My Go With a Low Pressure Foam Cannon

Alright, so I decided to give one of these low pressure foam cannons a whirl. You see 'em everywhere, these videos with cars just buried in thick, luscious foam. But here's the thing: most of those guys are rocking serious pressure washers. I'm talking units that probably cost more than my first car. I just... don't have one of those. And honestly, wasn't keen on buying one just to make bubbles.

So, I found myself looking at the "garden hose" variety. The ones that promise a decent foam experience without needing a power tool that could strip paint if you're not careful. My thinking was, how bad could it be? It's just soap and water, right?

First step, I got myself one of these low-pressure foamers. Looked simple enough. A bottle, a nozzle, a connector for the hose. Nothing fancy. Then came the soap. This is where it gets a bit like a science experiment, or maybe more like mixing drinks when you're a teenager – a bit of this, a splash of that. The instructions usually give you a ratio, but I quickly learned that "your mileage may vary" is an understatement.

• I tried the recommended soap-to-water mix. It was… okay. Foamy, but not that super thick stuff you see online.
• Then I tried a bit more soap. Better! Getting closer.
• Then I tried a lot more soap. Now we're talking, but also, now I'm burning through expensive car soap like there's no tomorrow.

Connecting it was easy. Screwed right onto my regular garden hose. No leaks, so that was a good start. Turned on the water, squeezed the trigger, and... foam happened! It wasn't the shaving cream avalanche I'd secretly hoped for, not like those pressure washer videos. But it was definitely foam. It did coat the car, more like a milky layer than a thick blanket. It clung on for a bit, not super long, but long enough for me to feel like it was doing something.

Now, why did I even bother with this whole low-pressure experiment instead of just getting a proper pressure washer? Well, it's a bit of a story. A few years back, I borrowed a friend's pressure washer. A real beast. I was all excited to blast the grime off my old shed before repainting. Long story short, I also blasted off a good chunk of the wood. Not just the paint, but actual splinters of wood went flying. It looked like a beaver had attacked it. My wife, bless her heart, just looked at the shed, then at me, and didn't say a word. Which, as any married person knows, is far worse than yelling. That incident kinda put me off high-pressure things for a while. Plus, my garage is already overflowing with stuff I barely use. Another big tool? No thanks.

So, back to this little garden hose foamer. Did it give those "thick foaming suds" they talk about, the kind that "lubricate the surface"? Eh, sort of. The suds were there, definitely more than just a bucket wash. I think it did help loosen some of the surface dirt. You could see the grime starting to run down a bit with the foam. It wasn't a miracle worker; you still need to do a proper contact wash afterwards if your car is really dirty. But as a pre-wash? It's not bad. And yeah, it does make the process a little cooler than just sloshing soapy water around with a mitt from the get-go.

My final take? If you're expecting the same results as a high-pressure foam cannon, you're gonna be disappointed. It's just not the same league. But, if you don't have a pressure washer, don't want one, or are maybe a bit scared of them like I am after the Great Shed Massacre of '19, then a low-pressure foam cannon is a decent little tool. It's better than nothing, makes the pre-soak a bit more effective, and adds a little bit of fun to the wash. Just be ready to play around with your soap-to-water ratio and manage your expectations on foam thickness. It got the car cleaner than just a hose-down, that's for sure. And my shed is safe. For now.