Griot’s Garage is a staple of the car detailing scene. We’ve tried a selection of its offerings and have always been impressed. And that includes its pH neutral Foaming Surface Wash snow foam which I’m testing here. Usually with a pH neutral snow foam product you’d be concerned about its performance due to the fact it isn’t strong enough to affect the wax protection you have on the car. If it doesn’t affect the wax, how effective will it be against dirt? Happily, though, I can proudly announce that you won’t have any worries with Griot’s snow foam.
How We Tested Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash
First of all, I used a cotton pad to perform a swipe test to get an idea of how dirty my car was before. I then applied Foaming Surface Wash snow foam via a snow foam lance. I followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time. I then rinsed it off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.
RRP: $21.99, buy now! £24.99, buy now!
Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash First Impressions
Griot’s Garage uses distinctive bottles that look like no one else’s, and I like that individuality. The design makes them a little unwieldy, but I admire the commitment to brand identity. There’s no two ways about it – Foaming Surface Wash looks weird. It’s milky and watery, and, much like the packaging, it’s unlike any snow foam I’ve tried before. It smells glorious, though, and its scent matches its color, serving up a rich coconut aroma. I love it.
Features
So what we have here is a pH-neutral snow foam, which immediately makes me concerned. PH-neutral products never have the punch of their more alkaline counterparts. That means pH-neutral pre-washes are at something of a disadvantage from the get-go. However, Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash does have a trick up its sleeve. According to the website, it features a dual-layer foam composition. Honestly, while I understand the principle, I’m not quite sure how that actually works.
Griot’s says that this delivers a longer dwell time and better cleaning action. The primary foam softens the road film and traps dirt, allowing the secondary foam to carry it away. I must admit, I was somewhat skeptical, but there was nothing to do but test it out.
What’s It Like To Use Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash?
There are lots of different instructions on the bottle for applying Foaming Surface Wash using different methods. I opted to follow the instructions for the Griot’s The Boss Foam Cannon as it looks like a normal snow foam lance. That required me to use 1.6 fl. oz in my snow foam cannon. Despite looking so watery in the bottle, the foam had a nice consistency. And while I may have been skeptical of that dual foam business, it seemed to work.
Foaming Surface Wash stayed on the panel for a long time, and despite its pH-neutral formula, it delivered impressive cleaning performance. I was honestly surprised at how good it was, and it gave really good results. And at this dilution, you’ll get 20 washes per liter, which is not bad at all.
Griot’s Garage Snow Foam Verdict
I started out skeptical, but after using Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash I came away impressed. It cleans far better than I expected, smells gorgeous, and offers good value for money, too. The ultimate accolade for any product I test is that it makes it into my detailing collection, and Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash has done just that.
RRP: $21.99, buy now! £24.99, buy now! Check out regional price comparisons below:
