Dried/Caked on bugs....

whats the best way to get rid of these, aside from a lot of elbow grease. Tried about every bug/tar remover from every auto parts store. a friend recommended wd/40. not sure I wanna chance it damaging the clear coat. will it? up for ideas... they get crazy and fast as I'm driving back and forth across nebraska and colorado frequently.

 

Clay bar it
For the windshield YouTube how to super clean windshield

 

When you wash: let the soap soak on front a bit before you scrub. Soack with soap water, wash the rest of the truck. When you get back to the bug part the bugs come off easier.

 

i use a sheet of bounce (dryer sheet)... seriously, it works, my dad told me this and he been doing it for years on his cars, get it wet, spray spot with water, wipe back and forth and rinse off..

 

Soak it and soak more, it will soften and come off.

I would not claybar a bug body... they are sharp and will scratch the paint, and the claybar will be ruined.
Claybar is great for rail dust and other microscopic contamination.
It is NOT good for "chunks"

WD40 won't hurt the clear, but if the bug & tar remover didn't work, neither will WD40... they are pretty much the same thing.

 

DO NOT use steel wool on a windshield like shown on You Tube!

 

WD40.

Spray on paper towel.(generously). Lightly wipe onto affected areas. let sit about 5 minutes. Then spray some more WD40 onto paper towel and wipe away.

After all the tar/ bugs are gone, wash with whatever you usually use 3 times. Change out with fresh water and suds each time.

Works like a charm with no negative effects. This was how I got tar off of my front bumper. Pretty sure it would work for bugs too.

 

^^Pretty much what he said.

The bug and tar remover is junk. I haven't had any luck with that removing bugs, tar, tree sap, etc.

 

Dryer sheet.

 

thanks for all the input. I'll try a few things out. the windshield isnt much of a problem. I just use stoners glass cleaner and a newspaper and it works pretty good. thinking Im gonna try and get my pressure washer back from my cousin too. that would save a lot of time.

 

For really bad bugs use baking soda mixed with water on the bugs to form a slurry which helps remove them.

First, get the area wet and the bug guts as wet and soft as possible, as soon as possible. I've even soaked a few beach towels draped over the buggy area to keep the water penetrating the bugs on the hood, bumper, mirrors, windshield etc. Sometimes this alone is good enough to soften them up to wash off. Baking bugs in the sun/heat will ruin your paint! My wife drives a '11 Toyota Venza and we had bugs accumulate on our Bronze (brown) paint over the course of 3 days during a vacation, and the acidity of the bug guts damaged some areas all the way through the clear coat and color coat. When the bugs were removed by the dealership (she's been selling at a President's Award winning Toyota store for 6+ years, so we get special care) these areas revealed the gray primer beneath which looked like rock chips. We had smartly purchased paint protection and therefore received a check for $1600 to repaint the front end, hood and mirrors. Yes it's true, she sells for Toyota and still buys and believes in extended warranties, gap insurance depending upon how many $ you put down, and paint protection(insurance). But that's for another thread...

After they've soaked a while (10-15 min. or more) pour a bit of Arm & Hammer on a wet rag or sponge and rub it gently on the bugs. It becomes a basic solution (opposite of acid) which breaks down the bug guts, you can even see them bubbling. But I warn you, DO NOT leave it on for more than a few minutes AT MOST! They will scrub off easier after the baking soda has penetrated the guts for 10-20 seconds. Work your area in sections. (I am not liable for any paint damage using this method, especially on the new water based paints) AND DON'T get it in your eyes! or let it DRY ON the paint! PLUS be careful scrubbing because the baking soda can be abrasive if rubbed too hard. ALSO thoroughly wash the area with soap again after your initial rinse to make sure all baking soda is off. Make sure to wash your towels, rags, sponge, etc in the washing machine after, with no fabric softener or softener added detergent.

 

I have used bug remover with pretty good results. Up here in pa driving near the lake/river on a summer evening, every bug in the state tries to kill itself on my windshield and bumper.

I just put some of the removed on the bugs and let it soak in for a few minutes then wash em off. If once doesent do it, a second time always worked for me. Just let it sit and soften them as a prior post mentioned

 

I used rubbing alcohol for the sap that was stuck to my hood. Just let it soak a couple seconds and worked like a charm! I'm sure rubbing alcohol would work just as well for bugs.

 

I second the wd40. I just spray the bug guts directly and let it sit for a few then I either go through the auto car wash or clean them off myself. It works like a charm and will not hurt your paint regardless of what others may say. I have been using wd40 for years this way and have never had a problem with it. Also works for tree sap, bird crap, and whatever else might get stuck to your paint including goo from stickers/decals.

 

I just did this. My truck was COVERED with splattered love bugs. Tarminator did absolutely nothing, as they seemed as hard as dried cement. I wet the front end and started rubbing with a Bounce sheet and they came off like absolute magic. Bugs here in Louisiana can be pretty bad, especially during summer nights, and I wish I had discovered this years ago.

Bounce sheets have a very slight abrasive quality and the sheet has a chemical in it. You will immediately see milky drops coming from the sheet when you start rubbing it wet, and the combination of the two seem to do wonders. I am not overly concerned about micro scratches on the front end because it takes so much abuse anyway, and even if there are micro abrasions, which I really don't see, it would be nothing that doesn't buff out when I polish the truck, which I try to do twice a year. You don't even have to put a lot of pressure on it, just very light rubbing and the bugs seem to melt away.

 

^In fact, I would do one half with WD40 and one half with a bounce sheet, and you will never doubt this again.