The Perfect Soap Mix Ratio
45sViewers love quick, actionable tips; the specific ratio and mixing trick are highly shareable for car enthusiasts.
▶ Play ClipAI Summary
In this Detailing 101 episode, Ivan from DIY Detail explains how to properly use Incredible Suds, a concentrated car wash soap. He covers dilution ratios for foam cannons and buckets, the best washing techniques to minimize paint damage, and the importance of drying aids for a safe finish.
Chapters
[00:00]
Incredible Suds Soap Overview
Incredible Suds is a thick, concentrated wash soap. For a foam cannon, use 31 oz water with 1 oz (2 capfuls) of soap. For a bucket, use 1 capful.
[01:16]
Mix Soap Properly in Foam Cannon
After adding soap to the foam cannon, shake or mix it well because the thick formula can settle at the bottom. Poor foam often results from not mixing correctly.
[02:10]
Wash Media Options
Use a traditional wash mitt or the Legacy Sponge. The Legacy Sponge is preferred because it reduces pressure points on the vehicle, making the wash safer.
[02:38]
Pre-Treat the Vehicle
Before washing, pre-treat the car with foam to loosen dirt. Using a pressure washer directly on a dirty car can push grit across the surface; a foam cannon or foamer is safer.
[03:28]
Dwelling and Two-Foam Method
Let the foam dwell to emulsify dirt, then rinse with the pressure washer quickly (no full rinse needed). Apply a second foam before contact wash to ensure lubrication and remove remaining grit.
[04:59]
Contact Wash Technique
Wash from top to bottom, one panel at a time. Flip your wash media (mitt or sponge) after each panel and avoid coming back up to prevent cross-contamination.
[06:20]
Drying Aid – Quick Beads
Never dry without a drying aid. Water alone is a solvent that can damage paint. Quick Beads is a water-activated sealant that provides lubrication and protection during drying.
[07:02]
Drying Process
After applying Quick Beads (spray on, rinse off), drying becomes safer and easier. One pass per panel is sufficient.
The two-foam method combined with correct dilution ratios and a drying aid like Quick Beads maximizes cleaning safety and paint protection, making it ideal for both professional detailers and enthusiasts.
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Tutorial Checklist
1
00:12
Mix 31 oz water with 1 oz (2 capfuls) of Incredible Suds in a foam cannon. For a bucket wash, use 1 capful of soap. Shake the foam cannon well to combine.
2
02:38
Pre-treat the vehicle: either use a pressure washer with foam (but avoid direct pressure on dirt) or a foamer with the same dilution. Let the soap dwell to break down dirt.
3
03:28
Rinse the loose dirt with a pressure washer (no need for full rinse). Then apply a second foam layer before contact wash.
4
04:59
Use a clean wash mitt or Legacy Sponge to wash from top to bottom, panel by panel. Flip the media after each panel and avoid coming back up. Dunk in wash bucket between panels.
5
05:57
Rinse off the soap completely with a pressure washer. Always check the tip is locked and aim at ground first.
6
06:20
Apply Quick Beads drying aid (spray on, then rinse off) to provide lubrication and a sealant layer. Dry each panel with one pass of a clean microfiber towel.
Study Flashcards (10)
What is the correct dilution ratio for Incredible Suds in a foam cannon?
easy
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What is the correct dilution ratio for Incredible Suds in a foam cannon?
easy
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31 ounces of water and 1 ounce (2 capfuls) of Incredible Suds.
00:12
Why must you mix the soap after adding water inside the foam cannon?
medium
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Why must you mix the soap after adding water inside the foam cannon?
medium
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Because the formula is very thick and can settle; mixing ensures proper distribution for good foam.
01:16
What is the advantage of the Legacy Sponge over a traditional wash mitt?
medium
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What is the advantage of the Legacy Sponge over a traditional wash mitt?
medium
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The Legacy Sponge reduces the chance of pressure points on the vehicle, making the wash safer.
02:10
How many capfuls of Incredible Suds are needed for a bucket wash?
easy
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How many capfuls of Incredible Suds are needed for a bucket wash?
easy
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One capful.
00:56
What is the two-foam method?
hard
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What is the two-foam method?
hard
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Foam the car, let it dwell, rinse it quickly with pressure washer, then apply a second foam layer before contact washing.
04:14
Why should you not use a pressure washer directly on a dirty surface without foam?
medium
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Why should you not use a pressure washer directly on a dirty surface without foam?
medium
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The pressure pushes dirt and grit across the paint, causing scratches.
02:38
Which product does Ivan recommend as a drying aid?
medium
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Which product does Ivan recommend as a drying aid?
medium
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Quick Beads, a water-activated drying aid and sealant.
06:20
Why is using water alone for drying harmful to paint?
hard
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Why is using water alone for drying harmful to paint?
hard
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Water is a solvent, not a lubricant; it can remove oils and cause damage when drying.
06:36
What is the correct technique for washing from top to bottom?
hard
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What is the correct technique for washing from top to bottom?
hard
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Work one panel at a time, do not come back up. Flip the wash media after each panel to avoid transferring grit.
