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Snow foam was once reserved for specialist detailers, but with pressure washers being commonplace in our homes, many amateur detailers are making use of it too.
Applying a coat of snow foam before getting to the hand wash stage can make the whole process far easier. It helps loosen dirt and grime from the vehicle so it can easily be removed.
All of this relies on having a pressure washer, which doesn’t apply to everyone. So, can you snow foam a car without a pressure washer?
Yes, it’s possible to snow foam effectively without needing a pressure washer. The easiest and most efficient method is with a garden hose and a snow foam gun attachment, or you can use a hand pump snow foam gun designed especially for this purpose.
In the rest of this guide, we’ll share the pros and cons of each method, along with our recommended products.
Reasons Why You Might Not Have a Pressure Washer
Whilst a pressure washer is the usual tool of choice for snow foaming a car, it isn’t always ideal for every car owner. This may be for a number of reasons:
- If you live in an apartment or flat without access to an outdoor tap and you’re on a second floor which makes it difficult to access a water supply
- Not enough outdoor space to safely pressure wash your vehicle
- Your drive’s surface may not be suitable for pressure washing a vehicle. For instance, a gravel surface is not ideal for pressure washing a vehicle on, as the high strength jets of the pressure washer will most likely cause the gravel to move and unfortunately damage the paintwork of a car’s body.
- Pressure washers can also be costly, if you don’t already own a pressure washer, you may not want to fork out lots of money on one, just so you can snow foam your car.
Best Ways to Snow Foam Without a Pressure Washer
There are a number of ways you can snow foam your car without a pressure washer. Whilst none will give as great a result, they are certainly better than nothing.
Method One: Garden Hose Snow Foam Attachment
This method mimics the use of a pressure washer with a snow foam gun, only with slightly less pressure. You use a specialist attachment that’s designed for a hose pipe. The attachment needs to be filled up half way with snow foam solution and the garden hose then slots into the gun, to create a cohesive spray.
As the water pressure which comes from the hose isn’t as powerful as a pressure washer, there is less risk and potential damage from using this method, but equally it doesn’t create as much foam so won’t be as effective at breaking down the dirt.
Here is a full run down of the pros and cons of using this method:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It uses considerably less water than a pressure washer | It doesn’t create as much foam, as using a pressure washer does |
| It’s cheaper than purchasing a pressure washer | This method is slower than using a pressure washer, as the jets from a pressure washer blasts the exterior of the car clean |
| Less risks are involved with a hose such as damaging paintwork |
Here are the attachments we recommend:
*Best Overall* MATCC Snow Foam Attachment for Hose Pipe
Key features:
- Double filters = No scratch
- Adjustable dial
- Designed to fit a garden hose
- Leak-free
This product has a connector for a standard garden hose, so a pressure washer is not needed to create good quality foam.
The brass connector ensures the tightness of the attachment to the hose pipe to try and maximise the pressure. A double filter ensures only the finest foam particles reach the cars surface to give a smooth finish.
*Budget Pick* KKmoon Hose Foam Sprayer
Key features:
- Multifunctional
- Easy to use pistol grip front trigger can lock into place
- Durable brass head instead of plastic
The KKmoon Garden Hose Foam Sprayer is a great budget pick for creating snow foam with a hose pipe.
It has adjustable settings which can be used to adjust the pressure of the water. However, overall pressure is not as strong as the previous recommendation.
Method Two: Use the CarPlan Attachment
This method is very similar to the above method, however you don’t need to purchase a specific attachment as the bottle has one pre-fitted to it. All you need to do is connect a hose pipe and the bottle will create the snow foam.
Pros and cons of this method:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| You do not need to worry about filling up a snow foam gun with solution as the bottle is pre-filled | Uses a lot of solution per wash |
| It has an easy to use application | It isn’t as powerful using snow foam with a pressure washer, so results may not be as effective |
| No specialist tools needed | Limited to one choice of snow foam |
CarPlan Demon Snow Foam
Key features:
- Suitable for all types of paintwork
- Easy to use applicator
- Leaves a streak free, shiny finish
- Creates a dense foam
This product is of a very high quality, as it has been made by a well-recognised brand within car cleaning/detailing products.
Method Three: Use a Snow Foam Hand Pump
The final method uses a portable hand foam pump. This device is completely independent of any mains water supply so can be used almost anywhere.
It features it’s own reservoir to supply the water which must be filled up at a tap. Snow foam shampoo is mixed with water and the hand pump action creates the foam. The long nozzle attachment allows you to apply this to the vehicle with ease.
Pros and cons of this method:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Doesn't require access to a water supply near your vehicle | Doesn’t produce as much foam as the other guns |
| Ideal for beginners as it is easy to control | May result in an uneven application of snow foam as relies on hand power |
| You will need to refill the device frequently so overall may take more time |
Venus Pro Foamer
Key features:
- No noise
- No electricity or outdoor tap is required.
- The foam blaster enhances the density of foam as a hose pipe or pressure washer would (but not with as much power)
- Less water is used whilst using this product
The Venus Pro Foamer is a good choice in particular as it holds up to 6 litres and this is definitely needed if you are looking to thoroughly wash a car using this method.
We hope you found this guide useful and you can now get the shiny finish you desire. Thanks for stopping by.
Image credits: Canva Pro
Ellie used to work in a Vauxhall dealership but has now turned her passion to writing about cars instead. Ellie currently drives a Corsa but as an electric vehicle fanatic has her hopes on one day owning a Tesla. It will, of course, be grey as she only ever owns grey cars.