The pre wash Snow Job
We have found that snow foaming is the perfect first step to dramatically reduce swirl marks and micro scratches while washing your beloved car. It's effectively a pre-wash system that creates a thick, deep blanket of cleansing foam that gently dissolves and releases a lot of the grit and grime that has bonded to the paints' surface. After letting the foam dwell, you blow it off with a strong jet of pressurised water. With it goes the vast majority of the potentially scratching particles, grit and other contaminates.
Depending on how dirty your classic is, you'll either want to use the Snow Job pH neutral foam, or the Mega Snow Job with its subtly stronger alkaline foam. If you're just doing a maintenance wash on a car that's reasonably clean and you don't want to affect any protection that's already on there, use the Snow Job. If it's quite dirty, or muddy, or you just want a deeper clean, then use the Mega Snow Job, but be aware it will affect/remove any previously applied carnauba waxes from the car, while the Snow Job will not.
Our Sandman here is pretty clean and only needs a maintenance wash to remove the layer of light dust and sea-spray from a weekend of cruising the Sunshine Coasts roads, so we will use Snow Job foam.
Fill your Snow Blow Cannon bottle with 900ml of water, then add 100ml of Snow Job. Attach the cannon head and screw it on until it fits snug, but don't over-tighten it. Gently turn the bottle and cannon upside down a couple times to mix the solution inside the bottle.
Starting at the back of the car (where it's usually the dirtiest), begin foaming, moving then to the side of the car, and from the bottom to the top until the whole car is covered in a lovely, thick foam - by using this technique you will use a lot less product. Leave the foam to dwell for a few minutes, but don't let it dry, then begin pressure washing the car off, starting from the roof this time, and working your way down in an overlapping motion, leaving the rear of the car till last so that it gets the longest dwell time to break down the dirt and grime.
Classic cars and pressure washers: You need to be a little more careful with classic cars when using a pressure washer. Most domestic electric machines are fine, but don't go using any petrol professional machines as the chance of damage due to their higher pressure is there. With our years of using many different machines, we feel you will want between an electric machine that is between 1800 PSI, to a max of 2200 PSI.
Things to take note of when removing the snow foam are any rubber seals, as they aren't all exactly water tight. Be sure to keep the pressure washer a good 50cm to 1m distance away from these seals so you don't damage them or spray water inside the cabin, boot or other areas you don't want pressurised water to go. Likewise, be careful around all the lights for the same reason, as water can get past the seals and affect how they work, even more so if they are the old Lucas (Prince of darkness) electrics! Also keep that same 50cm+ distance from all grill emblems, trims, stripes and stickers, badges and any older, delicate paint as well.
For a more detailed break down of all things snow foam related, see our excellent guide here:
