Bug & Tar Removers

[dhalltoyo]

I just started using Meguiar's products on my newly purchased vehicle. The car wash and wax are great!

My question is about painted surfaces; specifically plastic bumpers and quarter panels behind the rear wheels. With Toyota, the area behind the rear wheels is an extension of the rear bumper cover.

I got a few drops of road tar flung upon the area just behind the mud guards. I have looked on line, but I can't seem to find out if the Bug & Tar Removers are safe on painted areas; especially, the painted plastic!

Anyone had any problems with paint marring or dulling when trying to get tar off those painted plastic areas?

Any suggestions?

I will thank you in advance for your help.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi dhalltoyo,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Meguiar's Bug and Tar Remover is safe on painted surfaces, even painted plastic surfaces as you're not working on plastic, you're working on paint.

[quikzilver]

I tried B&T remover on the hood of my 2003 Peugeot 206 , but it does not seem to be working at all. I followed all instructions on the back of the bottle, but all I wipe off in the end is the B&T remover.

Is there some trick of the trade that I might be forgetting?

Please advise

[Aurora40]

Originally posted by quikzilver
I tried B&T remover on the hood of my 2003 Peugeot 206 , but it does not seem to be working at all. I followed all instructions on the back of the bottle, but all I wipe off in the end is the B&T remover.

Is there some trick of the trade that I might be forgetting?

Please advise

Let it sit a bit if it's not working. Dab it on there kind of thick and let it work for a minute or two. Then spray some more on, or on the towel to re-wet it and wipe off. It's a great product, but it's safe because it's not super strong so you have to give it some time to work.

[quikzilver]

So much for the fast and easy Bug and Tar removal. If it really does take this long, why does Meguiars not put these instructions on the package ? You don't see Barry waiting and dabbing bugs and tar for two mins. in the car care clininc video . Reading the instructions, it sounds like the easiest thing to do (spray on, let sit for 30 secs, wipe off, happy car enthausiast).

There must be some trade secret (which I apparantly did not use) that allows B&T to show its real strength. Up until now, I could just as easily spray water on the bugs and tar for the same result

Please help.

[Aurora40]

Are these reasonably fresh bugs and tar? Or is it like 5 year old tar? I suspect on really old tar, that something stronger would be needed.

However, fast = strong and more risk. I use products like 3M Adhesive, Wax, and Tar remover. It works really well on old tar. But even it requires some dwell time, and multiple sprayings. And it tends to leave the paint rather dulled. Nothing a polishing doesn't fix, but it is definitely not mild stuff.

If you open your bottle of B&T, is it a smooth creamy liquid? Or is it chunky? My dad got some on my advice, and was dissapointed in the performance. I checked his out and noticed the bottle was all chunky, and the spray was very thin liquid that did basically nothing. I called Meg's about it and they sent a new bottle, problem solved. Just a possibility.

[yndio]

?/

That's weird, my NXT liquid wax took off some tar, although it was only a very little amount and was semi fresh. Didn't have time to go out and buy the bug and tar remover so I figured it wouldn't hurt. That was even when it was cool out a couple of months ago.

[Mike Phillips]

Meguiar's Bug & Tar Remover is one of those products some people really love while for others, it just doesn't work, could be the paint, could be the bugs, could all be about technique.

When you're working bug splatter that has dried hard, how long it takes to make it easy to remove depends on how long it takes for the Bug and Tar Remover to penetrate and soften up the dried remains, this could vary by type of bug and how long the little guys have been plastered onto the finish.

For really tough bug splatter, here's a tip and a technique... it's not fast, but if it removes the splatter and prevent you from instilling scratches into your finish, then that's what it's all about.

Take a cotton wash rag saturate it with warm/hot water. Fold the wash rag 4 ways so that it's folded and thick, full of water and place this on the splatter. If you have some Bug and Tar Remover, mist this onto the portion of the wash rag that will be in contact with the splatter. Allow the wash rag to sit for a while, this will allow the water and/or water and Bug and Tar Remover to work unhindered at softening dried bug splatter.

After some time, remove the wash rag and either wash the affected area or wipe with a microfiber and either some Bug and Tar Remover and/or some Quik Detailer.

[quikzilver]

@Aurora40

Nope, there are no chunky bits (unfortunately). The fluid is white/yellow.

@Mike Philips

Good suggestion, I will try the towel trick some time.

How about the tar removal? This should not be to much affected by drying up and will allways a little soft. Will there be anything visible on the surface that will tell me that B&T is starting to do its work (eg. bubbles, fumes, explosions...just kiddin). When I use products like Sonax Tar remover, you can instantly see the tar dissolving. Unlike B&T, which does not remove anything.

The instructions tell me, that I have to work the B&T into the paint using a 100% terry cloth towel. Is this like dabbing, or like applying polish?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by quikzilver
The instructions tell me, that I have to work the B&T into the paint using a 100% terry cloth towel. Is this like dabbing, or like applying polish?

It's more like polishing in. You use the Bug and Tar Remover to help liquefy and dissolve and soften the tar, and the physical action of your hand moving the tar off the paint.

Tar is a tuff one because of the nature of the material.

[TKDDAD]

Tar - man I know about tar

Unfortunately I learned this last year about this time and I don't know if it would apply to cars but I know it works on skin! ...my son rollerbladed into freshly laid asphalt near our street last year and got hot tar on his arm and leg (how is a very long story) BUT, at the hospital where he was taken, they struggled with how to get the tar off of him since it had hardened when cold water was poured on it....finally, one of the nurses suggested petroleum jelly....thankfully, it worked...the jelly softened up the tar almost immediately and they were able to scrub it off his skin (post morphine ) ...so, I've never tried to use petroleum jelly on a car and would ask Mike or someone to respond with the viabilty of using it on tar that's on paint...ya never know

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

As the others have pointed out, successful tar and bug removal depends on many factors. Tar does get harder with age. I have used all kinds of different tar removers over the years, and Aurora is perfectly correct: the stronger the product, the greater danger. I tried one product that ended up softening the paint!! I could actually see the finger marks in the paint where I was trying to remove the tar! Luckily that product was not readily sold to the public!

Apply the Meguiar's Bug and Tar Remover, and allow it sometime to dwell on the tar. Then spray your cloth with the product and begin wiping gently. It may take several applications depending on how hard or stuck the tar or bugs really are. Again, it is about removing the tar without damaging or marring the paint.

Tim

[quikzilver]

All,

I guess, today a mirracle has happened.. When I first used B&T it formed large clear droplets when sprayed on the surface. This did not seem to be working at all. Weird thing is, that I did shake the bottle before use. Today, I used it again, to try the tips you people gave me. During the trials, all of a sudden, the spray pattern changed and a white/yellow mist was shown when sprayed on the suface.

On the area where I sprayed it there was a lot of tar splatter (there is a lot of road contruction going on in my neighbourhood). When I agitated the B&T with my finger, I actually saw the tar splatter disappear .

I think I will keep my Sonax Tar remover in the closet for now, since B&T will remove tar almost as fast as Sonax and will also remove the bug splatter.

Thanks everyone for the advise.

[Tim Lingor]

I am very pleased to hear that it all worked out!

Tim

[RamAirV1]

If the tar is splatter rather than big globs, I prefer to use clay, it takes it right off! The Overspray Clay is especially good at this.

Unfortunately for me, the Meguiars B&T is not available locally. Is the 3M Tar and Adhesive remover safe to use? It is readily available at Walmart. I do have some big globs of tar, but it the 3M isn't safe, I would rather use a couple of clay bars to remove it.

RamAirV1