Labocosmetica NEVE | pH Neutral Snow Foam | Phosphate-Free, Hard Water Safe
Labocosmetica NÈVE — pH-neutral snow foam pre-wash
Nève is the rarest thing in a pre-wash: genuinely neutral pH (the brand rates it pH 7), with the bite of an alkaline foam. Most foams buy their cleaning power from a high pH. Nève gets it from the surfactant chemistry instead, so it lifts traffic film, road grime and bug residue without leaning on causticity to do the work — which is exactly why it's safe over wax, sealant and ceramic coatings, and why it is the neutral step in our 3pH wash on coated and PPF-wrapped cars.
It's phosphate-free and highly biodegradable, and it holds its performance in hard water thanks to calcium-carbonate chelating agents that lock up the minerals before they can leave residue on your panels as the foam flashes off. It clings, it dwells, it rinses clean — even in direct sun. Scent is Italian peach. Designed, formulated and manufactured in Italy, available here in 1 L and 4.5 L.
Nève dilution ratios
Ratios are Nève to water. Nève is extremely concentrated — stick to these, because overdosing makes a heavy foam that loses adhesion and slides off the panel.
| Use | Ratio | Nève per 1 L of water | In a 1 L foam-cannon bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam cannon — maintenance wash, coated or lightly dirty car | 1:25 to 1:50 | 20–40 ml | 20–40 ml Nève, top up with water |
| Foam cannon — medium dirt | 1:10 | 100 ml | 90 ml Nève + 910 ml water |
| Foam cannon — heavy dirt (sturdy exterior soiling) | 1:5 | 200 ml | 165 ml Nève + 835 ml water |
| Pump sprayer / Nebula atomiser — spot pre-treatment | 1:20 | 50 ml | — |
For most coated cars in Australia, 1:25 to 1:50 in the cannon is the right starting point. Go to 1:10 only when the car is properly dirty. Every ratio for every Labocosmetica product is on our dilution ratio cheat sheet.
How to use Nève
- Dilute in the foam-cannon bottle at 1:25 to 1:50 (heavier only if the car is heavily soiled). No pre-rinse needed.
- Foam the car from the bottom up in an even layer, in the shade on cool panels.
- Let it dwell about 5 minutes, until the foam starts to dissolve — that is the surfactants doing the work.
- Rinse from the bottom up at high pressure before the foam dries.
- Follow with a contact wash using Sèmper and a mitt, matched to how dirty the car was.
For stubborn spots — bug splatter, lower sills — spray Nève from a pump sprayer at 1:20 and let it work before the foam goes on. Nève can be used in foam mode, Nebula atomiser mode or spray mode.
Key features
- Neutral pH, alkaline-grade cleaning. The cleaning comes from the surfactant package, not from a high pH — so you get the dwell-and-lift of a strong foam with none of the risk to your protection layers.
- Phosphate-free and biodegradable. A concentrated blend of biodegradable surfactants. Better for the drain, better for the next car.
- Built for hard water. Calcium-carbonate chelating agents sequester the minerals that cause spotting and residue at the drying stage.
- Safe on everything. Gaskets, trims, metal mouldings, wax, sealant, nano-coatings — Nève doesn't discriminate and doesn't strip.
- Sun-stable. Won't flash-dry into a problem if the panel's warm. We still foam in the shade when we can.
- Economical. At 1:25 to 1:50, a 1 L bottle gives roughly 25 to 50 foam-cannon fills.
Where Nève sits in the Labocosmetica pH range
Labocosmetica builds its wash chemistry around three pH points. Each product can be used on its own; together they are the 3pH wash we run in the studio and teach in our hands-on class.
- Prìmus 2.0 — alkaline pre-wash, pH 11. Breaks down organic film: oils, road grime, bugs.
- Nève — pH-neutral foam pre-wash. Lifts loose and light-to-moderate dirt without touching the protection underneath.
