and wash mit guy. Been happy with the results. I'm now learning about car wash soap and foam cannons. Learned a lot in your vid. What, in your opinion, should be the max PSI when using a pressure washer to clean your car. Thanks. Scott.

[@AnthACD]

Yeah especially as now in FL we are going into Summer time i tend to use rinseless washes. Unless i can wash the vehicle early in the morning. I prefer to wash in the evenings.

[@viperrcr]

I just tried Labocosmetica products for the first time, particularly Primus 2.0 (Alka) and Purifica (Acid) and was blown away how effective it is! I highly recommend them!

[@scottbrandenburg2243]

Great video, thanks Josh. What would you recommend for a black, ceramic-coated car? I've been using the KC GSF - is AF safe for ceramic? Up to now, I've been foaming with GSF, agitating, rinsing.

[@williampinchbeck4321]

Thanks Josh!!!

[@longfade]

Very informative!

[@jimflanagan6029]

Nice small wand Jos,

[@cgraham6]

Good video, Josh. I've always been in camp dry-foam, but maybe that's not the most effective. I still think it's the safest method and the best for an only slightly dirty surface.

[@imjoshv]

yea dry foam definitely showed a better clean in the test and i do agree with it being the safest in most cases!

[@The_jason1]

I thought the whole point of foam first was to add some lubrication so you're not blasting the dirt particles into the paint with the power washer

[@KramSacul]

That doesn’t happen though.

[@cardo1111]

Excellent vid. My question if you were to foam first without pre-rinsing, then start your agitation wash, do you risk scratching the vehicle?

[@Ccortanaa]

I wish i lived in San Diego so i could pay you to come detail my car, and learn from you, but im on the other side of the country 😭 But i'm watching all your vods and learning alot.

[@dccd3237]

Foam and wait 2-3 mins. Foam and contact wash with 2nd coat of foam - no bucket needed. Rinse thoroughly and dry with blower. If there’s excessive road film and road salt, start the process with high alkaline foam then follow steps above. I’m not a pro detailed, but my car looks almost showroom new and it’s 4 years old. Helps keep my close to 20 SUV looking spiffy too.

[@nomad509]

So Josh, what is your take on spraying rinseless wash from a pump sprayer onto the panels prior to foaming a car instead of pre-rinsing? I've used this method for the last three washes and have come to love the cleaning abilities before a mechanical wash. I've followed this cleaning up with a rinseless wash and have found very little contamination on my Eagle 350s! Products used are ONR version 3 or 4 and two different soaps, Stjarnagloss SNO and P&S Frostbite from an IK Foam Pro 12.

[@masanta]

My perfect combo has been to pre rinse with rinseless wash solution and pressure wash it off and then do a contact wash using rinseless solution. Works great in the Phoenix heat

[@imjoshv]

Awesome, I wouldnt have thought about that, but figuring out what works best for your own situations is a great way to go!

[@varanidguy]

I live in Casa Grande and my biggest challenge is the window of opportunity for washing my truck. Early morning or evening. Stupid sun. lol

[@soynobody2741]

i really enjoy AF, i like using the ik foamer to spread the soap so it doesnt get diluted with more water,i always pre-wash (except when its super hot, spray water first to cool down a bit)i also have the super foam for grimier stuff, instead of adding green star to AF... and then do a rinseless after, for best of both worlds.. my cars are not ceramic, i wash it weekly and like to add different protection during the drying stage (drying aid)...

[@WhiteLBZ]

Can you link that little angled pressure wand attachment. I love how small it is 😊

[@seegarsmkr]

Josh, not only does the soap work better when applied to a dry car, it saves an extra step and thus, time.

[@Ccortanaa]

Hi Josh. I just had a question about the 300 GSM Edgeless Micro Fiber - GRAY (12 Pack) that you have for sale on your website. Can you give me some advice on what those would be best used on? Would they be best for drying a washed car? Cleaning windows? (I think waffle weave are best for windows though?). Or is there something else they should be best used for? Also should they be prewashed before doing anything? Thank you very much!

[@derrickabare9986]

I ran a apc around handles down . Let dwell a minute or two and then rinse. Then foam . I feel where you live has alot to do with the process. My state and my county has alot of dirt roads . Most driveways are dirt . Mud season, snow . You name it . Unless the vehicle is coated I don't worry about marring. Won't be anymore than claying . Expeacialy of I'm putting a machine to it .