04:59
How do you apply Quick Beads?
medium
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How do you apply Quick Beads?
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Spray it onto the wet surface, then rinse it off with water.
06:36
💡 Key Takeaways
📊
Optimal Dilution Ratio
Clear, measurable ratios prevent waste and ensure proper cleaning performance.
00:12
🔧
Mixing Prevents Poor Foam
A simple but often overlooked step that solves foam quality issues.
01:16
📊
Legacy Sponge Reduces Pressure Points
Sponge design improves contact wash safety, a key innovation for paint protection.
02:10
🔧
Two-Foam Method is Safer Than Two-Bucket
Eliminates need for multiple buckets and reduces grit recontamination risk.
04:14
⚖️
Drying Aid Essential for Paint Safety
Highlighted why water alone is insufficient; a product like Quick Beads adds lubrication and protection.
06:20Full Transcript
[00:00] Detailing 101, I'm Ivan, this is DIY Detail. Today we're going to be talking about Incredible Suds.
[00:12] Incredible Suds is our soap and a great wash soap. First of all, the dilution ratio. Incredible Suds is very thick and very concentrated formula. In a foam cannon, you're going to put 31 ounces of
[00:27] water and two capfuls or one ounce of Incredible Suds is all you need. There's one and there's
[00:42] the second. Now if you want thicker foam, yes you can add a little more, but for cleaning ability that's all you need. In your bucket all you need is one cap full. One cap full of
[00:56] incredible suds, just clean out the cap, put it back on the bottle. Once that's back on the bottle I can use my foam cannon and one very important point with
[01:16] your foam can. You have to mix it up. If you notice, I'll flip it over here and we still have the incredible suds on the bottom. You need to mix it up because it is a very thick formula, so we want to make sure that it's well distributed. If
[01:31] you're getting poor foam out of it, it could be that you just didn't mix it up properly. In the bucket itself, we have a few different ways of getting foam. One,
[01:45] you could stir it by hand, but if you have a pressure washer or hose, this works exceptionally well. As you can see we have very thick lather ready to wash the vehicle. You can use
[02:10] different types of wash media. One is the traditional wash mitt and the other is our Legacy Sponge. Both do a great job. The Legacy Sponge is my preferred because you have less
[02:23] chance of pressure points on the vehicle, therefore a better wash and a safer wash. Now, before washing a vehicle, you need to pre-treat it. A couple different ways of doing so.
[02:38] One is with your pressure washer, adding water. The pressure washer on a dirty vehicle, you're actually taking pressure and pushing the dirt across the surface. So not the safest way
[02:50] of doing it. If you don't have a pressure washer you can get a foamer like this. Now in here we have the same dilution as we have in the bucket and this is the foam that you get. So a very nice
[03:08] thick foam. But as detailers we like to play with power tools, therefore the pressure washer. When you're using a pressure washer always assure yourself
[03:28] that the tip is in and here we go. And if you want a thicker foam like I said just add a little more Incredible Suds Next we actually letting the soap dwell on the surface And instead of doing a two bucket wash like a lot of people do because at this point some people would take that take their
[04:02] wash media, and start washing. Unfortunately, if there's any grit on the car, they're also going to be driving the grit into the paint. Even though it's lubricated and safe, it's still a possibility.
[04:14] Instead of using two buckets, I like to do a two-foam method, which means we put the foam on the surface, let it emulsify the dirt, let it break it down, then we take our pressure washer and rinse it very quickly.
[04:28] There's no need for a full rinse.
[04:46] We're just taking the dirt that could be on the surface and removing it. Next we'll foam again with the pressure washer.
[04:59] And then we can do our contact wash. Like I said, we could use a wash mitt like this to do our contact wash. You want to be sure you work from the top to the bottom and not come back up.
[05:13] Next, be very methodical. You want to make sure that you're getting the contact everywhere. Using the Legacy Sponge, again, no pressure, going from top to bottom.
[05:31] Once you're done a panel, you can flip the sponge, do the next panel. Once you've done that, dunk it back in your wash.
[05:44] Get it ready to go the next one From there we rinse and we dry When you using a pressure washer always make sure that when you insert the tip and it well locked and aim at
[05:57] the floor first just in case. Finally, when washing with Incredible Suds or any wash soap, you don't want to dry once
[06:20] you've rinsed off. You need some form of drying aid. In this case, I'll be using Quick Beads, which is our water-activated drying aid and sealant. You see it automatically, as you can see it instantly starts working and it will provide
[06:36] the lubrication we need when drying. Because water is not a lubricant, water is a solvent and unfortunately can damage the paint if you're drying. Therefore, once we have the Quick Beads on, it's a spray on, rinse off product.
[07:02] Now drying will be not only safer, but easier. pass and the panel is dry. If you have any questions, comments, thoughts, or ideas,
[07:18] please leave them below and we'll see you in the next Detailing 101.
[07:43] you