Love bug prophylactic

[xcfw]

What do y'all living in the southeast (USA) do as a prophylaxis during love bug seasons, May and Sept? (short of not driving...)
Anyone down here knows what I'm talking about- those nasty little dim-witted, lustfull bugs that once splattered will etch your paint if not washed off amost daily. I dread it semi-annually.

[BarryK]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

What i've found for pretty much ANY type of bug removal is to first properly and completely prep the paint of the vehicle by fully washing, claying, polishing, and applying a high quality LSP of a good wax or paint sealant.
Having a well prepped and waxed paint surface is the key.

Once the paint surface is prepped and waxed (or paint sealant vs wax) than removing bug splatter isn't difficult. it also makes it MUCH, MUCH easier to get the bug remains off the sooner you can wash them off rather than waiting days.

The freshly prepped and waxed paint surface helps to keep the bugs from adhereing to the paint surface and the sooner you can wash them off them better. After washing them off you may want to reapply a "booster" coating of new wax or sealant such as UQW and you are good forte next day's driving.

if the bugs are that bad down there (I've heard the stories) and you do the bug clean-up on a daily basis it should only take 10 minutes or so a day to wash off the front area and re-apply a quick hit of the UQW. with a well prepped and waxed paint surface and not letting the bugs stay on there for days or weeks at a time they should wash off very easily with little effort.

[CieraSL]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Rain-X makes this stuff called Bug and Tar protective shield. The only place I've seen it is Big Lots, and maybe a Wal-Mart or 2. I've never tried it, so I can't say how it works. But if you don't mind shelling out a few bucks, then it might be worth trying out. From Rain-X website:


Bug & Tar Protective Shield

Spray on. Drive. Wash away bugs & tar.

Rain-X® Bug & Tar Protective Shield is created on a simple idea that bugs and tar can't damage what they can't touch! Bug & tar residue can damage your vehicle. This revolutionary aerosol spray creates a thin barrier of acrylic polymer to shield your vehicle from bug and tar residue.

• Water-soluble formula easily washes off, carrying all potentially damaging debris with it!
• Apply before long road trips or in heavy bug season
• Safe on chrome, metal, paint and plastic

Quick tip: If you want to see how the shield works, spray a small area of film on your vehicle and peel off the film!

[cnfowler]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

I lived in Northwest Florida for 18 years. Keep the front end waxed and just wash frequently. That's what I did. However, that Rain-X stuff Shane posted up looks pretty cool. It certainly is worth a try in my opinion. Anything to give you the upper hand during Love bug season, right?

Colin

[the_invisible]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

CieraSL, that's a very good suggestion.
However, my recent conversation with one of Meguiar's business partners/old timers here made me realize that one should not feature or showcase a competitor's product on MOL without also mentioning or comparing a similar Meguiar's product.

And on that bombshell, I recommend the Meguiar's Bug & Tar cleaner be considered as one of the possible products being used to solve the problem being discussed here.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

The quicker they are removed,the better. If you get home and have time,do it right away with QD and they will come off with ease. This isn't always practical though.
I havn't tried Meg's bug & tar remover specifically on bugs,but have found it good for tar. Just remember to rewax any areas after use.

[xcfw]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Yea, I kinda like the "Pam"-like idea. IF they don't really stick hopefully they can just be blasted off. The problem with washing them off daily is that if you'va also picked up dirt and road grime, it's a little more of a can of worms to open if you then have to physically remove their little corpses.
So I'm gonna look for that Rain-x sheild.
Thanks cieraSL

[ColonelCash]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Collinite 476s / M16 / Finish Kare 1000P will keep a good layer of wax protection for a few months!

[akimel]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Given our primitive technology, probably the best we can do is to install polarized hull plating ... it will take another 50 years or so to create energy deflector shields.

[CieraSL]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Get you a redneck bug deflector:

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

I have heard many times do not use pam. It really bakes them in.

I would keep it waxed, wash frequently and use a qd whenever possible. You can soak a towel in water and let the towel dwell on the front end. This will loosen them with out scrubbing. I have also tried this method. Wet a dryer fabric sheet, scrub area, wash clean. However you will need to re-wax if you do this.

[rusty bumper]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

Love bugs?

Never seen any around the old north state, and I hope I never do.

Sounds like you might want to invest in a power washer.

[xcfw]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

I have heard many times do not use pam.

Oh I was just in jest saying "pam"-more referring to the RainX product that works like Pam. And yes, I had heard that Pam is bad, too.

[WrightDetail]

Re: Love bug prophylactic

When I lived in Orlando, I would just triple wax the hood and then when washing, pre-treat with Simple green Degreaser ( diluted 2:1 with water in a spraybottle ) let soak about 5 min then comes right off. After drying would reapply with Meguiars Spray wax or now UQD works as well --- Now in Tulsa and works for regular highway bugs now too.