Streaks from HydroFoam wash

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JHZR2

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It was 68 degrees without strong sun here in NJ today, so I decided to wash the van. It has Cquartz UK and gets an update of HydrO2 every few times I wash it. I didnt have much time, so I wanted to wash with HydroFoam to give an update good for the rest of the winter.

Because I havent washed in a few months, I wanted to pre-soak the dirt, and since the hydrofoam was in the foam gun, I used that. After all, it was cool and not sunny...

After a few minutes, it looked like the soap had run down the panels in stream/flow lines, with the rest of the area barely wet, and certainly not soapy... I rinsed off fully, and it looed very much like there were lines where the foam had streamed off, with the rest still dull.

Hoping for the best, I then soaped panel by panel, and washed, cleaning the sponge after each panel. I could tell that didnt fix it...

So then I took 3:1 HydrO2, misted it on a panel, agitated it a bit woth a damp sponge, and rinsed off. It didnt help.

So now what? Its like this on the paint and glass...

IMG_6890.jpg
 
Much worse in today's daylight...

IMG_6893.jpg

IMG_6892.jpg

4C8DBF3B-7A39-49CC-81C1-A356E411BF4A_zps2xvu48q0.jpg
 
It is my understanding that hydrofoam should be used on a panel by panel basis during a wash so that streaks like this don't happen. I have never used it so I can not be certain.

But it looks to have dried on the paint. Hopefully someone chimes in with something to help you out because that does not look good and I understand your frustration.
 
JHZ -

Looks like you were on the right track. Saw the problem, tried to ~reactivate~ it, but the problem still remained.
Just a WAG - wild a## guess, but I suspect the salt film and the Hydrofoam possibly created some sort of heat reaction, thus accelerating the curing of the Hydrofoam right on the panel. I don't know if salt film would still be potent - as it's dissolved and it's just film...

And or the latter, which potentially has not been vetted out, is the the Hydrofoam does not play with well with the chemicals panels see in the northeast winter period. The product has been out for 2 years now ?, so surely you would not be the only one ?

Wish you best of luck but it looks like you're either going let it wear off on it's own or mechanically remove it.
 
Thanks. Certainly im sure its all user error. Ive used this product a few times before without these effects.

If it will wear away reasonably fast, great. Otherwise it really looks bad and obvious...
 
re: your wearoff debate vs. polishing it off...


Hydrofoam afaik, is not as durable as Hydr02.
I asked a similar question to CarPro Usa-Skysthelimit last week, and I was advised Hydr02 would wear off in 4-6 months.
If the car is washed frequently, it will last longer.
So we're talking possibly late summer/early fall if you let it naturally wear off if you don't intend to mechanically remove it.

The last pics looks pretty awful, if not the roof rails and then some.....
I would be pretty bummed it it was just a single isolated spot but based on your pics and post, it looks like the whole car.
 
I'm in N.J. too and , honestly, I will use Hydrofoam with light dirt or dust. It sounds like the product may have dried on.
Considering our weather as of late, I prefer to use RESET for a "soak." I have even added a little All Purpose Cleaner this time of year since the Road salt and other winter ice melt products are an issue.

I'm thinking the months of Northeast winter build up was too much for it.

Taken from Car Pro's website store with regards to Hydrofoam...

Precautions:

Do not apply HydroFoam in the sun or to a hot surface.
In shaded location rinse the vehicle of all grit

Directions with Foam Cannon:

Dilute 1:9 in Foam Cannon
Foam surface (Do NOT allow to dry on surface)
Wash with mitt (as usual) rinsing after each panel
When vehicle is finished rinse entire vehicle very well
Remove any remaining water with Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy or Dry Me Crazy Jr
Directions by Hand:

Rinse vehicle
Spray HydroFoam (diluted 1:9) from a spray bottle onto panel(s) OR apply small amount directly to wet mitt and spread
Wash with mitt (as usual)
Rinse mitt and panel(s)
Move to next panel(s) and repeat steps 2-4
Rinse the entire vehicle well
Dry any remaining water by blowing off and or with Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy towel or Dry Me Crazy Jr.
 
OT, but what dilution ratio are you using as a ~soak~.
Reset for me foams great in the bucket.

I finally tried reset in the foam lance, soft water/3oz/full lance bottle filled.
It was extremely runny.
Reset will continue to be my 1st top tier soap. I like it's cleaning and rinsing abilities.
Not just something I would bother using, even as a extra-foam layer for lubricity during mechanical washing.
 
I use 3/4 of an ounce on average in the cannon. Soft warm water to mix. I have marks on the bottle from 3/4, 2, and 4 ounces.