[@paulreichelt1259]

This topic has come up dozens of times with other KZbin influencer detailers.. Do what YOU want or like doing , honestly it makes very little difference in the real world if you foam a wet car or dry car...there's no right or wrong.

[@Danielxperez14]

Hey Josh what soap do you normally use for maintenance washes on clients?

[@algiordano9214]

Josh what dissolution ration do you use in foam gun with active foam. Thanks

[@photog1529]

I'm new to this cleaning regimen. In my younger days, just a bucket of water and some Dawn was enough to clean my cars. Thinking about the spray foam process but have a really basic question...after foaming and rinsing, would I still need to manually soap up the vehicle and hand wash? What soap is recommended for hand washing? Another complication is that my water source is well water.

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

I always prefer Rinseless and rarely do foaming 😁 I have been doing it for years

[@TheBreakfastLover]

You can foam on some rinseless washes like DIY Rinseless. It increases the dwell time and makes it easier to see where you've contact washed.

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

@@TheBreakfastLover yes, that's the one I preferred since Yvan had it. I used ONR v3 with a bit of APC too on the lower panels.

[@worst-hd-player]

What do you think about the Gyeon Bathe + Sio2 versus the regular Gyeon Bathe?

[@MarcYanOfficial]

In the UK citrus pre washes are popular. Do you think a citrus first, rinse, foam (no rinse) and straight to the mitt would be safe?

[@Chris-ut5ih]

How do you like Carpro products? Reset, reload 2.0, etc

[@PedroHernandez-gz4cn]

hey man, What do you think about the Masterson's brand?

[@LEWD98]

Living in the desert makes me scared to omit the pre rinse. I always start with a pressure washer to get rid of any surface dirt that might scratch when I start using a mitt.

[@Gumshoe88]

Some prerinse to remove some loose dirt. However, if you prerinse the existing water can carry some of the foam away-catch 22.

[@mariog4674]

Ya teased me with the Ram in the thumbnail lol

[@thetacticalape8852]

I would recommend doing a rinse first if the paint surface is hot.

[@muahaha5929]

Whats a good car brush with a water hose connection. most of the ones on amazon have low ratings, are there any really good ones?

[@JS-vh4yq]

Exellent content and comments. I'm looking for my first foamer... any suggestions? Thanks.

[@imjoshv]

I highly recommend the mjjc foam cannons!

[@Garsha2014]

What’s your Active Foam dilution in the MJJC S V3??

[@budgetbirder]

I personally always pre-rinse before doing my foam. Like you say, yeah it could dilute the foam down but it's rather marginal in my eyes. I put a little more soap in my foam cannon than I used to so I find the foam comes out rather thicker then it used to before when I used less soap. I think it's about prespective right? Yeah, on one hand you can say it dilutes the foam/ soap down if you pre-rinse first. However, you could also use the argument that you're "wasting" some of that soap by foaming first as it's loosening up or carrying off loose contamination that would be washed away with the pre-rinse. I always detail outside PLUS consider that my clients drop their vehicles off in the mornings meaning extra drive time leading to a warmer engine. Another reason why I like the pre-rinse, along with the fact it blows off all the loose dirt that isn't benefiting from a foam first regiment. I want the foam to dwell and work on the tougher, more stuck on dirt and contamination. Either way, you're going to follow up with a contact wash, but I want as much off the paint as possible to avoid further swirling and scratching. That's just from my experience

[@stephenlouden480]

can you do a video on Malco CW-37 Carwash concentrate ? I think it's an older soap but I'm using it and it's amazing. only need like 15 20 ml of soap to foam. and it's usable up to 400:1 for other applications ! and it's like 35$ a gallon. slick and sudsy n won't remove new wax or sealant

[@GiveMeYoSammich]

Either works really, obviously pre rinse if the paint is hot from the sun but if you're in the shade with a cool vehicle I'd foam first

[@prix49]

Hello, How long should leave spray foam on my vehicle before rinse off? Thanks

[@o0Hotiron0o]

Thank you

[@undergroundoutlaw411]

I usually pre-rinse with a more runny foam mix

[@davee8113]

On a cry dirty car I first use P & S PROFESSIONAL DETAIL PRODUCTS Absolute Rinseless Wash as a pre-treatment before I spray off with water and then you my car foam etc, I think it works well to pretreat before foam,

[@A5Skavanger]

@imjoshv What dilution ratio do you use for your Active Foam in that MJJC?

