Cleaning Blue Brummie can be so exasperating some times.

It's bug season now, and all the white paint/trim is showing signs of bug kills. These strikes don't come off easy at all. I feel like I'm scrubbing too hard.

I'd rather not use the old "Bug remover" stuff as it seems a bit harsh on the paint.

Does anyone have any suggestions ??

BB

 

Come on, you drive a go-kart,dodge em
Since I have started using detail/polish,the bugs don,t stick as bad.
I got some bug and tar wipes,that stay in the car,but don't wipe with them,
use them to soften the splat,by holding it on the offending spot for a moment
then dab it off,don't rub much,if at all,rubbing splat is bad,
same with bird poo

 

Move West to California. I sympathize with you. When I did my 2 week roadtrip through the mid west, I encountered some of the nastiest bugs in Alabama. My bonnet is pitted with many of those bug kills. Even the chrome around my headlight has a reminder of what it once hit. Since I was far from home at the time-driving to California from TN, I kept a bucket and mitt in my car so I could wash whenever. Also Meguiars Quik Detailer and lots of soft towels are great to have for those freshly smashed bugs. The worst I had were these yellow balloon type things that literally exploded across my windshield. I'd spend 15 minutes cleaning at the gas station, and get on the highway, and not even 30 minutes later, I need to pull over again cause of the huge mess. Since we don't have bug repellent for our MINI's, I'd suggest washing frequently with a soapy solution. You may have to let the solution sit for a bit to loosen them up. Once the season is over, you may opt to claybar your car to remove any embedded bugs. The sad thing is that you can't prevent the bugs from damaging your paint. You could use a bra, but I've seen bras do more damage to the paint than the bugs alone. Of course, you could get a clear bra!

1.) Freshly smashed bugs are easiest to clean
2.) Quik Detailer will remove the mess, if it's not fresh spray it on, let it sit for a minute or two then wipe. May need repeating. I do this on my white mirrors frequently.

 

Too bad we can't hook up a bug zapper or something.


Hmm, know those deer repelling devices you can get for the front of your car/truck? How come we can't get one for bugs?

 

LOL!!! I was thinking the same thing...at least here in the West we aren't dealing with those Cicadas on top of the normal bug population...

Chow!

Donna

 

We don't have lots of bugs here in SoCal, but we do have them year round! There is something, I don't know if its splat or bird poo, but it leaves a mark that shows up fluorescent yellow on my pepper white car. First noticed it right after I had the clear bra installed. Got home, decided I should wash and wax over the clear bra and get rid of those yellow spots. They won't come off!!! Won't wash off, won't clay bar off. I finally just waxed over them, I'm hoping they'll fade out or something.

Then yesterday I was doing a little detail touch up and found 'nother yellow spot on the bonnet, figured for sure it would wash right off the 4 layers of Zaino's. Nope. Maybe with clay bar, but I figure I'll wait until there's a batch of them. If I'd gotten a LY (almost did), guess I wouldn't be having this problem.

My truck is white too, and I don't have this trouble with the truck. Oh well, its certainly not affecting the drivability!

Shelly

 

We just finished six weeks of cicada hell. I found out that if you hit one at below 35 mph, they just bounce off your car, but that somewhere between 35 - 40, the MINI reaches critical velocity, and the cicadas just kind of implode upon contact.


p.s. The faster you go the larger the diameter of the "splat". My personal best 4.25" at XXX mph.

 

--- Splat !!!!

That's a hoot !!!

 

We don't have those nasty Florida Love Bugs in SoCal but we do have bees, gazillions of them; sticky, gooey splats loaded with pollen. Then there is something that leaves a crunchy red and oozing green splat. Just clean them up and pick them out of the radiator at the end of the day.

 

Ooohhh, a new road trip game!!! To play, before everyone gets into the car everybody predicts how many splats, and largest splat to occur between starting the motor and shutting down the motor. Winner gets to remove splats! Or maybe watch everyone else remove splats!

Shelly

 

Try Stoner's "Tarminator". It works great, along with all their other products

 

I resent that! Our bugs here in 'Bama are much more polite and slow moving than your average California and Yankee bugs! It was probably your attitude that caused the bugs to launch themselves at your car! Or perhaps your exhaust does not have a southern accent?

Really, does Alabama have to be considered the worst for EVERYTHING?????

We do have the best peaches though!

 

Good wax/polymer on the body and Rain-X on the windshield is the only defense I've found so far. They clean off pretty easily. :smile:

 

I've had pleasing levels of success with the following bug-elimination technique:

Wash
Clay bar
Let dry
Apply Turtle Wax (I know... I know...) Bug & Tar remover liberally to entire bonnet/front lid area area, concentrating on gooey bits.
Let sit for a few minutes while you assess the crappiness of your brakedust coated wheels.
Hose off.
Wash again--takes a little elbow grease, but not nearly as much as it would take without the frighteningly corrosive Bug & Tar stuff.
Dry
Apply MUCHO polish/wax/what have you.

 

It will be firefly season here in Western New York. Our best bug fun is when you splat one on the windshield. The splat will glow for almost 10 miniutes.

Cheers,
Jack

 

I have 6 coats Zaino (2-Z5, 4-Z2) and so far, bugs on bonnet just wipe off with damp cloth. One was a big yellow splat that had been there almost all day in hot sun. I thought "Oh Sh-t " but, just as smaller bug hits, just wiped off with damp cloth:smile: .

 

I can't speak for the "Bama Bugs" but here in Okla, we got what ya call
"June bugs" When these buggers hit your car it sounds like someone throwin marbles at your car while your doin 80mph.

These brown bugs are as big as a large jaw breaker. For you folks that don't know what a jaw breaker is...it's a very large and hard ball of gum. Very hard on the paint, glass and your arm if you are dumb enough to have your arm hangin out of the window.

You never drive with the windows down back here if ya know what's good for ya.:smile:

 

Love Bug season here in FL is the worst, especially driving on I-4!! The only thing worse than a front end full of smashed Love Bugs (yes, still in the fornicating position) is Pelican poop! I learned the hard way not to let that stuff sit, thankfully it was on an older car.

 

Naw ,I was going to tell you about the bugs,but I don't want to keep anyone up

 

Wizards Bug Release is my weapon of choice. It dissolves the proteins in the bug guts without etching the paint, or even removing wax

Msfitoy's recommendation of using Stoners Tarminator, while an excellent product for tar and sap, isn't the best choice for bug spats, as the chemical makeup is a bit different.