I just spent about an hour scrubbing roughly 1000 miles worth of bugs off my front end.

Soooooo disgusting. I wish I'd taken before and after pictures, but my camera battery is dead and still charging.

 

In winter we have the salt and chemicals on the roads.

In the spring we have dozens of bugs each day needlessly sacrificing their lives to spread their guts on the lower bumper all the way up to the sunroof.

In the summer, we still have bugs but at least the heat slows them down a bit. Add in the dust from the ground getting dry.

The only time we OCD (d for detailers) get a break is in October and November. Maybe we should move to a place that has perpetual autumn. Anyone know of such a place ?

 

All I know is I never knew bugs came in so many colors (internally, anyway).

Nasty.

I was doing fine until I got into the Central Valley. And fine again when I got back out. I stopped at a gas station on the other side to get them off the windshield because it was seriously imparing my view.

 

i tried some Wizard's bug spray the other day to remove the bugs
that were on the very lower part of the aero kit. it was like working
googone... since i wasn't about to wash the car i stopped using it
and used speedshine instead cause it was a slicky smeary mess,
the spray that is.

i hear the bug spray works well while washing your car. will find out
later on.

 

Yeah, what did you use, ML?

 

How do you think those bugs feel, I bet they would if they could hate you more.

 

I just used Mystique water and my mitt. It was gross though, and quite a bit of good scrubbing. I was sweating by the time I was done!

 

hummm... i found that it's easier to use QD like Slick/Speedshine to
moisten it down for a good minute (just keep adding more) and use a
towel to remove the bugs than scrubbing with car soap.

this way the rest of your car won't start drying up with spots either.

 

Yeah I kept going back and soaking them with soapy water and I'd wipe whatever came off...and then I'd go back again in another 30 seconds, etc, etc...

The last bits I really had to scrub at though.

 

Get the surface nice and wet then spray on simple green. The bugs and guts will slide off without scratching the paint.

 

Well, I have a clear bra, which in theory should make them come off more easily (or so they say).

I was afraid at first when I started because a couple of the spots left the clear bra stained bright yellow.

But then when I went back to check them, they were gone.

Spooky!

 

I think the sun and cleaning eventually bleaches the stains out. My white cars often have yellow bug guts stains but eventually disappear.

 

Try making a paste with water and baking soda. The baking soda will not scratch the paint, but be careful of the applicator pad. The bugs will kind of disintegrate (some kind of chemical reaction). Rinse it all off well as the baking soda will try to leave a powdery residue. I find this works even on the ones that have been stuck to the paint for a while and have baked hard. Hardly any effort required and it's cheap.

 

So I just did a thorough wash, clay, polish w/PC (M80), and Epic.

I'm exhausted. But the two neon yellow spots are still there. I thought they were gone but now in the shade I can see them clearly. There are no actual bug remains left - it just looks like they stained my clear bra. Any ideas on how to get them out?

 

that's if you have wax on there... otherwise it's as hard as without
clearbra. also, if you scrub on it too much the bra will swirl quite a bit.

 

Bah. I still hate bugs.

Just got back from The Drive to Vegas, Round Two.

I think this time removal is going to be worse because it was 105 the entire time I was there instead of just 80.

I think I'm just going to soak down the whole car with Speed Shine (I always wondered what I was going to use the leftover stuff for once I switched to Prima; now I know! Bug removal!) and let it sit.

It's soooooo gross right now. I bet there are 16000 bugs on my windshield.

 

i had like 15 hits this morning's drive but quickly removed it
when i got home using SpeedShine and DP platinum MF.

perhaps next time you might want to do painter's tape over your winshield.

 

I wish you could get that windshield film stuff they use in Nascar... would ROCK during bug season (but only if it were biodegradable so you could peel it and toss it...)...

 

No, seriously...

 

guess wat your radiator looks like?

for radiator fins, i use duct tape and dab/pull the deadbugs before the wash.

time for some Wizard's BugRelease and some washing.

 

Me too.

 

Damnnnnnn... Thats alot of big bugs.

 

that is ALOT of bugs! I'm not sure I've murdered that many bugs in the entire time I've owned my MINI. That's crazzzzzy.

 

Lotsie had some truly apocalyptic bug splattage when he was up in Canada. Got that pic around, Mark??

 

the most memorable bug squash was a huge 5-6" dragonfly into my grill
head-on. wat was real scary was i thought the thing was dead
when i was trying to pull it out of the grill in one piece... thing suddenly
started buzzing. waaaaaaaaaaa!!! hahaha