# Foam cannon for vehicle washing



## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

Anyone out there using one of these? Interest in using my pressure washer for various tasks has been growing as of late. I am just looking for opinions on these, and wondering if I really need one.


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## tommyboy (Aug 20, 2019)

I bought one a couple of years ago. Not worth the trouble to me. Doesn't get serious dirt off. Still requires a wash mitt. Also tried a hose end foam sprayer, don't use it either


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I have the MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon that OG packages with their Kranzle solutions. I like using it when washing vehicles.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

I don't hand wash my cars much anymore but the only good use I ever found for one of those Ortho hose end sprayers was put some liquid car wash soap in the bowl and have at it. Works great for getting plenty of suds and water on the car to flow off the dirt and grime. Still need to wet sponge with a car wash sponge as you go to get all the dirt but no more bucket of suds dip and rinse anymore; the suds and water out of the hose end sprayer keep the sponge wet and clean. I'd be reluctant to point a pressure washer (or even full blast garden hose jet) at a car finish for any reason. Gentle rinse, suds and wash, another gentle rinse. Treat it like washing a dog or washing yourself. My 2c.


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## PNW_George (May 28, 2018)

I use one most of the time in a process similar to the one in the link below, including the 3 bucket method mentioned and linked to within the blog. With Cquartz finishes on our cars I want to make sure my wash mitt doesn't turn into sandpaper and of course I don't have to apply wax after washing.

https://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/how-to-impliment-a-foam-lance-into-your-wash-routine/


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I use one with every car wash and have been using the MTM PF 22.2 for over a year now and it has been great. But I just recently purchased a Griot's Garage Brilliant Finish Foam Cannon and I have to say that it is far superior to the MTM and much less expensive. Plus it comes with a 100% lifetime guarantee. I think it produces as good if not better foam and is much easier to fill as it has a wider mouth on the bottle. The MTM can be a PIA to fill up and rinse out because of the narrow opening. The Griot's will also use their 22 and 35 oz bottles which can screw on to it also. It's like they thought of everything possible you could ever want in a foam cannon.

**Disclaimer** I am a long time Griot's fan and have found their products are of the highest quality and their customer service is second to none.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

Thanks for all the feedback! How long will the layer of foam stay intact on the vehicle? I ask because my driveway is in full sun and it seems like it might be good to have the longer working time with a layer of foam on the car. I wouldn't necessarily foam the entire vehicle at one time. Could break it down into sides, hood, etc.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

@Mightyquinn I was seriously considering one of the Griot's polishers a while back, but settled on this one from Chemical Guys https://www.chemicalguys.com/torq10fx-random-orbital-polisher/torq10fx-polisher.html?gtmListValue=Category%3A%20polishers

I am considering a mini though, and this one looks like a good choice https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/g8+mini+random+orbital+polisher.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=fn


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Yeah, I don't think you can go wrong with their polishers either. I have their 6" and 3" polishers but they are of the older variety and they still work just fine.


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## briguy_78 (Jun 25, 2020)

I have the mtm foam cannon as well. Regardless you still need to use a mitt even with ceramic coating to get all the dirt off. I've never found foam alone to do the job. To maximize foam, use good soap, ideally water that is not too hard and fill the cannon with hot water. If you have a deionizer (helps with water spots), use deionized water. I find in the sun to work one side of the car at a time and cool the car down with a rinse first using cold water.

I used to rinse off the foam soap and then mitt wash with soap again but now just use my mitt with the foam soap and rinse my mitt off frequently in a bucket. I get all the big stuff off first by rinsing with pressure washer before I foam.

Hope this helps.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

@briguy_78 That is what I have in mind, minus the deionizer. Although that would be nice to have, but my water is only slightly hard and will not leave spots if I dry most of it manually.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Monocot Master said:


> …How long will the layer of foam stay intact on the vehicle?


I think this really depends on two things - the product you're spraying and how your foam cannon is "tuned".


