I use WD-40 and a bug sponge. Then follow with a car wash or glass cleaner or equivalent. BTW, if you ever get pine pitch or road tar on your paint the WD-40 takes that right off without a hint of damage too.

 

I've used Meguires Bug & Tar Remover then the Quick Detail and Wax after that. Comes up a treat!

 

Traditional 'bug/tar cleaners' work OK, but they seem to work best when you are just dealing with one really big stubborn baked-on bug. For 'mass impacts,' it seems like more trouble than it's worth, IMO. When it's really bad, I do it this way: When I wash my car (which will be every day when lovebug season starts...) I keep the front bumper constantly wet while I'm working on the rest of the car. I'll intermittently wash it, using the 'bug scrubbing' side of my sponge. (In fact, I have a separate one just for lovebug season.) It's a net-like weave that won't scratch the paint. That usually gets the job done to the point where I can use some 'quick detailer' to remove the smudgy traces.

If they are really bad, I'll soak a towel and lay it on the hood and bumper, to just soak-in for a while before I even start washing. (I give it a good rinse, first.) If it's super dense, I'll wet it and then put a coat of car wash right on it. Then I do as above. When I'm done washing, I will often re-wax the front edges again when it was that intense.

Last year the lovebugs were so bad after just one 50 mile rural drive the flat edge of the bumper looked like it was covered with black suede.

 

This post is not only extremely helpful, but also functions as a great appetite suppressant. Well done

 

great advice. Thanks!!

 

Ow!! Jet it sounds like your place during the bug season is as bad as ours!!!

That's just nasty!


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

 

try to keep it waxed and it will help them come off a lot easier too!

 

You've got "love-bugs" and we have "shad flies" at least here in the Hudson Valley area, it tells the fisherman the Shad Fish are running in the Hudson River or so they say..... Either way their a p.i.t.a.
The soaking with a wet towel has always worked best when they don't come off with initial washing for me. All the other fixes do require reapplying the wax you take off as well as the bugs.
I still like springtime regardless of the northeastern bugs it brings out.

Ray T

 

Simple green. Soak the front for a little while then scrub them off. You'll have to re-wax where you use it though.

 

Automotive simple green

 

Yes, Simple Green and a bug sponge works very well too but you must keep it wet and in the shade. The reapplication of wax after is a must as well.

 

i just use mcguires spray detailer. works fine

 

Oh my god, you have no idea. The smell when the lovebugs are that heavy and you get them wet... Not good, not good at all. Add on the fact that their disgusting little bodies are every bit as acidic as they are stinky and will pit your paint if you leave them on too long, and I do believe you are looking at one of the top ten 'Most Foul Creatures Of All Time.'

I'll post some pics in the next few weeks. If this year is as bad as last, I'll probably cry.

 

I believe there is a post wash product you can use on your font bumper and good that protects against big guts sticking to the paint. Basically they're just easy to wash off. I've heard of some people using Pam as well. Not to sure I've never lived in bug rich areas minus my time in Georgia and I had a jeep at the time so I didn't care.

 

I used Turle wax product for bug and tar removal, you don't even have too wash technically.