- Purìfica — acid shampoo, pH below 3. Dissolves mineral film: limescale, water spots, fallout.
Read how six snow foams from pH 3 to 13 compare in our chemist's snow foam comparison, or get all three as the 3pH Maintenance Wash System.
Nève — questions we get asked in the studio
Nève or Prìmus 2.0 — which one do I use?
Prìmus 2.0 is the heavy lifter: pH 11 alkaline, for a car with real traffic film, oils and bug residue, or as the first step of a full decontamination wash. Nève is the everyday pre-wash for a car that is already coated, sealed or waxed and just needs the loose dirt lifted before the mitt goes on. If you are maintaining a ceramic-coated or PPF-wrapped car every week or two, Nève is your default; keep Prìmus for the quarterly deep clean.
Can I use Nève in direct sunlight?
Yes. Nève is formulated to be used in the sun without flash-drying into streaks, which is unusual for a pre-wash. We still recommend shade and cool panels where you have the choice, and never let any product dry on paint.
Is Nève safe on ceramic coatings, PPF and vinyl wraps?
Yes. It is pH-neutral and cleans with surfactants rather than causticity, so it does not strip wax, sealant or ceramic coatings, and it is safe on delicate gaskets, trim and metal mouldings. It is the neutral pre-wash we use on coated and PPF-wrapped customer cars in our Heidelberg West studio.
How much Nève do I put in a 1 L foam cannon?
20 to 40 ml, topped up with water, for a maintenance wash (1:25 to 1:50). About 90 ml for a medium-dirty car (1:10) and 165 ml for a heavily soiled one (1:5). More is not better — an over-dosed Nève foam is heavy and slides off instead of clinging.
What does a Nève pre-wash cost per car?
At 1:25 to 1:50, one cannon fill uses 20 to 40 ml, so a 1 L bottle covers roughly 25 to 50 cars. At the 1 L price that works out to around $0.80 to $1.60 of chemistry per pre-wash; the 4.5 L is cheaper again per litre.
Does Nève work in hard water?
Yes — that is one of its design points. The calcium-carbonate chelating agents bind the calcium and magnesium in hard water so they rinse away instead of drying as spots or a chalky residue. Most of Melbourne's water is relatively soft, so the ratios on the bottle hold; in harder-water areas it still rinses clean.
Where can I buy Labocosmetica Nève in Australia?
From Alpha Details — we stock the full Labocosmetica range, including Nève in 1 L and 4.5 L, at our Heidelberg West studio in Melbourne, with same or next business day dispatch and shipping Australia-wide. We are Labocosmetica Australia accredited applicators and trainers, so if you are not sure which product or ratio your car needs, call 0407 191 223 and ask.
SDS (Safety Data Sheet)
Frequently asked questions
How can a pH-neutral snow foam clean like an alkaline one?
Neve gets its cleaning power from its surfactant package rather than from a high pH. That lets it lift traffic film, road grime and bug residue without causticity — which is exactly why it is safe over wax, sealants and ceramic coatings, as well as gaskets, trim and metal mouldings.
Is Neve suitable for hard water areas?
Yes. Neve contains calcium-carbonate chelating agents that sequester the minerals in hard water before they can leave spotting or residue as the foam flashes off. It is also phosphate-free, highly biodegradable and sun-stable, so it won't flash-dry into a problem on a warm panel.
What dilution should I use for Neve?
In a foam lance, dilute between 1:25 and 1:50. Neve is extremely concentrated — stick to the recommended ratios, because overdosing creates a heavy foam that loses adhesion to the panel. Dwell around 5 minutes and rinse before the foam dries.
// Build your 3-pH wash
Complete the 3-pH wash — mix any brand
Alkaline lifts organic grime, acid dissolves minerals, neutral foams and washes without stripping your protection. Pick a product for each step from whichever brand you like — the neutral foam is optional.
▶ Acid or alkaline? Watch which contaminants each one removes
