Labocosmetica PRIMUS 2.0 | pH 11 Alkaline Snow Foam Pre-Wash | VDA Certified
Labocosmetica PRÌMUS 2.0 — pH 11 alkaline snow foam pre-wash
Prìmus 2.0 was the world's first pre-wash to earn VDA certification — independent German testing that proves a product is safe on the surfaces it touches: paint, alloys, trim, PPF, rubber and coatings. That matters here because most alkaline foams get their grunt from caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which cleans well and quietly attacks bare aluminium, rubber and your protection layers. Prìmus carries no free caustic salts. It uses safer alkaline surfactant chemistry to do the same job — lift the heavy organic soiling — without the collateral damage.
At pH 11 it's a true alkaline pre-wash: thick, clinging foam with a long dwell time, built-in lubrication to reduce wash-induced scratching, and enough versatility to run anywhere from a heavy 1:5 winter mix down to a 1:100 maintenance rinse. It is step one of the 3pH wash we run in the studio: alkaline first to strip the oily film, then acid, then neutral. Available in 100 ml, 1 L and 4.5 L.
Watch Prìmus 2.0 in our Melbourne studio
See Alpha Details using Prìmus as the pre-wash before the contact wash. The aim is to loosen road grime so more of it can be rinsed away before a mitt touches the paint.
Workshop notes: Match the dilution to the contamination and your equipment. Work in the shade on cool panels, allow the label's dwell time and rinse before the product dries. A pre-wash helps reduce the dirt carried into the contact wash; it does not make poor wash technique scratch-proof.
Follow the dilution table below, or see where Prìmus fits in our 3-pH wash video and guide.
Prìmus 2.0 dilution ratios
Ratios are Prìmus to water. The foam-gun figures are the ones that matter for most people; the sprayer figures are for spot work and wheels.
| Use | Ratio | Prìmus per 1 L of water | In a 1 L foam-cannon bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam cannon — heavy dirt, winter, neglected car | 1:5 | 200 ml | 165 ml Prìmus + 835 ml water |
| Foam cannon — standard dirt, summer, maintenance | 1:10 | 100 ml | 90 ml Prìmus + 910 ml water |
| Foam cannon — frequent washing, lightly dirty car | 1:100 | 10 ml | 10 ml Prìmus, top up with water |
| Pump sprayer — wheels and tyres presoak | 1:3 to 1:10 | 100–330 ml | — |
| Pump sprayer — lower sills, bumpers, bug splatter | 1:20 | 50 ml | — |
| Pump sprayer — whole very dirty car | 1:50 | 20 ml | — |
| Pump sprayer — whole medium-dirty car | 1:80 | 12.5 ml | — |
The bottle mix is diluted further by the pressure washer. Read how your cannon and washer affect the final concentration. For more products, use our dilution ratio cheat sheet.
How to use Prìmus 2.0
- Start on a dry car — no pre-rinse. Water on the panel dilutes the foam and keeps the surfactants away from the film they are there to break down.
- Dilute in the foam-cannon bottle (1:10 standard, 1:5 heavy) and foam the whole car from the bottom up, wheels and arches included.
- Dwell 3 to 5 minutes. Shade and cool panels — never let it dry on.
- Rinse from the bottom up at high pressure.
- Follow with the acid step (Purìfica) on a decontamination wash, or go straight to a neutral contact wash with Sèmper.
Double action for a filthy car: spray the lower bodywork at 1:5 from a bottle first, where most of the contamination sits, then foam the entire car and rinse after 3 to 5 minutes. For wheels and tyres, presoak at 1:3 to 1:10 from a sprayer and pressure-wash the loosened soil away before anything touches the wheel.
Key features
- VDA-certified. The gold standard for surface safety — and rare, because passing it means reformulating until the chemistry is genuinely safe, not just labelled that way.
- Alkaline power, no free caustic. Safer alkaline surfactant chemistry instead of sodium hydroxide. Strong on grime, gentle on aluminium, trim and coatings.
- Part of the 3pH cycle. The alkaline first move in the Labocosmetica wash system.
- Clinging, long-dwell foam. Holds to vertical panels so it has time to work before you rinse.
- Integrated lubrication. Reduces the risk of marring while the foam carries grit off the surface.
- One bottle, many jobs. From heavy pre-wash to frequent maintenance, just by changing dilution.
