Charlies guide to MH & Vehicle washing. The correct way (1 Viewer)

[faraway]

Hi Charlie, thank you for the excellent information. I'm a newbie and yet to clean my motorhome for the first time. As this thread has gone on for a while and the link for the foam lance no longer works, I would be very grateful if you would once again provide a list of the basic items you recommend (with links if you have time) as well as recommend a pressure washer. Just the items would be great, the method I think I understand. Thank you.

 

[GSD]

Charlie
I will get to the point first the e-bay link for the specific snow foam product you recommend is out of date. What is the product please ?

Thanks very much for a great series of posts. I always think that a man who makes his living doing something is more likely to know what he is talking about.
I have collected together all the information in your posts with a view to establishing a regime for may new PVC (delivery shortly). This will be
Wash with snow foam and rinse
Two bucket wash with Auto-glym shampoo (just because I have lots in the garage)
Wax with Collinite
Detail with your detailing spray.
Thereafter maintenance snow foam and rinse (sometimes hand wash as well.
This needs some investment in new products and equipment but I think this will make life easier and produce a better result.

 

[Clarky]

On @Charlie recommendation I purchased a foam lance and followed his advice but haven't found that the foam seems to do much.
Perhaps I'm mixing it wrong or expecting too much but I had hoped that using the lance would save all the hand washing on a reasonably clean van. I wouldn't expect it to remove heavy deposits of gunge and grot from a long trip but just a light cleaning job between more concentrated cleaning bouts.
It does seem to soften the dirt, making it easier to wash off but not really remove any of it.

Richard.

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[jessthedog]

Not the professional one with brass fittings, but seen this Karcher lance in Halfords for 12.66. has a foam adjuster on top. Free click and collect


http://www.halfords.com/motoring/ca...ses/karcher-pressure-washer-foam-spray-nozzle

 

[faraway]

@Charlie ?

 

[Charlie]

Not the professional one with brass fittings, but seen this Karcher lance in Halfords for 12.66. has a foam adjuster on top. Free click and collect


http://www.halfords.com/motoring/ca...ses/karcher-pressure-washer-foam-spray-nozzle

That is not a snow foam lance .. it's a detergent bottle which does mix detergent with water but not in the way a foam lance does . It will not provide foam and it will mix the snow foam way to strong if you put it in the bottle.

A proper foam lance costs about £25 off EBay . I can put you up link later when I get home if you like ?

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[Charlie]

Link to a Karcher compatible snow foam lance... very good price as well !!!

 

[faraway]

Hi Charlie, thank you for the excellent information. I'm a newbie and yet to clean my motorhome for the first time. As this thread has gone on for a while and the link for the foam lance no longer works, I would be very grateful if you would once again provide a list of the basic items you recommend (with links if you have time) as well as recommend a pressure washer. Just the items would be great, the method I think I understand. Thank you.

Any advice Charlie?

 

[jessthedog]

Link to a Karcher compatible snow foam lance... very good price as well !!!

Thanks. Just ordered one

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[Charlie]

Bear with me we have a power cut and as we live way out in the middle of nowhere very limited phone and internet signal....!

Any advice Charlie?

e

 

[laird of Dunstan]

i also ordered the brass snow foam lance ,the one i bought from Halfords did not do the job properly ,ive also ordered a neutral snow foam mix for the lance

 

[Charlie]

Hi Charlie, thank you for the excellent information. I'm a newbie and yet to clean my motorhome for the first time. As this thread has gone on for a while and the link for the foam lance no longer works, I would be very grateful if you would once again provide a list of the basic items you recommend (with links if you have time) as well as recommend a pressure washer. Just the items would be great, the method I think I understand. Thank you.

For foam lances search EBay and enter the type of power washer you have and of course snow foam lance. They are all the same arevthe brass ones no matter what colour packaging or claims.

Which power washer ? You can't really go wrong with a mid range Karcher it really depends on your budget.

The big important thing with power washers is the flow rate. It's no use having a huge PSI if the flow rate is low. It's the amount of water your machine pumps out that is the important thing.

I have a Kranzle which is a German machine with both high PSI and a high flow rate. But I'm a bit of a tool fanatic and would not expect most to shell out over a grand for a machine.

Sorry for the delay in replying I've had a few problems to deal with ...

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[faraway]

Thank you Charlie, really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I'll have a look at the recommended items, but may be back!