Just curious, have you changed the small filter in the Lance? Sometimes,the small filter gets gummed up. Do you clean the unit after each washing? When I'm done, I will fill a clean bottle with warm water only and run the cannon/Lance to clean the components. I may not do it every time but I yptey and incorporate it into my routine to ensure success.

Also, what is your proportional valve set at?
 
cannon= more watery ?

I'm strictly using it on the a HP lance with the dial on the most restricted setting.
I always rinse the lance after using it, and it foams Great with other shampoos. Just not reset.
When I say foam, I'm talking nice thick lathery airy soap that dwells.

Currently on rotation, I'm using AF Avalanche dwelling at 8-10 minutes.
 
JHZ -

Just to bring this thread back on topic...
When I spoke with Corey on accelerating the natural wearoff of Hydr02, and asked him about APC as a frequent dwell/prewash to accelerate wearoff. He advised APC would probably not faze Hydr02 at all.

I know we're discussing HydroFoam, so hopefully, due to it's already lesser LSP life than Hydr02, that timeframe on natural wearoff is much less. I'd be pretty bummed just seeing that everyday though, and would probably just polish it off..
 
No, if a Lance/Cannon is making watery foam then there is an issue, hence why I asked the questions I did. If it's watery, which it shouldn't be, I put forth some solutions from past discussions that addressed the watery issues.
Does your Lance have a filter in it? That too "could" be an issue for your watery foam... Again, solutions from past discussions that helped others.

I use RESET in my foam gun and cannon/Lance with great results. In the past I had issues with watery foam and one of the solutions offered cleared it up. That was with other brands of soap as well.

Does your Lance have a filter in it?
 
The Guz said:
It is my understanding that hydrofoam should be used on a panel by panel basis during a wash so that streaks like this don't happen. I have never used it so I can not be certain.

But it looks to have dried on the paint.
Click to expand...

^^ I believe this is most likely correct, Hydrofoam was probably allowed to dry on the paint resulting in the streaks you are now seeing. At this point, the best option would be to polish it off with a very fine finishing polish and no cut pad.

Based on personal experience, I have found the following (especially sections in bold) to be very important.

Dilute 1:9 in Foam Cannon
Foam surface (Do NOT allow to dry on surface)
Wash with mitt (as usual) rinsing after each panel
When vehicle is finished rinse entire vehicle very well
Remove any remaining water
 
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FD -

For clarity, are we talking thick airy foam out of a lance, where it dwells, clings and does not run off.
Granted, they all run off as it dwells
I was planning to try another shot and upping the soap dosage - that's all relative I suppose.

The unit is not clogged. It foams fine with all my other shampoos in the same unit.
I don't intend to use reset as a pre-rinse agent in my wash routine.
Mainly, this was a heavy duty double wash post salt winter routine.
Reset as a foam for me, would be after a HP Rinse/Pre Soak with a different shampoo already.
I just wanted some Reset lather as I mechanically washed the panels.

A quick google:
While this is not reset, it's hydrofoam, and similar to the output I got
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e6CQdq1vkc
This to me is runny foam. Everyone may have their own definition, but the output with Reset at 3oz per lance bottle (I believe it's 32oz in volume).
 
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Correct. I get it to an almost shaving cream like consistency. It's beautiful...:D. I almost begin to think it might be too thick.

Not sure why the RESET is doing that for you... Like you, I use RESET in the bucket too.

Just as a side, I have had different shampoos react and foam differently out of the same Lance/Cannon on occasion. It seems that yours is consistent. Wish I could tell ya why. I'm gonna guess that you have tried different ratios, i.e. 1 ounce of RESET or even two, as crazy as that sounds?
Can't wait to move south so I don't have to deal with salt anymore...:cool:

Steve
 
Hydrofoam is not meant to foam on, let sit, and rinse off. That's completely against the intended method. It is a soap mixed with also a sealant.

As noted on the tips on my store you want to mitt a panel as you would any soap and then rinse off completely before moving to a new panel.

In the situation you were after finishing the car without mitting and having let the sealant run down in streaks and bond, it could have still been correctly relatively easy if handled immediately BUT after letting it fully cure it's not so easy. You have two choices to solve it now - either of which shouldn't take any more than an hour or so. A finishing polish will easily remove it and MAYBE a Hydrofoam wash done properly panel by panel might remove it. Like removes like. So take a wet mitt, apply some Hydrofoam to it and run one panel down and immediately rinse off. If that doesn't work then go with some Reflect or Essence etc
 
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