Snow Foam Guns

What a snow foam gun does

A snow foam gun, also sold as a snow foam lance, foam cannon or foam nozzle, is a bottle with a mixing head that replaces the normal lance on your pressure washer. Water rushes through a narrow jet in the head, and the venturi effect pulls snow foam up from the bottle and mixes it with air. What comes out is thick foam rather than a wet spray.

That thick foam is the whole point. It clings to the paintwork for several minutes, softening road film, dead flies and bird droppings so most of the grit rinses away before you start the contact wash. Less grit under the wash mitt means fewer fine scratches and swirl marks, which is why detailers foam every car as a pre-wash. Parkers tested five snow foam lances on a Karcher K3 and found you don't need a particularly powerful machine; a budget pressure washer is enough.

Snow foam lance vs foam cannon vs foam nozzle

These are the same tool under different names. "Snow foam lance" and "foam lance" are what UK detailers and shops tend to say, "foam cannon" is the American term, and the big brands call their own versions a foam nozzle. A snow foamer, a snow foam gun and a snow foam cannon all do the same job: a snow foam bottle on a mixing head, fed by the pressure washer. Detailing brands sell their own too, such as the Autoglym Polar Blaster, which comes with a 1/4in quick release connector or a K-series fitting.

The thing that isn't the same is a pump-up foam sprayer. That's a hand-pumped bottle with no pressure washer behind it. It's cheaper, but the foam is wetter and thinner, and it takes a while to coat a big car. If you already have a pressure washer, a foam cannon gives far thicker cover.

Which snow foam lance fits your pressure washer?

The most common mistake with a foam lance is buying one that doesn't fit. Snow foam lances aren't universal. Each brand uses its own connection at the trigger gun, so start with your washer, then pick the snow foam lance that's made for it.

Prices move every day on the feed, so these are bands; the cards above show today's price.

Karcher K-series washers

For a Karcher K2, K3, K4, K5 or K7, the simplest choice is a genuine Karcher foam cannon. The FJ 10 C clicks straight onto the K trigger gun, a yellow dial sets how much detergent goes into the foam and the jet level adjusts. The Plug n Clean bundles come with either Ultra Foam Cleaner or car shampoo, so you can foam the car the day the parcel arrives. Third-party snow foam lances come with all sorts of fittings, so check one says K-series before you buy.

Bosch, Makita and other home washers

Owners of Bosch pressure washers want the Bosch foam cannon: it fits straight onto the lance of the EasyAquatak 100, 110 and 120, the UniversalAquatak and the older AQT 33 to AQT 42 models, and its 450ml tank does at least two washes. The Makita foam lance is for the DHW180 only, the 18V model in our Makita range. Parkers found cordless washers can struggle to make thick foam, so keep your expectations sensible on battery power.

Quick release washers (Sealey and others)

The Sealey SFG01 is the nearest thing here to a universal quick release snow foam lance. Its brass quick release fitting suits most Sealey pressure washers and other leading brands, but Sealey still asks you to check your model. You get a 0.8 litre bottle with measuring marks for the dilution ratio, a filter on the pickup tube, and separate controls for foam concentration and spray pattern, from a tight jet to a wide fan. If your gun has a different end, our pressure washer adaptors cover the common swaps.

Professional HD and XPERT machines

Trade machines in our Karcher professional range use two different connections, and the snow foam lance must match. Easy!Lock machines take the Basic 1 Cup Foam Lance, which has 1 litre tank, three fixed dosing steps (1%, 2% and 4%) and a 300 bar rating. Karcher says that with its own vehicle foam it cuts cleaner use by about half. Older M22 x 1.5 machines take the Advanced Cup Foam Lance or the Adjustable Foam Nozzle Bottle. Check the flow rate too: the Basic 1 Cup works from 350 to 600 litres an hour, the Advanced from 500 to 800, and the Inno Foam and Rinse kit needs at least 500.