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

@Ware :thumbup:


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## RCUK (Jul 16, 2018)

I use an Italian made cannon, brass and very study. MJJC have a very good one also.

Use it to spray BiltHamber autofoam, let it sit for a few minutes, then blast off. Then I fill the foam cannon bottle with shampoo, spray that on, dwell for a minute then use a noodle mitt to clean the car, dipping in a clean bucket of water as I go. This avoids me using two buckets but still keeps the mitt clean. Wash that off then spray on some meguiars hybrid ceramic wax, let it sit on the wet car for a bit then wash off.

I also use the foam cannon to clean my windows and garage door, saves a ton of time Vs spraying with a bottle.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Just FYI, if you care about your car's paint at all you don't really want to wash it in the direct sunlight. The best time to wash your car is in the early morning as the sun is coming up or late in the evening as the sun is going down.

As far as doing a contact or touch-less car wash depends on how dirty the car really is. If you have a good layer of protection on your car most of the dirt will come off pretty easily especially with a pressure washer. If I have been driving my car through rain storm then most likely it will need a contact wash but if it's just been rained on from sitting in the parking lot from a quick shower I can usually get away with a contactless wash.

I will usually wash the tires, rims and wheel wells first and then soak the entire car down with some Griot's Foaming Surface Wash and let that sit for 5-10 minutes and then wash that off. It will get a majority of the dirt off and soften whatever is left over then I would move into my contact wash if needed. I also recommend using a leaf blower of some sort to dry your vehicle and then use a drying aid and a good quality microfiber drying towel to get the little bit that will be left behind.


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## falconsfan (Mar 25, 2019)

If this is just to try it and see if it works for you then I'd opt for an inexpensive well reviewed cannon from wally or amazon. Your soap plays a big role in how good the foam is and this is where more money buys you a better soap (usually). you can also go down the tube rabbit hole by simply searching foam cannon.

I have an amazon cheapy and some good soap and I like the effects. My 2 year old truck has no swirls and has never been in a commercial car wash. Of course it's been 4 weeks since it's last wash so I know what I'm doing tomorrow!


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## Boy_meets_lawn (Sep 27, 2020)

I've had several foam cannons over the years and while I like the mtm offerings I prefer the newer wide mouth bottles made by a few other companies. It makes them way easier to fill and screw the gun onto.

Keep in mind the orifice size needed to get great foam will depend on the flow of your pressure washer. 1.1 mm for lower output electrics, 1.25 mm for higher flow electrics and gas.

Adams megafoam has been the best soap I have found as far as smell and foaming ability. While the cost does seem expensive you only need 2 oz of soap per wash compared to other soaps which recommend much more.

I have also found using DI water improves the foaming capabilities of most soaps. I try to not let the foam completely dry as I wash but with DI water it all comes off spot and streak free.


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## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

I use a MATCC Foam Cannon III, which is decent as a budget option. It also came with a short barreled gun which is easier for car washing. I use it with Bilt Hamber Auto Foam which is highly recommended on forums and YouTube reviews, but it is not a very foamy soap and quite runny so it's difficult to wash in full sun. My pressure washer is a consumer grade electric that's roughly 2000 PSI @ 1.2 GPM, so I had to change my orifice size to 1.1mm for better foaming.

My method is rinse the car with water, spray a layer of foam, let sit for minute, wash mitt with two buckets (clean bucket with soap, rinse bucket with grit guard), rinse with water, blow dry, dry with towel and 1:16 ONR.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

I love my foam canon. I hand wash all the time because I have no choice due to the size of my vehicle.

I like to clean wheels, then pressure wash most of the grime and solids off. Then I use the foam cannon and it lays a nice slick layer. I then use more soap and a bucket and hand wash. It's more like just wiping off the foam.

Pressure wash off at low pressure, and the soap I use has some good beading action so a griots towel or three, and im good to go.

Would love a DI set up!