Where Prìmus 2.0 sits in the Labocosmetica pH range
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. For coated cars and light-to-moderate dirt.
- 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.
Prìmus 2.0 — questions we get asked in the studio
Prìmus 2.0 or Nève — which pre-wash do I use?
Prìmus when the car has real traffic film, oils or bug residue, or whenever you are doing a full decontamination wash — the alkaline step has to come first, because the oily film sits on top of the mineral layer and an acid put on first spends itself on the grease. Nève when the car is already coated, sealed or waxed and just needs loose dirt lifted before the mitt. Most of our coated customers run Nève weekly and Prìmus quarterly.
Do I spray Prìmus on a dry car or rinse first?
Dry car, no pre-rinse. A wet panel dilutes the foam and puts a film of water between the surfactants and the dirt they need to reach. Foam the dry car, dwell, then rinse.
Is Prìmus 2.0 safe on a ceramic coating or PPF?
Yes. VDA certification is specifically material-compatibility testing — paint, alloys, trim, rubber and PPF — and Prìmus carries no free caustic, which is what strips coatings and attacks aluminium in cheaper alkaline foams. We use it as the alkaline step on coated and PPF-wrapped customer cars. The rules still apply: shade, cool panels, never let it dry.
How much Prìmus do I put in a 1 L foam cannon?
About 90 ml topped up with water for a standard wash (1:10), or 165 ml for a heavily soiled car (1:5). For a quick maintenance foam on a lightly dirty car, 10 ml (1:100) is enough.
Does the Prìmus dilution stay the same with every foam cannon and pressure washer?
No. The ratio in the foam-cannon bottle is different from the concentration reaching the car. The cannon mixes that solution with more water from the pressure washer. Its chemical adjustment, the washer's flow and the cannon setup affect how much solution is drawn through, so two setups can deliver different strengths from the same bottle mix.
Labocosmetica recommends 1:10 for summer dirt and 1:5 for winter dirt as general foam-gun starting points, and states that final dilution varies with the pressure washer. Follow the current bottle instructions for the task and your equipment manufacturer's setup guidance. Do not assume a pump-sprayer ratio is a foam-bottle ratio, or keep adding product just to chase thicker foam. If you are unsure, tell us your washer and cannon models and we can help you choose a starting mix.
What does a Prìmus pre-wash cost per car?
At 1:10, one cannon fill uses about 90 ml, so a 1 L bottle covers roughly 11 cars — around $4 of chemistry per pre-wash at the 1 L price. The 4.5 L brings that to roughly $3.20 per car. At 1:100 for maintenance foaming it is well under $1.
Where can I buy Labocosmetica Prìmus 2.0 in Australia?
From Alpha Details — we stock the full Labocosmetica range, including Prìmus 2.0 in 100 ml, 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; if you are not sure which product or ratio your car needs, call 0407 191 223.
SDS (Safety Data Sheet)
Frequently asked questions
What pH is Primus 2.0 and is it safe on ceramic coatings and PPF?
Primus 2.0 is a pH 11 alkaline snow foam pre-wash. It was the world's first pre-wash to earn VDA certification — independent German material-compatibility testing that proves it is safe on paint, alloys, trim, PPF, rubber and ceramic coatings.
Does Primus 2.0 contain caustic soda (sodium hydroxide)?
No. Primus 2.0 carries no free caustic salts. Most budget alkaline foams get their cleaning power from sodium hydroxide, which attacks bare aluminium, rubber and trim. Primus 2.0 uses safer alkaline surfactant chemistry to lift heavy organic soiling without that collateral damage.
What dilution should I use for Primus 2.0?
Through a foam gun, 1:5 for winter dirt and 1:10 for summer dirt. For wheels and tyres use 1:3 to 1:10, lower bodywork and bug splatter 1:20, very dirty vehicles 1:50, medium dirt 1:80, and 1:100 for frequent maintenance washing. Let it dwell a few minutes, then rinse at high pressure.
What is VDA certification and why does it matter?
VDA is the Verband der Automobilindustrie, the German Automotive Industry Association. Its certification involves independent material-compatibility testing against delicate automotive surfaces — paint, alloys, trim, PPF and rubber. Few car care products hold it, because passing usually requires reformulating until the chemistry is genuinely surface-safe.
// 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
