IK Sprayer and Foamer Review (and Models Explained)

IK produce industrial sprayers which are hugely popular for car detailing and valeting.

In this article, I’ll explain the different models available and review their features. I have owned and tested the regular sprayer and foamer models by IK for over 2 years so I’ll be giving my honest thoughts on their pros and cons too.

IK Range Explained

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Before I jump into the specifics, I thought it’d be a good idea to give you a rundown of all the models available, as honestly it can be confusing to work out which is best for you without a bit of background info.

This list includes all the models in the IK range which are relevant to car cleaning (note that there are other sprayers available which are more suited to other industries).

I’ve split the range into four sections for easier comparison:

• Trigger sprayers
• Handheld pump sprayers
• Handheld pump foamers
• Large foamers and sprayers

Images above link to Amazon

Trigger Sprayers

This is the most basic type of sprayer that IK offers in that it simply consists of a bottle and trigger spray. It is designed to be used for spraying small quantities of various chemicals e.g. wheel cleaners, quick detailer sprays, interior cleaners, glass cleaners etc.

All IK trigger spray bottles come with:

• An ID card which you can use to write the chemical name on
• Hard and translucent plastic bottle with measurements
• Adjustable spray trigger (from fine mist to stream)
• A hard base to they’re stable when set down

Here is a rundown of the models available and links each version:

IK Model	Capacity	Chemical Type	Additional Features
Multi TR 1	1 litre	General purpose	None
Multi TR 1 360	1 litre	General purpose	360º system (so can to spray when upside down)
Multi TR Mini 360	0.6 litre	General purpose	360º system (so can to spray when upside down)

Handheld Pump Sprayers

Pump sprayers are ideal for putting out a larger quantity of liquid than trigger sprayers. For example, when using a citrus pre-wash where you need to cover a large area and using a trigger spray to coat the entire car would take too long.

Here is a rundown of the models available and links each version:

IK Model	Usable Capacity	Chemical Type	Additional Features
ALK 1.5	1 litre	Strong alkalis	None
Multi 1.5	1 litre	General purpose	None
Multi Pro 2	1.5 litre	General purpose	Safety lock, cap identifier, plastic base
Multi Pro 2 360	1.5 litre	General purpose	Safety lock, cap identifier, plastic base, 360 spray action

Again, these are grouped by chemical type: ALK (for alkalis), and MULTI (for general purpose). Personally, I just use the MULTI version for car cleaning and have had no trouble with it when using diluted citrus pre-washes and APCs which are moderate alkalis (pH 11 or less).

The differences between the three Multi versions are the capacity, and the presence of additional features such as the safety lock, plastic base, and 360 spray action,

Handheld Pump Foamers

Pump foamers are ideal for applying wheel shampoos, fabric cleaners, or other chemicals which benefit from that foamy consistency (as opposed to the sprayers which don’t produce foam).

Here is a rundown of the models available and links each version:

IK Model	Capacity	Chemical	Additional Features
IK Foam 1.5	0.75 litres	Foaming agents	None
IK Foam Pro 2	1.25 litres	Foaming agents	Safety lock, cap identifier, plastic base
IK Foam Pro 2+	1.25 litres	Foaming agents	Safety lock, cap identifier, plastic base, can be pressurised with an air compressor

Again, the main difference here between the models is the capacity and additional features. The “2” versions get a safety lock, coloured cap identifiers for different chemicals, and a plastic base. The “2+” version can also be pressurised by hooking it up to an air compressor rather than just pumping it.

Large Foamers & Sprayers

Now onto the big models which are ideal for people who don’t want to refill the tank between washes, and get multiple cars out of the same tank. There are “foam” and “multi” versions of these large sprayers.

Here is a rundown of the models available and links each version:

IK Model	Capacity	Chemical	Compression Method
Multi Pro 9	6 litres	General purpose	Via pumping
Multi Pro 12	8 litres	General purpose	Via pumping
Multi Pro 12+	8 litres	General purpose	Can be compressed by connecting to an air compressor in addition to via pumping
e Multi Pro 12	8 litres	General purpose	Can be compressed using an battery in addition to via pumping
Foam Pro 12	6 litres	Foaming agents	Via pumping
e Foam Pro 12	6 litres	Foaming agents	Can be compressed using an battery in addition to via pumping

Again, “multi” versions are great for chemicals which do not require foam (e.g. citrus pre-wash), and “foam” versions will of course produce a foamy consistency! The main differences from here are the method used to compress the air (via pumping, using a battery or connecting to an air compressor), and the size of the tank.

