You use the Chemical Guys TORQ Big Mouth Foam Cannon by connecting it to your pressure washer, filling the bottle with warm water and a measure of snow foam, and setting the nozzle to the spray pattern you want. Then you foam the dry or pre-rinsed car from the bottom up, let it dwell briefly and rinse it off from the top down. The foam carries away coarse dirt and grit, so your wash mitt has less to drag across the paint.
We work with a foam cannon in the workshop every day. This guide covers how to set up the Chemical Guys foam cannon, which snow foam suits it and how to keep it clean so the foam stays thick.
Key facts about the Big Mouth
The TORQ Big Mouth has a rotating nozzle that you set with a twist of the wrist from 0° (concentrated) to 90° (wide). The Hi-Flow Breathing Valve mixes air and water so the foam comes out dense and stable.
Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
Brand | Chemical Guys / TORQ |
Working pressure | 800 to 3,500 PSI (roughly 55 to 240 bar) |
Water flow | approx. 1.4 to 5.3 gal/min (5.3 to 20 litres per minute) |
Spray pattern | 0° to 90°, adjustable with a twist |
Nozzle | Rotating, horizontal or vertical |
Connection | Standard pressure washer coupling |
How to do it
Connect it. Screw the foam cannon onto the lance or gun of your pressure washer. If the coupling does not fit, pick an adapter, for example the D-CON Foam Lance Adapter Kärcher for a Kärcher. Tip: check that your machine runs within 800 to 3,500 PSI and delivers enough water.
Rinse the car first. Blast loose dirt off the paint from the top down with the pressure washer. This is the first step of our scratch-free wash method. Tip: rinse the wheel arches and sills as well.
Fill the bottle. Pour in warm water and add your snow foam. Warm water helps aerate the mix. Tip: swirl the bottle gently instead of shaking it, otherwise you get foam inside the bottle before it reaches the car.
Set the nozzle. Turn the rotating head to 90° for a wide pattern on roofs and panels, or to 0° for a concentrated jet on awkward spots. Tip: start wide and check that the foam clings to the paint.
Apply the foam. Start at the bottom of the car and work upwards, so the foam does not run down over clean areas. Tip: cover each panel evenly and work in the shade.
Let it dwell. The foam should loosen the dirt without drying. With Bilt Hamber Touch-Less that means 1 to 5 minutes. Tip: if it starts to dry, mist it with water.
Rinse and continue washing. Rinse from top to bottom and carry on with the contact wash. Tip: use the two-bucket method to protect the paint.
Which snow foam to use in it
The Big Mouth is not tied to one brand. We mostly use pre-washes made for foam cannons. You will find a selection in our snow foam and pre-wash category. For more background on the product itself, read our general guide on how to use snow foam.
Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Pre-Wash Snow Foam: a contactless pre-wash on a sugar-based formula. You dose 5 to 20 ml per litre of water.
Shiny Garage Blue Snow Foam Neutral pH: pH neutral, dosed at 100 ml of product to 900 ml of water (1:9) in the foam lance. The foam turns blue, so you can see which part is already treated.
Common mistakes and tips
Too little pressure or water: the foam cannon needs at least 800 PSI and a flow of about 5.3 litres per minute to foam properly.
Shaking the bottle: that makes foam in the bottle and little in the air. Swirl it gently.
Letting the foam dry: work in the shade on cool paint and rinse before it dries.
Not flushing the cannon: after every use, empty the bottle, rinse it with clean water, fill it with water and spray until no soap comes out. That keeps the foam consistent.
Wrong coupling: if you have a Bosch, the D-CON Foam Lance Adapter Bosch fits between the machine and the foam cannon.
What to combine it with
If you do not have a foam lance yet, or want to compare, see our guide to the best foam lance. To see the connection and dilution worked through in more detail, read connecting and adjusting a foam lance. Parts and accessories for your pressure washer are in pressure washer accessories. If you need a foam cannon, all models are in foam cannons and foam guns.