Connecting a foam lance takes three actions: pick the adapter that fits your pressure washer's gun, attach the lance to it, and fill the bottle with water and snow foam. After that, the dosing knob and the nozzle decide how thick and how wide the foam comes out. Most of the hassle is the adapter, because nearly every brand has its own connection. A complete lance such as the D-CON Snow Foam Lance V2 has an 800 ml tank and goes on your machine with the right adapter.
Which adapter fits your pressure washer
A foam lance often has a different coupling from the outlet on your machine, so we sort adapters by brand and series. All the adapters below are cast brass and go on without tools. Start by checking the brand and series of your washer:
Pressure washer | Adapter | Note |
|---|---|---|
Kärcher K2 series with Quick Lock | For the K2 series with Quick Lock. | |
Kärcher K series | For the Kärcher K series. | |
Kärcher with basic connection | For Kärcher with the basic connection. | |
Kärcher HDS new type | Kärcher has changed the connection, so check your gun type. | |
Kärcher HDS old type | Does not automatically fit every HDS model. | |
Nilfisk Alto | The Kew Professional has its own adapter. | |
Kränzle and Makita | Both brands share the same connection size, so one adapter covers both. | |
Bosch | For Bosch pressure washers. |
Not sure? Look at the connection on the front of your gun and compare it with the product name. For a comparison of complete lances, read our guide to the best foam lance.
How to do it
Release the pressure. Switch the pressure washer off and squeeze the trigger until the hose is empty. Tip: never connect or disconnect while the machine is still under pressure.
Fit the adapter. Screw or click the adapter onto the gun or the outlet of your machine, hand tight and without tools. Tip: keep the connection clean and dry so it seats properly.
Fill the bottle. Pour warm (not hot) water in first and the snow foam second, so it does not foam up in the bottle. Tip: follow the dilution on your snow foam label, and read dilution explained if you want the background.
Secure the lance. Screw the bottle firmly onto the lance and click or screw the lance onto the adapter. Tip: give the lance a light tug to feel that it is locked, because a loose coupling leaks.
Set the dosing knob and nozzle. Start with the knob on maximum foam and the nozzle on a wide fan. Tip: the markings differ per brand (plus or minus), so read the label on your own lance. Test on a wall or the driveway first, not on the paint.
Apply the foam and rinse out. Work in the shade, cover the car in sections and let the foam dwell as the label says without letting it dry. Tip: afterwards fill the bottle with clean water and spray it empty so snow foam residue cannot block the lance.
The whole routine from foaming to rinsing is in how to use snow foam.
Adjusting the foam lance: dosing and spray width
The dosing knob sets how much snow foam is drawn in per litre of water. More snow foam gives thicker foam, more water gives a thinner layer. The nozzle turns from a narrow jet to a wide fan. The fan covers panels evenly, while the narrow jet reaches the roof and top edges from a distance. Never change the setting with the trigger squeezed: release it first.
Foam lance gives thin foam: what to check
Is the dosing knob on maximum foam? Open it fully and see whether the difference is noticeable.
Is the mix strong enough? Add a little more snow foam per fill. A product from our snow foam and pre-wash category is made to foam.
Is the bottle in good shape? If it is damaged, replace only the bottle with the D-CON Foam Lance V2 Replacement Bottle and keep the lance.
Are the filter and nozzle clean? Dried snow foam blocks the small screen and the opening. Flush them with warm water.
Is the washer strong enough? Low pressure or low flow gives thinner foam. The minimum differs per manufacturer, so check the manual of your lance.
If you want a foam gun or cannon instead, browse our foam cannons and guns.