[@theunkownmr.562]

I do a pre-foam, rinse, foam again, and do a contact wash. The prefoam gets a bunch of the grotty stuff off the paint, so my contact wash isn't knocking off all that big grit.

[@davidgray2252]

New drinking game! Take a shot of your favorite adult beverage every time he says, "and again," "right," or "kinda" and see who if anybody is still standing at the end of the video. :}

[@JokesRcool]

Hey Josh I have a 2022 Chevy Silverado. Was wondering how you would go about washing a bigger truck and being quick about it so it does t get spotted up?? Love your videos!!

[@midas7934]

I got a 23 silverado myself. When i do it i start from top to bottom, washing and rinsing one panel at a time starting from roof, windshield and hood. I also do vertical panels on all the top halves first and then come back around and do the bottom halves since the bottom halves have more dirt and mud on it, so theres less risk of picking that dirt up and scratching up the upper panels. And to avoid the spots, get an inline mineral removal filter from amazon, it screws inline with your water hose, and i put a articulating hose joint, theyre made of plastic or metal, i put mine inline with my pressure washer at the hose inlet. The filter will remove the minerals from your water so when it dries, it wont leave mineral water spots. Same with washing, you don’t want the soap to dry on the paint, so go one panel at a time. Wash in shade or overcast, or before the sun gets too hot in the morning or if you can keep the paint cool as the sun goes down. You just dont want to let it evaporate before you rinse it. They do sell blowers specifically to dry cars after washes. Mine got a 9” lift with 37s, so its a pain in the ass to wash, especially on the roof, id recommend ceramic coat also, makes things much easier between coats.

[@JokesRcool]

Thank you I’ll have to look water removal products. I’m usually good during cooler months but it’s starting to warm up so the panels will air dry a lot faster. I always tried keeping the truck wet as I rinse off but sometimes it’s not possible. Thanks for the info

[@davewhite1687]

Wouldn't there also be some dilution of the foam from the rinsing?

[@iamsam8446]

When I pre-foam, I turn up the water mixture a little so it's not so thick to let it break down loose dirt, then rinse, then full power foam, agitate, then rinse and dry.

[@imjoshv]

That’s a good idea

[@mtibbe]

What do you use to remove the baked on bugs

[@Samuel-dq7je]

After watching tons of videos of different youtubers, I haven't found the answer to this question yet, When is it better to use a lower ph car wash soap? Or it doesn’t matter at all? In some comments, I read it is good to disolve salt. Is it true? When use neutral? I guess for pre wash, it is better a high ph soap.

[@youcanthide004]

I’m blown away that you did the ceramic your own car lol

[@davidnuxoll7074]

I’ve begun to use GS added to ph neutral Turtle wax hybrid solutions pure

[@Lesparta]

can you do a tutorial on cleaning and maintaining a foam cannon? my MJJC S V3 foam cannon stopped foaming last week, i have tried filling it with water and run it to flush out any debris but it did not solve it.

[@imjoshv]

Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ6omKWFftearMksi=CcUdPK_LkZOw4R6E

[@williambell7712]

Foaming before rinsing with pressure washer on a dirty vehicle is also the safest method. Foaming allows the surfactants to encapsulate the dirt particles, making for a safer removal. Think of blasting dirt directly into the paint at 1000 or greater psi. It can make a big difference on black and softer paint types.

[@imjoshv]

exactly

[@jackasmaryan1776]

You can also raise the PH level by using warm water in the foam cannon and with a really good soap might not need to do a full contact wash

[@Yorkiepoocharlie]

Warm water has a different pH than cold water?

[@jackasmaryan1776]

@@Yorkiepoocharlie warm water raises the PH level

[@happytrails1963]

Still using Adams strip wash in spring and megafoam after the foam is rediculous. Need to give koch chemie a try.

[@imjoshv]

mega foam is great!

[@autophile-cv621]

I tried this on my car that is washed & waxed all the time and my wife's car that is not. I find that using the dirt cannon on a dry car that has wax on it comes out much better that the dry car that has little to no wax on it.

[@stevewood5255]

Does active foam hurt a Ceramic coated car?

[@masoncolvin9896]

Good sheet dog 🎉🎉 🤩🤩

[@BlahBlahManYeah]

It is not a dilution, but rather foam uses water molecules to penetrate dirt so foam can kick off loosing dirt particles through expansion and separation. Plain watering before foam just saturates dirt filling pores with water molecules so foam can’t get much into dirt but rather covers it over.

