What Is a Pre-Wash?

A pre-wash can be done to loosen up dirt and grime before you start washing the car. This means that your wash mitt (or similar) will have much less dirt to remove. This results in cleaner rinse water, less often the need to rinse your mitt and less mechanical cleaning needed.

Why pre-washing?

A vehicle can be covered in dirt and grime, meaning the surface needs to be cleaned. When you wash your vehicle, you move the dirt and grime from the surface of the vehicle via the wash mitt. This is done via mechanical cleaning. Although you reduce the risk of surface imperfection via the correct way of washing, you are still not risk-free. Any form of mechanical cleaning will always have a small risk. If the surface is more dirty, the risk becomes bigger. Pre-washing removes much of the dirt and grime without the need for mechanical cleaning. Unfortunately, pre-washing isn’t strong enough to completely clean the surface, so some mechanical washing is still needed.

What forms of pre-washing?

There are a few different ways of pre-washing a vehicle. Some might be easier or cheaper, but will clean less. Others might clean more, but can potentially strip or damage the protective layer. Only the protection-safe products are suitable for regular use. The strong cleaners are more suitable for periodic use.

Citrus Pre-Wash

A citrus pre-wash is very similar to TFR, however, unlike TFR it is designed to be a 'safer' alternative, most popular Citrus Pre-Washes on the market are formulated to be around the pH neutral scale and therefore, are kinder to waxes and other forms of protection meaning they can be used as part of a maintenance programme without the fear of stripping back the previously applied protection.

Snow Foam

Snow foam is a very common form of pre-wash. It is reasonably simple to apply and only requires a pressure washer and a foam lance. It is applied on the vehicle, left for several minutes to soak and then rinsed off. After the snow foam is rinsed off, you can wash the vehicle like normal with a mitt or similar.

Hand Foamer

In case the equipment is missing to apply snow foam, or there are reasons why a pressure washer can’t be used, a hand foamer (such as an IK Foam Pro 12) can be used. This pump has a reservoir for water and snow foam, a pump handle and a larger spray nozzle. The reservoir is pumped full of air, when there is enough pressure, the snow foam/water mixture can be pushed through the nozzle, making it foam. This way of foaming is generally slightly less effective but might be a good option when a pressure washer can’t be used.

After pre-wash

Whatever form of pre-wash you are using, it will not be enough to completely remove all forms of dirt or grime on the surface. Mechanical cleaning is almost always needed to get the surface perfectly clean. You can either follow up with a normal wash, or a full detail (wash, clay, decontaminate, polish and protect). Pre-washing has made washing safer, but its not a complete process.