How long does a bottle last, and is the 5 litre worth it? Enter how often you wash and the planner works out how much pre rinse, snow foam and shampoo you get through in a year, how long each size lasts and the cheapest way to buy it.
Once a week is 4 to 5. Once a fortnight is about 2.
How far each bottle goes
Worked from the label ratios. Snow foam is one 1 litre foam cannon bottle per wash, pre rinse is one 1.5 litre pump sprayer and shampoo is one 20 litre bucket.
| Product | Ratio | Used per wash | 250 ml sample | 1 L bottle | 5 L container |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No.02 Snow Foam, Summer, Winter or Delicate | 1:15 | 62.5 ml | 4 washes | 16 washes | 80 washes |
| Snow foam, Extreme | 1:10 | 90.9 ml | 2 washes | 11 washes | 55 washes |
| No.01 Pre Rinse and Bug Remover, Summer, Winter or Delicate | 1:10 | 136 ml | 1 wash | 7 washes | 36 washes |
| Pre rinse, Extreme | 1:5 | 250 ml | 1 wash | 4 washes | 20 washes |
| No.05 Contact Shampoo, Summer, Winter or Delicate | 1:200 | 99.5 ml | 2 washes | 10 washes | 1 L only |
| Shampoo, Extreme | 1:100 | 198 ml | 1 wash | 5 washes | 1 L only |
Whole washes only, rounded down. Halve the shampoo figures per wash if you use a 10 litre bucket.
Is the 5 litre worth it?
Per litre, yes. Summer or Winter snow foam is £12.99 for 1 litre and £34.99 for 5 litres, which is £7.00 a litre. One wash costs £0.81 from the 1 litre bottle and £0.44 from the 5 litre container.
- Washing every week: a 5 litre container of snow foam is 80 washes, which is about 18 months. It is the cheaper buy by some way.
- Washing once a month: a 1 litre bottle lasts 16 months. Start there.
- Trying a formula for the first time: the 250 ml sample makes 4 foam cannon bottles, enough to judge it properly.
Prices are the current list prices on this site. For trade quantities and van setups, the cost per wash calculator and the valeting water tank calculator go further. Not sure which products you need in the first place? Start with the car wash product finder.
Common questions
How many washes do you get from 1 litre of snow foam?
At 1:15 in a 1 litre foam cannon bottle, 16 washes. At 1:10 it is 11. A 5 litre container gives 80 and 55.
How long does 5 litres of snow foam last?
At 1:15 it makes 80 foam cannon bottles. Washing once a week, that is about 18 months. Washing once a fortnight, about three years.
How much car shampoo do I need per wash?
At 1:200, 100 ml in a 20 litre bucket or 50 ml in a 10 litre bucket. A 1 litre bottle gives 10 washes with a 20 litre bucket and 20 with a 10 litre bucket.
Should I buy 1 litre or 5 litres of snow foam?
If you wash weekly, 5 litres. It costs about 46% less per litre and lasts around 18 months. If you wash once a month, 1 litre already lasts over a year.
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