What to look for in a snow foam bottle and lance

• The right connector: made for your washer, or a quick release with an adaptor that's sold for your gun.
• Adjustable foam concentration: a dial lets you go thick for a muddy car and thin for a quick rinse, and saves snow foam.
• Adjustable spray pattern: a wide fan covers a panel in one pass; a narrow jet reaches wheel arches.
• Bottle size: 450 to 600ml foams a small car; a 0.8 to 1 litre snow foam bottle covers a large estate or SUV in one fill.
• Measuring marks and a wide neck: easier to get the dilution ratio right without spills.
• Brass or metal parts: they last longer than an all-plastic head on a busy car wash or valeting setup.

Best snow foam lance for your job

• Weekend car washing on a Karcher: the FJ 10 C or a Plug n Clean kit. Nothing extra to buy, and the dose dial stops you wasting snow foam.
• Thicker foam and more control: the Sealey SFG01, with a 0.8 litre bottle and separate spray pattern and concentration dials, closer to the snow foam lances detailers use.
• Bosch owners: the Bosch high pressure snow foam cannon, made for the AQT lance end.
• Mobile valeting and detailing: a cup lance on a trade machine. The bigger bottle foams a large SUV or van in one fill.
• Car washes, farms and fleets: the Easy Foam or Inno Foam kits, which use an injector to draw foam from a drum at 0 to 5%, so there's no bottle to refill.

Still choosing the washer itself? Our guide to the best pressure washers for car detailing lists machines with the right pressure and flow for snow foam.

How to use a snow foam gun

1. Work in the shade. Hot paint and direct sun dry the foam before it's done its job.
2. Mix in the bottle. Follow the snow foam's label; ratios vary by brand (Parkers used 1:6 for one foam and 1:10 for another). Add water first, then the snow foam, so it doesn't froth over.
3. Set the lance. Turn the concentration up for a dirty car and open the spray pattern to a wide fan for panels.
4. Foam from the bottom up. Start at the sills and wheels, where the dirt is heaviest, so they get the longest dwell time.
5. Leave it 5 to 10 minutes. Don't let the foam dry on the car.
6. Rinse from the top down with the normal lance, then contact wash with a clean mitt and two buckets.
7. Rinse the foam lance by running clean water through it so the head doesn't block.

If you wash cars for money, dirty water and detergent from vehicle washing count as trade effluent and must not go down surface water drains. The GPP 13 vehicle washing guidance sets out the rules; it doesn't cover householders washing their own car at home.

Snow foam lances FAQs

Are snow foam lances universal?

No. Karcher K-series, Bosch AQT, Makita, quick release and professional Easy!Lock or M22 machines all use different fittings. Match the foam lance to your washer, or use an adaptor made for the pair.

Do I need a powerful pressure washer for snow foam?

No. Any mains home washer, from a Karcher K2 upwards, makes good snow foam. Battery machines can make thinner foam. If you're buying a washer for cars, see our pressure washers for cars.

Can I use car shampoo in a snow foam gun?

Some, yes. Karcher sells a Plug n Clean kit with car shampoo for exactly that. Proper snow foam is made to cling and lift dirt, though, so it gives thicker foam and a better pre-wash than ordinary car shampoo.

Does snow foam replace a contact wash?

Not on a dirty car. The foam lifts the loose grit so the mitt has less to drag across the paint, but road film still needs a gentle contact wash afterwards. On a lightly dusty car, foam and rinse can be enough.

Why is my foam thin and watery?

Usually too little snow foam in the bottle, the concentration dial set low, or a worn nozzle. Raise the dose first. A foam cannon on a low-flow cordless washer will also struggle.

Is a foam lance worth it for patios and garden furniture?

Yes, with the right detergent. Karcher lists stone, wood and garden furniture as jobs for its foam lances, as the foam keeps patio cleaner on the surface for longer. For the paving itself, see our pressure washer patio cleaners.

Everything on this page is sold by My Tool Shed, a UK tool retailer trading since 1976. Courier delivery is usually the next working day, and unused items can go back within 30 days under the retailer's terms. For lances, brushes and hoses, browse all our pressure washer accessories.