IK Multi TR (Trigger) Review

I was recently gifted the IK Multi TR 360 by The Rag Company and have been using it for various products recently (including wheel cleaners, glass cleaners and quick detailers).

Here are some key points that I’ve noticed after a couple of months of use:

• The build quality is excellent. It feels super solid and I reckon it’s likely to last for a really long time.
• The “360” spray system means you can spray solution even when the bottle is upside down (this is ideal when cleaning wheel arches, headliners etc).
• There’s no risk of the bottle wobbling even on uneven surfaces due to the wide base.
• The translucent bottle has clear measurements for easy diluting.
• The adjustable canyon trigger is handy for different types of spray pattern.

I think the only real drawback with this trigger sprayer is the price. It’s not the cheapest option on the market, but when considering that it’s built-to-last, I don’t really see this as a massive disadvantage.

The only other things to note are that the ID card that it comes with is a bit prone to slipping out of the pocket, and it doesn’t have a “double-action” spray like some alternatives on the market such as the Pressol sprayers.

IK Multi Handheld Pump Sprayer Review

I’ll start by saying that I’ve had my IK Multi 1.5 for well over 2 years now and honestly it’s still one of the best car detailing accessories I’ve purchased.

I previously using regular trigger sprays to apply citrus pre-washes to the car, but this just saves so much time and effort as it allows me to easily coat the vehicle in an even layer of product within just a couple of minutes.

Here are the pros that I’ve noticed with this sprayer:

• It has a solid construction and is still going strong over 2 years of use
• Wide mouth bottle so easy to fill and empty
• The capacity is enough to easily cover large vehicles

Here are some negatives that I’ve also noticed:

• It uses more chemical than a trigger sprayer (mainly because it’s easier to use!)
• It’s not recommended to be used with strong alkaline solutions
• Does take a decent amount of pumping to get around the car

How much does it dispense? And how many pumps are needed?

If I fill the sprayer to it’s maximum 1 litre of usable capacity then it takes 15 pumps to get to maximum pressure, and this results in roughly 30 seconds of good pressure before it needs pumping again. Usually to go around an entire vehicle, it requires about 30-40 pumps in total, and it dispenses roughly 400 mL per minute. The maximum pressure of this IK 1.5 Multi sprayer is 2.5 bar.

Video Review

I have also uploaded a video review of the IK Multi 1.5 Pressure Sprayers on the Auto Care HQ YouTube channel so you can it them in action and learn a bit more about the features and best uses.

IK Foam Handheld Pump Foamer Review

I have two versions of the IK Foam model:

• IK Foam 1.5
• IK Foam Pro 2+

In terms of the differences, the IK Foam Pro 2+ (pictured below) has:

• A larger usable capacity (1.25 litres compared to 0.75 litres)
• A more stable plastic base
• A safety lock on the trigger
• Colour coded caps (to help identify different chemicals)
• Can be pressurised using an air compressor rather than just pumping (note: this is just on the “2+” model and not the regular “2” version.

Mainly I just use my IK foamers for wheel shampoos, although I know some people also use them for upholstery cleaning, and even with snow foams. Personally, I think it would take too long go around the entire vehicle with one of these, but you can also look at the larger versions (non hand-held) if you want to speed the process up and have more capacity.

Here are the pros that I’ve noticed with this pump foamer:

• Comes with three different “mixers” which create different foam consistencies
• Good capacity, easily covers all the wheels with half a tank
• Sturdy design – I’ve had the 1.5 version for nearly 3 years and it’s still going strong

Here are some negatives that I’ve also noticed:

• Not as versatile as the “multi sprayer” – only works with foamy products
• Needs a lot of pumping to get good pressure and foam consistency

How much does it dispense? And how many pumps are needed?

It’s best to fill the foamer up to about 50% capacity before pumping. If you fill the foamer up fully then there won’t be enough air in the tank to create pressure, and the foam will be a bit thin as a result.

• When filling the IK Foam 1.5 up to 50% capacity, I find that it takes around 40-50 pumps to get it to max pressure and this lasts roughly 15-20 seconds before it needs pumping again (usually around 15-20 more times)
• When filling the IK Foam 1.5 up to 50% capacity, I find that it takes around 70-80 pumps to get it to max pressure and this lasts roughly 15-20 seconds before it needs pumping again (usually around 15-20 more times)

Keep in mind though that the “2+” version can be compressed with an air compressor (rather than via pumping) so this does speed things up quite a bit.

Video Review

I have also uploaded a video review of the IK Foam 1.5 Pressure Sprayer on the Auto Care HQ YouTube channel so you can it them in action and learn a bit more about the features and best uses.