# Snow Foam Lance - No Snow??



## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

Hi All,

Recently bought myself a snow foam lance attachment for my Karcher K4 pressure washer. Went to use it this pm using some new Chemical Guys Wash & Gloss mixture and although I got 'some' foam it was nowhere near as much as I was hoping for or have seen online, where am I going wrong please??

I put mixture straight into snow foam bottle, topped up with warm water then shook bottle. I then attached snow foam attachment direct to pressure washer gun. My snow foam has two adjustments, one on the end which adjusts width of the foam that comes out of end, the other is on the top which adjusts how much water is mixed with snow foam bottle, I had to set this to the very minimum or I wasn't getting any foam at all.

Please help guys? 

Cheers


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## jrattan (Oct 23, 2014)

I have a very similar setup and the same problem. I'm not sure why it doesn't work as well as it should.
I turn the attachment upside down and it seems to work well then. This is only an interim solution and not ideal so would be good if someone has anymore detail?


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

I assume that's your car in pic? That's about a hundred times more foam than I'm getting, I'd be happy with that amount! lol


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## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

Mine stopped foaming and despite a full strip down and clean out it still doesn't work. Gave up in the end.


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## jrattan (Oct 23, 2014)

billythefish said:


> I assume that's your car in pic? That's about a hundred times more foam than I'm getting, I'd be happy with that amount! lol



Yep, this is the result when I attached the snow foam attachment upside down. Before it was just soapy water


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## jrattan (Oct 23, 2014)

After you rinse the car off it's worth opening up the boot and getting rid of all the foam that gets stuck there. Worth doing the door sills and bonnet too but these areas aren't as much as the boot. 
Did turning the attachment upside down work for you?


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

I haven't tried that mate, will try it next time....


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## Kadir (Mar 23, 2008)

Picture of said foam lance bottle? Is it a Karcher item or??

If you want 'snow' you will need to get a dedicated snow foam! LOL.

A regular car shampoo in a foam lance bottle will not necessarily yield the foam or snow results you are after...

A link for your perusal..

Foam Pre-Wash - Clean Your Car

Personally I have used the following and am quite happy to recommend them..

- Valet Pro pH Neutral Snow Foam
- Valet Pro Citrus Prewash
- Auto Finesse Avalanche
- Gyeon Foam
- Bilt Hamber Auto Foam

So yes, buy an actual snow foam..


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## jrattan (Oct 23, 2014)

Good point kadir - I'm using valet pro ph neutral snow foam and the third bottle in your link


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## Kadir (Mar 23, 2008)

Avalanche from AF from what I understand doesn't foam well as others however it is supposed to have very good cleaning properties.


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

Kadir said:


> Picture of said foam lance bottle? Is it a Karcher item or??
> 
> If you want 'snow' you will need to get a dedicated snow foam! LOL.
> 
> ...


I bought this lance:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hug-Flight-...48212917&sr=8-1&keywords=Hug+flight+snow+foam

And I used Chemical Guys Wash & Gloss mixture which apparently can be used as snow foam or straight into bucket?


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## Kadir (Mar 23, 2008)

billythefish said:


> I bought this lance:
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hug-Flight-...48212917&sr=8-1&keywords=Hug+flight+snow+foam
> 
> And I used Chemical Guys Wash & Gloss mixture which apparently can be used as snow foam or straight into bucket?


Billy; your lance is fine then. 

Buy one of the foams that I have listed in my previous post and go from there.

p.s. Unfortunately Clean Your Car charge around £5.00 for postage unless you are spending over £100 IIRC. Polished Bliss however offer free delivery on UK orders over £10. Although they have less variety of snow foam type products.


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

Kadir said:


> Billy; your lance is fine then.
> 
> Buy one of the foams that I have listed in my previous post and go from there.
> 
> p.s. Unfortunately Clean Your Car charge around £5.00 for postage unless you are spending over £100 IIRC. Polished Bliss however offer free delivery on UK orders over £10. Although they have less variety of snow foam type products.


Cheers Kadir! :bowdown1:


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

Found this useful/interesting reading:

Snow Foam Lance Guide - Detailing World


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## billythefish (Jul 2, 2015)

BTW, this is the mixture I use and looking at this video I'm now thinking I just need to put more mixture in the bottle as I probably put about half what he put in! Will try next time...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IxoErPONSrc


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## Dings (Oct 8, 2015)

I usually put about an inch to two inches in the bottle then fill to the top with warm water....a good tip, when you're finished foaming fill the bottle with clean water and blow that through it....it helps to keep the little wire gauze in the gun clean....hope you get it sorted


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

I find the less is more approach works for getting foam out of my lance, I also use very hot water than just warm. The Valet Pro snow foam fluid is good, I use about 2" in the bottom of a litre snow foam bottle.


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## Dings (Oct 8, 2015)

This is mine using either chemical guys no touch snow foam or meguiars hyper max







(evo before I killed it )


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## Evo9lution (Aug 24, 2013)

The only bit of the "snow" that actually affects the clean is the bit that touches the paintwork. As such, a thick foam isn't necessarily any better. The important thing is how it sticks really as if it runs off in two minutes, it will only have 20% of the time to work than if it stuck around for 10 minutes.


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## dragerboy (May 15, 2003)

I've just bought a Nilfisk C120 for my Xmas present. To get Snowfoam do I just need the liquid or do I need to buy another attachment?


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## jrattan (Oct 23, 2014)

Depends what attachments you got with it. You need a snow foam lance and some snow foam liquid/solution.
Check kadir's post above


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## dragerboy (May 15, 2003)

jrattan said:


> Depends what attachments you got with it. You need a snow foam lance and some snow foam liquid/solution.
> Check kadir's post above


Cheers for that looks like another gift for Xmas.


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## Karls (Jul 12, 2010)

I find the metal gauze plug inside the gun that helps create the foam does get blocked after a while, especially if you don't purge the gun after using it.
What I do when I've finished with it is fill the bottle half way with clean water and spray that through whilst altering the settings. This helps to rid the gauze of any foam before it dries, otherwise it blocks the gauze and you won't get decent foam.

It's a relatively simple job to get to the gauze if it's blocked up. I think someone gave a link earlier about dismantling the gun. I've got a few spare gauzes so I can drop a new one in and put the old one in some liquid to dissolve the dried up foam.


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