 

[Charlie]

On @Charlie recommendation I purchased a foam lance and followed his advice but haven't found that the foam seems to do much.
Perhaps I'm mixing it wrong or expecting too much but I had hoped that using the lance would save all the hand washing on a reasonably clean van. I wouldn't expect it to remove heavy deposits of gunge and grot from a long trip but just a light cleaning job between more concentrated cleaning bouts.
It does seem to soften the dirt, making it easier to wash off but not really remove any of it.

Richard.

If your lance is not producing foam it may be blocked. I think I wrote a guide how to clean and service the lances but I do advise on a few forums so might be getting confused.

Sometimes the fine jet or the pickup pipe and or the restrictor above the pick up pipe get blocked with tiny bits of debris left from the manufacturing process. This will mean little foam. Please check in the detains section and see if the guide is there. If not I write it up.

Don't worry it's easily sorted.

 

[Charlie]

Thank you Charlie, really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I'll have a look at the recommended items, but may be back!

Any questions on specific items or advice on how to get the best from them just ask. I will get back as soon as is possible. FJmike is very knowledgeable to..

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[Clarky]

If your lance is not producing foam it may be blocked. I think I wrote a guide how to clean and service the lances but I do advise on a few forums so might be getting confused.

Sometimes the fine jet or the pickup pipe and or the restrictor above the pick up pipe get blocked with tiny bits of debris left from the manufacturing process. This will mean little foam. Please check in the detains section and see if the guide is there. If not I write it up.

Don't worry it's easily sorted.

Thanks @Charlie. The lance is working fine and produces prodigious quantities of foam but the foam just doesn't seem to achieve much.
It does soften the road grime and probably makes it easier to wash off but I had high hopes of giving the van a soaking of foam, spraying off and having a fairly clean van.
After foaming and rinsing it isn't much cleaner than when I started, just wetter.

Richard.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks @Charlie. The lance is working fine and produces prodigious quantities of foam but the foam just doesn't seem to achieve much.
It does soften the road grime and probably makes it easier to wash off but I had high hopes of giving the van a soaking of foam, spraying off and having a fairly clean van.
After foaming and rinsing it isn't much cleaner than when I started, just wetter.

Richard.

How well foam can shift muck often depends on the surfaces it's stuck to.

Take a vehicle that has not been polished or waxed for a long time and muck sticks to is as the surface may be rough... this means it's going to be hard to get best results.

Example. My car has been machine polished really well in addition to this it's been waxed well. This results in an ultra slick surface the muck and grime cannot stick to.

I never actually touch the surfaces on my car from Autumn through to spring. All I do is foam it let it dwell and power wash it off. It comes up extremely well with no remaining dirt or grime left on it.

So it's down to how slick or not your surfaces are. Snow foam has its limitations determined by the surface it's used on .

 

[Marcus75]

deleted post

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[Mickey1]

Can anyone recommend a snow foam, seems to be a lot of different brands out there.

Mickey.

 

[Charlie]

Can anyone recommend a snow foam, seems to be a lot of different brands out there.

Mickey.

Autobrite Magifoam . Not cheap but excellent. Bilthamber also do a good one which is cheaper but still decent. Do not buy the cheap rubbish off EBay it's rubbish.

 

[laird of Dunstan]

First clean of the year ,boy it was mucky

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[Fellraven]

Time and time again I see comments about how we clean our precious Motor homes. Some use waterless products some don't. I DONT !

Here I will show exactly what I use and how to use it.

The following kit will revolutionize the way many of you will wash your vehicles . The outlay if you have a pressure washer is minimal. The time and effort saved is huge. With respect a few here are not so young so minimal effort is a bonus.
A Huge bonus is these devices are excellent for cleaning the roofs of MHs !

So the procedure.

Cleaning a vehicle using a foam lance .

A foam lance is really designed to clean a vehicle before hand washing. But doing it this way will be more than enough for most people. They/you will foam your MHs then finish off by wiping the windows with a micofibre towel or a drying towel job done. Please NEVER use chamois leathers they scratch !

This in effect gives a non touch wash to your vehicle .

See here for an idea of the process.


The cost of the lance is minimal. Please note you need a pressure washer and when ordering the lance you need one with the correct fitting for the make of washer you have. Please ask if unsure and I will advise.

The snow foam lance


The snow foam solution.