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

Thanks for all the tips, opinions, etc. I really appreciate it! So full disclosure here, I did not really need a foam cannon, but just wanted one. So I bought what turned out to be almost the cheapest on the market. It is an Armor All one I got at O'Reillys for $29.99+ a bottle of Chemical Guys Honeydew soap. Anyway, it had good reviews and figured I would give a shot since I was not _all in_ so to speak.

I am running a 3,000psi / 2.5 gpm / Honda GX 5.5HP powered washer. Overall, I am fairly underwhelmed with thickness of the foam. I started with 1oz soap/qt of mix, but quickly stepped that up to 2oz with improved results. Is there an ideal pressure I should be running? I have a gauge for my washer and can get it dialed in if that is necessary. Also can use more soap or a different soap. The cannon only came with one orifice. Not sure what size it is. Will have to research that if it is relevant. Thanks in advance for any advice


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Boy_meets_lawn said:


> I've had several foam cannons over the years and while I like the mtm offerings I prefer the newer wide mouth bottles made by a few other companies. It makes them way easier to fill and screw the gun onto.
> 
> Keep in mind the orifice size needed to get great foam will depend on the flow of your pressure washer. 1.1 mm for lower output electrics, 1.25 mm for higher flow electrics and gas.
> 
> ...


What kind of DI system is that?

I have a similar setup with the AR Blue TSS-HOT. Love the way mine came out but I need to add DI.

The metro vac blower is amazing after a detail but with the family growing I can't spend 30 minutes blowing hot air in every crevice of my SUV! The goal is to use DI water on the final rinse and just walk away without any drying


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## wiseowl (May 25, 2020)

Ware said:


> I have the MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon that OG packages with their Kranzle solutions. I like using it when washing vehicles.


💯 Moreminator


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## wiseowl (May 25, 2020)

Monocot Master said:


> Thanks for all the tips, opinions, etc. I really appreciate it! So full disclosure here, I did not really need a foam cannon, but just wanted one. So I bought what turned out to be almost the cheapest on the market. It is an Armor All one I got at O'Reillys for $29.99+ a bottle of Chemical Guys Honeydew soap. Anyway, it had good reviews and figured I would give a shot since I was not _all in_ so to speak.
> 
> I am running a 3,000psi / 2.5 gpm / Honda GX 5.5HP powered washer. Overall, I am fairly underwhelmed with thickness of the foam. I started with 1oz soap/qt of mix, but quickly stepped that up to 2oz with improved results. Is there an ideal pressure I should be running? I have a gauge for my washer and can get it dialed in if that is necessary. Also can use more soap or a different soap. The cannon only came with one orifice. Not sure what size it is. Will have to research that if it is relevant. Thanks in advance for any advice


Orifice size on the Foam Cannon needs to change depending on PSI, I'm only familiar with the MTM and you can change orifice sizes. I run a Kranzle 1122 @1400 psi with a 
4.5 nozzle @ 40 degree only (white tip ) and my MTM orifice is a 1.25mm. Unit does about 2.1 GPM @ 1400 PSI, I use Gyeon Foam on a 20amp dedicated circuit and the foam comes out super thick, think old school shaving cream thickness and just sets up fantastic. I fill up to just over the second line which is somewhere around 4-5oz, dunk the bottle in my clean bucket of water to fill it up and then spray.

Does the O'Reilly's have a brand name ?
Orifice size matters on foam cannons depending on high end pressure washers and gas powered washers, you need at least a 1.25mm orifice on the cannon to get good results. .

Small orifices also means the pump has to work harder at higher PSI which isn't great long term which is why I mention the 40 degree 4.5 nozzle size above as well.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

I pulled the orifice to check it and it is a 1.25 mm. I am going to experiment with my pressures. Probably start at 1,500 and go up from there and see what happens.


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## Boy_meets_lawn (Sep 27, 2020)

JerseyGreens said:


> Boy_meets_lawn said:
> 
> 
> > I've had several foam cannons over the years and while I like the mtm offerings I prefer the newer wide mouth bottles made by a few other companies. It makes them way easier to fill and screw the gun onto.
> ...


