B-STOCK

As I age, now 70yrs old, I am trying to make my car cleaning as easy as possible. I try to do the tires wheels & lower parts of my car on my lift but it's usually too much of a hassle to uncover my other Vette and move it off the lift. I also hate starting a car without getting to full operating temp so I usually do my washings in the driveway. For ease I use a two bucket system with a Boars hair brush. Works great with the C7 with all the vents and nooks etc.
I saw a video on washing a car using a soap cannon or gun. Looked a little much till I figured I could really soap car well and eliminate the bucket with the soap. So it would be soap, wait and go over the car with the brush rinsing the brush in the bucket of clean water between panels. Very quick and easy on my body.
My question is whether the cannon or gun is better. In the video the guy used a compressor so I guess that was a cannon. Which way do you guys familiar with this method tend to go? Pressure washer or hose & gun? If pressure washer how much pressure and flow will the unit have to deliver? Also what are the plus and minus of each system? I need a new power washer anyway so I want to make sure it has enough power and flow if I go the cannon route. I want the best way and will spend what it takes to make life easier on myself. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike

Vonfido

I use a foam Canon with a Gas Powered 3100 PSI pressure washer. The canon covers my car with soap that looks like snow - I let it sit for about 5 minutes and my car looks as good as new after every wash and and in between I use Adams waterless wash and Detail spray to keep the car showroom perfect every time I drive it. A foam gun doesn't put out nearly as much soap suds as a Canon and the Power washer is fun to use

JonMN

I used to use a foam gun. My problem was that I can't always control my washing conditions, and sometimes it was hard to keep up with the drying of the foam on the car if I foamed it all at once. So I went back to just soap and bucket, but I only soap one area at a time then rinse. Never tried it with a pressure washer like Vonfido mentioned, however. Sounds interesting!

Vonfido

The canon covers the car with thick foam that gives you probably 10 minutes to wash the car - helps prevent you from rubbing dirt into the paint so swirl marks just don't happen as easily- I use two bucket after foam canon spray and the detailing of the car is so rewarding

JoshVette

Both will work fine at getting the car soapy. My advise is to not stop using two buckets and trade that brush in for a few good wash mitts and use the brush for the rims....

That one bucket is designed to rinse out all the dirt from the mitts/brush and keep them trapped in that water then use the clean soapy water for washing the car. If you switch to just one bucket you'll end up using dirty water to wash your cars with. The foamy/soapy water from the gun/cannon will not remove all the dirts off the car, you still need to buckets when washing to ensure you don't drag dirt across the finish as you wash.

Good luck to you. Josh

B-STOCK

Josh. I have never heard of a quality boars hair brush harming any finish. The brush is 12" long so that's a extra foot I don't have to bend to wash the rockers. When people hear brush the automaticly think of cheap nylon brushes. You cannot wash wheels with a boars head brush. No stiffness too it. Everyone I know that sees me use mine ends up buying on for their Vette. Here is the product discription from Griots.


This brush is an excellent way to clean your car's exterior. Boars' hair is the only natural hair that can keep its shape without falling limp when wet. Other brushes are stiffened with nylon which, like polyester, can scratch your paint. Manufacturing this brush is very time consuming. First you have to catch and shave a boar! Then each hair is collected, lined up with the split ends out and placed into the hard plastic block. The split ends make them very soft and safe for all paint finishes. The quality and quantity of our boars' hair is unsurpassed. There are over 400 separate bundles of boars' hair set into our block. 12 inches long. Made in the U.S.A.

yamabob

they are not one in the same actually. The wash brush is a softer haired brush that people use ( and they sell). The Wheel brushes are excelllent at their job but is a stiffer boar hair. Can't remember but I think it's the age of the animal used determines.
That said I will foam and let dwell to lift dirt from cars- but will never wipe that to clean. Always rinse than wash. Josh is correct that foam alone will not remove all dirt. Mild dirt does not really benefit from a foam step-but rather do 2 thorough pre-soaks

B-STOCK

https://www.griotsgarage.com/product...+hair+brush.do

chpac

I use a foam cannon and recruit my grandson. He loves it. If the car needs more I then follow with a two bucket wash and leaf blower to dry. pressure washer 3100 psi, chem guys foaming soap and i also purchased the foam canon from them. It has the quick click fittings which worked easily with my pressure washer without adaptors. Don't get a pressure washer over 3600psi if you use their cannon.

vetteorama

^^^I like his behind the back, over the shoulder technique....haha

LT1xL82

chpac

Ty 😎

Beelost

The cannons have more foam and use less water because of the pressure washer. The cannon itself really has little to do with it. It is a simple design, and robust. And expensive!

The foam guns are even simpler in design and not as sturdy, but then again they do not have to handle high pressure.

WIC7Diver

Mike,

Either will work to "suds" the car, but the main purpose of using a cannon or gun is to add additional suds to the surface of the car to loosen existing dirt, limit additional swirls from your wash media, but more to add lubricity to the surface of the car when you use a mitt or pad. It definitely isn't going to clean the surface until you use something like a mitt or pad. The most it would do after a rinse would be to leave a film on the surface of the vehicle.

Also, while the boars hair brush is certainly soft, I personally wouldn't introduce it to the painted surface of the vehicle unless it was only to the wheel wells. If you are, I'd love to see a high gloss pic of your car in the light to see if there is any swirling.

I do understand the need to keep it simplified, but using a brush, even a boars hair brush, is not going to give you best results to maintain a shine. It will however clean the vehicle.