You fit the lance to your PW and in the lance bottle you put 1/1/2 inches of the solution. I then add a dash of car shampoo and fill the lance bottle with warm water. You are now ready to go. Please note. Adding more than the advised amount of solution to the lance bottle will give to strong a mix and this will remove any waxes applied to the vehicle.

I clean all my vehicles using the above. Its fast efficient and best of all easy.

During summer months I do this as a pre wash and after foaming and power washing I hand wash then rinse for a perfect finish. Most as said above will be happy with the foam wash but I'm fussy !

During winter I foam and power wash only. I never hand wash during the mucky months. I wash in winter to rid the vehicles of salt and silicates that get on the vehicles. Anyway they look like tom tit within a day in the winter months.

I mentioned above drying towels. Drying towels replaced Chamois leathers years ago. They are soft Extremely efficient again very easy to use and do not scratch you paint !!

Drying towels
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TWIN-PACK...ade-Quality-/251597453459?hash=item3a94607893

Trust me when you try the above method of cleaning you will wonder why you haven't been doing it for years.

CAUTION. Please when power washing take care when near to vents on your vehicles. Also some graphics and Decals should be treated with care..

Any questions just ask

Charlie

Hello, the link to the foam has run out. Could you please tell me what it is? Thank you.

 

[Charlie]

Autobrite Magifoam. Hell this stuff is getting really expensive. I but 25 litre drums usually but they have stopped doing that quantity.
5 litres.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autobrite...583628?hash=item27e6c7e18c:g:SzUAAOSwB4NW1HlL

Bilthamber Autofoam. Not quite as good but still top quality .
5 litres.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bilt-Hamb...111351?hash=item236341ca37:g:1UQAAOSwx-9Wx3qg

Try the BH stuff. Justifying the cost of the Autobrite stuff....... Well we can't . Greed has set in I'm afraid. I won't be buying AB at that price. Some sellers are after nearly £50 !!! Madness !!!

 

[Fellraven]

Thank you, much appreciated.

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[BobC]

Thank you @Charlie and @FJmike for the excellent advice. I have polished half of my Hymer and the black stripes are so much easier to clean off. I polished the surfaces (not the decals) with autoglym SRP the clayed and the applied colonise 476s. After a wash I spray with bobby dazzler but wonder whether there is a better aqua wax or deatsiling spray to use?

The autobrite magician was purchased direct from autobrite on amazon at 27 quid.

 

[FJmike]

Hi Bob apart from Bobby Dazzler there is Demon Shine or Autoglym Aquawax. I think there is not much between the first two if your buying the undiluted DS. Autoglym Aquawax is a little bit more of a faff to apply but similar results. @Charlie may know of other aquawax. If applied after each time the van is washed it tops up the wax already applied.

 

[Charlie]

I use Meguires Last Touch Detailing spray. It really does top up wax every time it's applied. It's awesome on glass so Zero streaking or smearing.

It can be diluted depending on how you like it. I don't dilute it for post wash wipe downs. It is an excellent claying lubricant mixed 50/50 with water.

Not cheap but I buy in bulk like most things to keep the price down .

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[FJmike]

I take it that Last Touch is applied after drying?

 

[Charlie]

I take it that Last Touch is applied after drying?

Mike after swilling the vehicle down its sprayed onto the wet vehicle. You will see the water dissipate and run off like magic. Then towel down in the usual way. If a panel drys just spray a bit more on. It acts as a fabulous drying aid and is one of very few products that really do add to the finish and adds wax.

I've used it for many years now starting likely 20 years ago on show cars before judging and tidying up at the very last minute. It really is great stuff !

Link to one US gallon ( it is an American product)


Though as above I buy it in the larger 19 litre tank to keep the costs long term Down.

 

[BobC]

Thank you @Charlie and @FJmike for all your help. The process you have recommended have been amazing. My families cars have been snowfoamed with the autobrite magifoam (I found it was cheaper on amazon rather than eBay) and it has removed dirt from plastic quarter sections of the doors so they look brand new - and this is on a 12 year old Toyota Yaris! Seriously, the results far exceed what is possible by washing.

The colly is phenomenal. On the motorhome the dreaded Black stripes just fall off after a magician and with car shampoo and a light touch. On the half of the motorhome I have yet to colly, the streaks are stubborn so and so's and I've had to use srp to get rid.

I am so grateful. Thank you both. I now look forward to using the last touch.
Bob

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