Damned bugs, just won't clean off!

[AdvocatusD]

On return from epic Eurotrip, the first thing I did was take the car to the carwash on Kendall Street in London (not very good btw).

The car has been munching motorways and generally been travelling a fair lick, so a lot of insects and bugs have sacrificed their lives on the windshield, the bonnet and front end.

The chaps at the carwash were expectedly lax about getting the car as clean as it should be when you pay £15 for the job, so I got some rubber gloves on (calm down dears, for the car) and proceeded to show them where the bug marks were and started cleaning them off myself.

I managed to get the car a LOT cleaner than they could (in front of them, using their own materials), but I can still see outlines (on the body, windshield is perfect) from where the bug juice has left marks. The carwash said it "couldn't be done" at all even after a good scrub, which is of course as far as advice goes, the equivalent of a steaming pile of...

I'm fairly passionate about my cars and I don't like the paint anything other than as good as it can be.

I've heard WD40 can remove the bug residue?

Any tips other than a full detail/paint correction? The colour is Cobalt Blue as below.



Blasted insects will not have the last laugh!

[Leicesterdave]

I cannot undertand anyone owning a car like yours and not doing the job yourself.
There is no secret- bug & tar remover applied liberally and warm soapy water.

[CoolC]

Clay bar is also very good at getting them off.

[GruntyDC5]

Auto Glym interior cleaner.

[TheFungle]

The best way to prevent is by having a layer of wax/sealant down before they have a chance to go splat.

I had a similar issue and in the end it was tar remover, bug remover then clay which removed most of the residue, nasty little blighters that they are!

I'd also consider a large towel, soaked in very hot soapy water then drape it across the front, in theory this should soften them up and let them come off far more easily, I've yet to try this out tho!

[anonymous-user]

"I'm fairly passionate about my cars and I don't like the paint anything other than as good as it can be"

Then why are you letting a £15 car wash anywhere near it?! Elbow grease, bug remover, soap, water (and don't forget two buckets, not one!)

[CAPP0]

Alternatively use kitchen towel, spread it across the affected areas and soak in water, repeat a few times until the residue is soft.

Recommended technique on helmet visors, where you don't want any scratching, same applies to paintwork.

[AdvocatusD]

Leicesterdave said:

I cannot undertand anyone owning a car like yours and not doing the job yourself.
There is no secret- bug & tar remover applied liberally and warm soapy water.

MercScot said:

"I'm fairly passionate about my cars and I don't like the paint anything other than as good as it can be"

Then why are you letting a £15 car wash anywhere near it?! Elbow grease, bug remover, soap, water (and don't forget two buckets, not one!)

My building does not allow working on vehicles in the car park, extending to even washing them. To be fair, I can understand it given the size of the car park, the foot fall and the number of cars in it. End result, it can't be washed except for at a carwash.

Linky to a recommended bug remover please?

So the WD40 thing is nonsense then?

[J4CKO]

Just done four years worth off the Galaxy, no magic bullet, combination of a good wash, T-Cut, Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover, Auto Glym Super Resin polish and a lot of elbow grease, involves lying down at the side of the car to get the tar spots down low, it seems really susceptible to them, the side I have doen looks great, can see the block paving reflecting in the paint.

[Grey Ghost]

AdvocatusD said:

Linky to a recommended bug remover please?

http://www.vertar.com/vertar/vertar-detailing-claybar-white-200g/

I use a version of this (mine is old now so guess it has been upgraded) and works well on bugs etc after blats in excess of 100 leptons or so

[Fartgalen]

TheFungle said:

The best way to prevent is by having a layer of wax/sealant down before they have a chance to go splat.

I had a similar issue and in the end it was tar remover, bug remover then clay which removed most of the residue, nasty little blighters that they are!

I'd also consider a large towel, soaked in very hot soapy water then drape it across the front, in theory this should soften them up and let them come off far more easily, I've yet to try this out tho!

That's a good method. Used it a lot (with tissue paper) for cleaning dead bug residue off helmet visor.

[Roadrunner23]

Halfords bug sponge always works for me.

[muckymotor]

I use baby wipes and then a quick wash after to get rid of any smears. I'm not sure what's in the wipes but they do a great job of removing dried on bugs.

[jjones]

80 grit sand paper, you can get it in any good DIY store

[MattGTA]

Gaz. said:

I drape a hot tea towel on the bugs first then use the B&T remover.

Wash and rinse it well before using a claybar after you've used B&T remover.

This ^

[StuartGGray]

muckymotor said:

I use baby wipes and then a quick wash after to get rid of any smears. I'm not sure what's in the wipes but they do a great job of removing dried on bugs.

Exactly what I do with my arse too!

[z4chris99]

AdvocatusD said:

My building does not allow working on vehicles in the car park, extending to even washing them. To be fair, I can understand it given the size of the car park, the foot fall and the number of cars in it. End result, it can't be washed except for at a carwash.

Linky to a recommended bug remover please?

So the WD40 thing is nonsense then?

I used to live in a similar place but there are still places you can wash your car. now I don't have a hose so wash it on the street with many buckets.

to remove bugs use the bug stuff or tar stuff from autogym, then a clay bar

[lesstatt]

MattGTA said:

This ^

Or newspaper, just keep wetting it to keep bugs soft then they wipe off easily

[Jimmy No Hands]

I used WD40 to get some glue off after de-badging the other day. It wouldn't shift at all. A quick spray of WD40 and it literally wiped straight off.


Don't know if that helps you in the slightest, but Halfrauds do a Bug & Tar remover, and so do Autoglym.

[Arthur Daley]

AG tar and bug remover and a clay bar... Just done a mk1 focus rs on sunday came up a treat.