Just an old water softener tank I converted with 1 cu ft of mixed di resin and then added a clack bypass valve assembly. It came out cheaper going this route and I should get about 1500 gallons of di water with my TDS in my water.

The cheapest equivalent capacity I could find was this one, but they are using a regenerated resin with should still give you a similar quantity of di water. You could always just replace with new resin when you're due for a refill. You would have to either replace the head cap with a bypass style or rig up a bypass with a hose splitter but its still comes out cheaper than the other offerings I found.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07Y8XVJNJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

Alright all you foam cannon, vehicle washing peoples. I got pretty good results today at 2,000 psi, 4oz Chemical Guys Honeydew soap/ 1 quart water in the Armor All foam cannon. It has a 1.25 mm orifice. I started at 2oz then tried 4oz. Its possible 3oz of that soap would be fine. I may never get shaving cream with my set up, but I am going to try. Should I try a 1.1 mm orifice? A YouTube vid says yes, but he was using an electric. That seems irrelevant as long as pressures are the same though, right?


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## Boy_meets_lawn (Sep 27, 2020)

Whats the flow rate in gpm? The psi is irrelevant as it changes with the nozzle. Anything over 2 gpm flow needs a 1.25mm in the cannon or you can damage the pump.


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## ALPHA (Aug 25, 2021)

Another MTM user here coupled to a Generac (I think) pressure washer. Gyeon for foam. Kamikaze black wash sponges. Car is front end PPF coated, Modesta ceramic, topped with Polish Angel after each wash. The truck is badly neglected and in need of a full polish and new ceramic.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Monocot Master said:


> Alright all you foam cannon, vehicle washing peoples. I got pretty good results today at 2,000 psi, 4oz Chemical Guys Honeydew soap/ 1 quart water in the Armor All foam cannon. It has a 1.25 mm orifice. I started at 2oz then tried 4oz. Its possible 3oz of that soap would be fine. I may never get shaving cream with my set up, but I am going to try. Should I try a 1.1 mm orifice? A YouTube vid says yes, but he was using an electric. That seems irrelevant as long as pressures are the same though, right?


I think you are right on the bubbly of using the 1.25mm or the 1.1mm orifice. What's the GPM of the pressure washer? That's more of a factor then the PSI when it comes to car washing and foam production.

Go to Obsessed Garage, go to "For the Obsessed" at the top and select the Pressure Washer Spreadsheet. He has a ton of pressure washers that he's tested and what orifice to use with each, if yours isn't on there then try and find one with an equivalent PSI/GPM to select the best one to use.


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

My washer GPM is around 2.5 I think. @Boy_meets_lawn Now that you mention it I remember seeing that pointed out in a video, about not undersizing the orifice.

@Mightyquinn Thanks for the link I will check it out


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

@Mightyquinn Wow, that is a pretty comprehensive list on the Obsessed Garage site. They are all electric models, and with lower gpm and psi than my gas pressure washer though, but it is interesting to see all the specs. I will put a link below for others that may be interested

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1239/9256/files/Pressure_Washer_Spreadsheet_2-3-21_Update.pdf?v=1612375512


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## Monocot Master (Feb 28, 2021)

Monocot Master said:


> Alright all you foam cannon, vehicle washing peoples. I got pretty good results today at 2,000 psi, 4oz Chemical Guys Honeydew soap/ 1 quart water in the Armor All foam cannon. It has a 1.25 mm orifice. I started at 2oz then tried 4oz. Its possible 3oz of that soap would be fine. I may never get shaving cream with my set up, but I am going to try. Should I try a 1.1 mm orifice? A YouTube vid says yes, but he was using an electric. That seems irrelevant as long as pressures are the same though, right?


Tried the foam cannon again yesterday. Same as before, 4oz soap, 1,.25mm orifice and 2,000 psi. But this time I used RO purified drinking water in the soap reservoir. Someone may have suggested this in the thread, so thanks if you did. The foam came out nice and thick. All in all, happy with the inexpensive Armor All foam cannon.


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