Most thin, runny foam comes down to one thing: the wrong amount of concentrate in the bottle. Too little and the foam slides straight off. Too much and you are pouring money down the drain and making it harder to rinse. Here are the rates for every Liquichem snow foam, straight off the label.
The quick answer
| Product | Foam cannon | Bucket wash |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Crunch (cars) | 100 to 200mL per 1L cannon bottle | 50 to 100mL per 10L of water |
| Green Machine (trucks) | 150 to 250mL per 1L cannon bottle | 50 to 100mL per 10L of water |
For a cannon, add the concentrate to the bottle first, then top up with water.
What 200mL actually looks like
Here is Green Machine going from a 20L drum into a 1L cannon bottle at 200mL, right in the middle of its range.
Start low, then adjust
The same mix can foam differently from one setup to the next. Your pressure washer, your cannon and your water all change the result. Start at the bottom of the range. If the foam is thin or runs off quickly, add a little more concentrate next time. If it is thick and still clinging when you go to rinse, you can come down.
Using Blue Punch through a foam system
Blue Punch is an alkaline 2 in 1 truck wash and degreaser, and it is mixed as a ratio rather than per bottle. Here is what the label ratios work out to per litre of water.
| Job | Ratio | Roughly per litre of water |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy grease, engines and chassis | 1:10 to 1:20 | 100 to 50mL |
| General degreasing and machinery | 1:20 to 1:40 | 50 to 25mL |
| Truck and fleet washing | 1:40 to 1:60 | 25 to 17mL |
| Light maintenance washing | 1:80 to 1:100 | 13 to 10mL |
Blue Punch is high-alkaline. Avoid aluminium, polished or anodised metals unless compatibility has been confirmed. Not sure which one you need? Read pH neutral vs alkaline truck wash.
Getting the best from the foam
- Wash on a cool surface, out of direct sunlight.
- Let the foam dwell, then rinse thoroughly before it dries.
- Test on a small hidden area first, and follow the label and Safety Data Sheet.
Common questions
Can I use more concentrate for a dirtier vehicle?
You can go to the top of the range. Beyond that you mostly waste product. For heavy road film or grease on a truck, step up to Blue Punch instead.
Is the bucket rate the same as the cannon rate?
No. A bucket wash uses much less: 50 to 100mL per 10L of water for both Orange Crunch and Green Machine.
How many washes do I get from a drum?
From the 20L, Orange Crunch gives roughly 100 to 200 cannon washes and Green Machine roughly 80 to 133. See cost per wash by pack size.