[@fabiansaldana3142]

Were did you get the short lance? 👍🏻

[@mossy723]

They have them on Amazon, 13”

[@SANCHEZFLA863]

Who won the giveaway active 2.3 ?

[@CaliforniaCasey]

🏆

[@TwistedOff]

👍

[@birdsnest7883]

I can see a total difference in the back of the car.. IMO, it's worthy to rinse before foam!

[@davidgilbert6498]

Pre-rinsing isn’t that going to cause scratching because you are pushing the dirty along the paint? Using a Rinseless Product or foaming will limit the amount of dirt being pushed over the paint. Right?

[@archiepezek]

I've heard Yvan LaCroix say that a couple times in videos, especially when using a pressure washer with the higher force of the water.

[@robertfowler217]

Does the higher Ph effect any wax or ceramic coating

[@imjoshv]

They say its safe for coated cars and leaves existing protection uneffected.. However, I think over time it can start to cause it to break down a bit sooner. But again, Active foam is only a 9.5 so not too bad and its not used for every wash!

[@vellusk]

Imo it doesn't matter if you're going to contact wash. Also pre rinsing is just an extra step to me since you're going to rinse it again after foaming. Again, the negligible difference doesn't matter if you're going to contact wash. I think it matters more if you're not going to contact wash, or if you have literal mounds of dirt on the car but either way its getting rinsed off so I'd rather save time

[@KingDaDetailer]

Understandable but the point of pre rinse is to take a car that really dirty and safely remove as much dirt before the contact wash. If you just rinse and foam you will pick up a lot of that dirt and you have more of a possibility of scratching your car again it depends on the situation. Most cars you don't have to but some you should.

[@The1Music2MyEars]

There's a few videos of someone showing a pre-rinse vs a prewash. Prewash visibly shows less dirt on the car. Less dirt on the car during contact wash = less chance of scratching paint. Meguiars Gold Class does have a lot of lubrication though so totally understand you trying to save time instead of be OCD like us lol.

[@ItsRenderInnit]

What dilution Af do you like to use?

[@imjoshv]

I use an ounce and the rest water in my foam cannon

[@TheEwponkala]

The logic for not pre rinsing is to not drive the stuck on dirt into the paint which could lead to scratching

[@imjoshv]

Exactly, it gives it a chance to soften and and lift it away, but it also effects how well the foam works

[@afonsofreitas3595]

To be honest I don't see any difference if i use a snow foam or not, not even higher ph or something, I'm doing everything ok, all dilutions all that and i still don't think it makes a difference. However using snow foam instead of the 2 bucket method is way more efficient. And yes i do it in all sorts of vehicles and i still don't see a lot of difference. Even using it to clear some polishing dust after a heavy correction, all the dust is there unless i agitate it. For me, snow foam just for lubrication and show.

[@Th4tGuyLondon]

Not me trying to answer your rhetorical questions at home like an idiot thinking this was a live zoom haha

[@EliteMacFreak]

I love how detailers call cars "filthy" that wouldn't even be considered "sort of dirty" by normal standards. That "very very dirty" Telluride has like 12-16 hours worth of 1 day's pollen based on my experience on the east coast. It makes their advice non-credible. If your car is ACTUALLY dirty you absolutely should pre-rinse with a power washer because there's an entire layer of stuff (not to mention tree sap and bird poo stuck on there) that the foam won't even get to the first time around.

[@jagreddog]

I use adams mega foam and cg snow foam.Are those better worse same as the foams in this video?So many choices grrrr.LOL

[@imjoshv]

I love adams mega foam. I would say the cleaning ability of Active foam is better especially for a foam on, dwell, rinse application. But yeah there are so many options that you can get lost. I always recommend that if you are happy with how something works and getting the results you want, then stick with it!

[@Hakuonu]

** new test ** my ultimate lazy method is i rinse it really good. let it air dry then go to foam cannon. curious if your think thats worse or better

[@blake2638]

I will pre rinse when the panel is hot

[@1AXMRDR]

Interesting. If the car is really dirty I'll spray it off, foam it then use a wash mitt. I thought every one did it that way.

[@ubeuonly]

Congratulations. You've created a whole industry of sprayers and Foamers and products that are totally unnecessary