jrmckinley

Anyone have tips for removing the "splat" effect of love bugs? I took my car to my car wash 2 days after a long road trip where my car got covered in love bugs and I removed all of the actual bugs using brushes and sponges provided by the car wash followed by a couple of trips through the car wash itself but I still see the "splat" remnants on certain areas of my paint. Guys working the wash said a wax wouldn't help - they mentioned the blood and acidity level of the love bugs causes damage to the paint. I find it hard to believe that I can't get this off when I got to it within 48 hours. Read a few things on here about different types of sponges, etc. to use and currently looking at the McKee's 37 bug & tar honeycomb sponge but wondering what other product(s) (soaps, sprays, etc) to use as most of the threads dedicated to love bugs are at least 5 years old and don't contain valid product links anymore. Thanks,

997c2

I have an absolute miracle for you. (I got this tip from a friend when I moved to Florida about 10 years ago and have told dozens of people about it!)
Just use the USED DRYER SHEETS after you take the clothes out. Get them a bit wet and you'll be blown away how they will cut the love bug guts. I keep a little plastic tote in the garage of saved sheets after the clothes come out of the dryer. I use maybe 2-3 when I wash the car.
That said, nothing will help if the guts have been on long enough to actually eat into the paint. But that takes a few days it seems.
I use Griots Speed Shine for daily clean up with a microfiber, when I can get to the splats as soon as I or my wife pull in the garage.
Good luck!

VTsuckah

iTrader: (1)

I'd not use dryer sheets considering that the sheet itself is abrasive and will scratch your clear coat.

I recommend Stoners Bug and Tarminator and a clay bar. If you still see "etching", you'll need to use a light polish/compound to buff the affected area.

997c2

I can only speak from experience (about 10 years so far...) of using this method on my (black) 911, 4 Lexus models (one silver, 3 Atomic Silver), a (black) Audi TT, and a Stratus gray X5. I am pretty concerned about abrasives on my paint, like the next guy. In Florida, one mile after you drive your newly washed car on any street, your car is covered in a fine, sandy grit. (I live inland, I can't imagine what beach roads have on them) Consequently, I am pretty careful about how I apply anything to cars. I will tell you that I have not been able to detect any abrasive damage from soaking wet dryer sheets cleaning love bugs off of my cars. You need very little force to move the guts off of the surface. You don't have to rub hard.
I will also say that if the bug guts have had much of a chance to eat into the paint (AND, watch out-!-into the plastic of your extremely expensive headlights!) a light buff with compound will not fix that problem. VT Suckah's experience is probably broader than mine, I'm just stating my own. Best bet is to get them as quickly as possible.