Removing bugs - soaking method

[mc2hill]

I have recommended cleaning bugs using microfiber towels soaked in Car Wash solution previously, but I have never documented this. Well my son was nice enough to load his car up with love bugs on a trip this week, so this provided an excellent opportunity to take some pictures of my process!

 

Here is what we are dealing with - nasty little bugs that are filled with clear-coating eating acid in their bodies:

 

A nice spray pattern on the hood

 

A lovely close up

 

Pre-soak the areas with pre-mixed Car Wash solution and a foaming sprayer

 

Our non-Adam's supplies - some thin MF towels from the warehouse club

 

Soak the towels in the soap

 

And apply over the 'buggy' area

 

 

The hood was pre-treated and then lightly wiped with Trim Brush

 

I left the towels on while I did the wheels (about 15 minutes) then I shot this video while I removed one of the towels. The bugs wiped off very easily, and as you can see, most came off in the first wipe. This is my first attempt at creating a video with my camera, so it is a little jumpy, but it is not edited.

[mc2hill]

Going to FL this weekend. Not looking forward to coming back home and having to clean off the love bug mess. She'll get a heavy dose of quick sealant before we leave to help aid in the removal. May be forced to take her through a touchless autowash thingy just to get them off while there.

 

Where are you headed Christian? If you are around Orlando, we can 'hook a brotha up' with a quick wash and new application of QS during your stay.

[suke]

Good news Christian! How was the vaca part?

 

Absolutely AWESOME! Very relaxing, and ate tons of seafood. Loved that there really isn't much to do on the island. So we just hung out at the beach most of the time. Then ate all kinds of things I probably shouldn't have, hah!.

 

Reminds me a lot of growing up at the beach, and makes me miss what my town USED to be. Now it sux balls. lol

[mc2hill]

Good news Christian! How was the vaca part?

[suke]

Surprisingly the bugs weren't bad. On the way down it rained all the way to Jville. Then caught some more rain past Orlando on to Sanibel. That helped wash most of the bugs off. We didn't drive too far once on Sanibel, and the bugs weren't that bad there either. On the way back we caught one good shower once in NC and that helped knock a good portion of the bugs off. So looks like I'll do a quick clean up hopefully this friday.

[DaveVY]

DaveVY is close to I-75 as well. We got the state covered!

 

Just a couple miles off I-75 in the Tampa Bay area.

 

[XQIZT]

DaveVY is close to I-75 as well. We got the state covered!

[mc2hill]

Guessing they're bad now, eh?

 

Those were from a trip on I-75, so they are not too bad, but as you know, any untreated love bug is bad for your paint!

 

We're going to Sanibel Island. So the west coast.

 

Ahh, beautiful place, I will have to turn you over to Scott (NastyGT500) then! Or stop by Jae's house just after the I-4/I-95 interchange on the way home.

[suke]

Where are you headed Christian? If you are around Orlando, we can 'hook a brotha up' with a quick wash and new application of QS during your stay.

 

We're going to Sanibel Island. So the west coast. The love bugs weren't that bad back in March when we went to St. Pete for the Indy race. Guessing they're bad now, eh?

 

May just bring the QS with me and hit up a quick pressure wash place to blast them off.

[Chewy]

Going to FL this weekend. Not looking forward to coming back home and having to clean off the love bug mess. She'll get a heavy dose of quick sealant before we leave to help aid in the removal. May be forced to take her through a touchless autowash thingy just to get them off while there.

 

Nothing wrong with that, but do it yourself and just use the rinse setting. It'll work fine. I do it all the time.

 

Good writeup Michael!

[suke]

Going to FL this weekend. Not looking forward to coming back home and having to clean off the love bug mess. She'll get a heavy dose of quick sealant before we leave to help aid in the removal. May be forced to take her through a touchless autowash thingy just to get them off while there.

[chazysoccer11]

Nice, thanks for sharing. That acid really does eat that clear coat too... My poor Camaro had quite a few blotches in the clear coat before buffing.

[mc2hill]

Thanks for posting this!

 

On our cars that have regular protection and cleanings the bugs come off relatively easy but will try this routine on some of the other cars I do.

 

Thanks Dave.

 

Just to be clear, these were fairly new bugs- they were there 2-3 days.

[DaveVY]

Thanks for posting this!

 

On our cars that have regular protection and cleanings the bugs come off relatively easy but will try this routine on some of the other cars I do.

[mc2hill]

Seems like a pretty elaborate method of bug removal.

 

I prefer a WW soak while I'm washing the rest of the car. All but the most stubborn of carcasses come right off with a blast from the fire hose nozzle.

 

Not really that elaborate, just putting towels over the bugs. WW works too, but for these bugs it takes several applications to get them off.

[Z71_Denali]

more than one way to skin a cat!

 

i soak the bugs in WW, clean the wheels, spray a little more of WW if it dries up, then blast them off with a pressure washer

[Team Adam's]

Seems like a pretty elaborate method of bug removal.

 

I prefer a WW soak while I'm washing the rest of the car. All but the most stubborn of carcasses come right off with a blast from the fire hose nozzle.

[Kingsford]

I just spray on some 50/50 water and shampoo when I start doing my tires and let it soak until I wash the paint.