Personally I enjoy nothing better than going on a driving holiday in the spring time. But one of the pitfalls of a long road trip can be thousands of insects smashed into the front end of your car! If you drive at night, in the warmer months, when there are lots of bugs around then this seems to just increase the problem. Also the longer you leave the bugs stuck to the front of your car the harder it is to remove them!
After putting off cleaning the front of my car I was dreading how much time it would take to clean away the now hard and crusty bugs. I went searching online for some tips on how to clean the dead bugs off my car more easily. I wanted some tips that would save me time and elbow grease but that would also be safe to use on my car.
Previously I had used a commercial car bug cleaner and standard car sponge but I found that a lot of time and rubbing was required. The following methods all worked a lot more easily and most utilised items I already had around the house.
Number 4:
Super Clean Degreaser
The following video by an auto detailer shows how to clean bugs from the front of your car using a product called Super Clean. While this product might do the job really well I put it at number four because I did not already have this product at home and I could not find where to buy it in Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=oXQDZr8GiEA&NR=1
Number 3:
Dryer Sheets
While searching online I came across several forums that suggested that a dryer sheet could be used to clean the bugs off a car. The following video shows how to extract some of the softener from within the sheets and then how to use it to clean bugs from the front of a car. I used this method on a small section of my car and found that it worked reasonably well. The main down side was that the dryer sheet became very slippery and was hard to work with when wet. I wouldn’t recommend using this method if you have lots of bugs over a large area of your car.
Number 2:
WD40
I hadn’t thought of using WD40 when cleaning my car but it should come as no surprise that the product claiming to have 2000+ uses has “Automotive -Removes bugs, road tar and tree sap” listed as one of them!
So I gave it a go using a soft cloth and again it did a pretty good job. I was a bit worried about using it on the paint work though so I only tried a small area. This method would be great if you had a large chrome grill on the front of your car.
Number 1:
Bug Sponge
A while ago, in anticipation of this job, I had bought a bug sponge but I had yet to try it out. I initially thought that the bug sponge alone would not be enough to remove the hundreds of very dry bug spots that were on my car.
After trying the other three methods on small sections, I dipped the bug sponge into my regular car wash solution and rubbed it over the front of the car. I was amazed at how easily the bugs came off with just the use of the bug sponge!
I have included a video below that shows how to use a bug sponge to clean insects off the front of your car. In the video they also sprayed the front of the car with bug off to help break down the bugs.
Conclusion
In summary the dryer sheet method and WD40 worked reasonably well but I don’t know if I could use them on large areas of paintwork, especially as they are not specifically designed for cleaning cars.
At the end of the day I would recommend that everyone gets themselves a bug sponge if they don’t have one already. I was able to clean a large number of bugs from the front of my car just using my regular wash ‘n wax car wash and the bug sponge!
The pictures below show close up views of my car before and after I cleaned the bugs off (mostly done with the bug sponge).
Front of Car with Bugs
Front of Car After Cleaning Bugs Off
Side mirror before cleaning!
Side mirror after cleaning!
Hi, I'm Kaylene, and I'm a keen gardener,budding baker and wannabe DIYer!
A Bug sponge will scratch your paint. Be careful when using it.
That’s a great point Bob. It is best to be very careful when using the bug sponge and to only use it on areas that really need it.
Thanks for the comment!
skin so soft from avon works real well ! I put a dab on a majic eraser bugs came right off , of course you must rinse and dry area because it is oily ……….but o what a shine you have afterwards!
that’s a great use for beauty products thanks for the tip.
Thanks this is just what I need and I am thinking I will be using your site a lot 🙂
Hi Emily, I am glad that you found it useful. Thanks for stopping by and I do hope you do return soon!
I really appreciate your website KayleneP 🙂 I have my father’s car and he always kept it clean and in great shape. He died in March 2012 so I want to keep it like he did. Thanks for your help to others!
I can relate to that, my dad always kept his car looking great and running well. I think some of that has rubbed off on me! I’m glad you found this useful!
I have wondered if there was an easy way of removing bugs from my car. I never really looked it up till now. Anyway, I thought I’d share my find. I’ve always used windex to clean my windows, then I found that the store I shop at started selling this foam window cleaner that leaves no streaks. It was cheaper, so I tried it. Well, it was leaving my windows a little greasy, or so it seamed. I didn’t want to throw it away so I sprayed it on the bugs all over the front of my car. I let it sit for about 5 minutes. When I wiped it down, using a regular old rag, they wiped right off with little to no scrubbing at all. Just thought i’d share.
Thanks for sharing John, I have not thought of using a window cleaning product. I have found the bug sponge to be pretty effective but if the window cleaner works for you and it doesn’t damage the paintwork then that’s great!
Pressure washers make a great job of removing them too, some good advice and tips though.
Thanks for the suggestion Sam. I don’t have a pressure washer but one would probably by pretty handy for getting rid of these bugs.
commercial pressure washer is nor better than elbow grease I have found. Even after 5mins of Bugoff. I don’t have a lot of strength in my wrists and I am looking for something easy and no I don’t want to use taxis!!!
I used to think that it is a very easy job to clean the dead bugs from the front window but now I have a car and I know that it isn’t so easy! Thanks for the post! It is really helpful!
Glad you found it helpful Jasmine, I certainly had fun trying out the various methods!
where can i buy bug off? I have a scrubber but dont have alot of strength in my hands so the Bug Off might help. Thanks
I am not sure where you live Cindy, but here in Australia you can get a bug and tar remover from an auto mobile accessory shop such as Supercheap Auto or Autobarn. You would probably be able to find a bug off type product in the auto section of a hardware store too. I also found a bug off spray on Amazon if you prefer to buy online.
I hope that helps!
I just bought a new car last week and collected a serious amount of bug guts on my bumper and grill. I read this blog and used a damp dryer sheet with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser, both items which I had on hand. Just dampened the corner of the dryer sheet and used the magic eraser and the guts came right off with minimal buffing. Excellent solution!
Thanks for the feedback Anne, I’m glad you had success. Also thanks for the Mr Clean Magic Eraser tip!
Won’t the Magic Eraser damage the paint, though?
Yes the Magic Eraser that I have says that it’s not for use on automotive paint work so I probably wouldn’t recommend it.
The WD40 tip is a great one. I have a white car so its constantly being covered in tar spot…not for much longer ! 🙂
Hi Helen, I’m glad you found the WD40 tip useful!
I also use a pressure hose on my car once in a while. It makes such a difference. Just make sure that the pressure washer has a soap or detergent dispenser and a soft brush. Once you have those you’ll have a very clean car very quickly.
Thanks for the pressure washer tips Marcel, I think that I should invest in one!
Thanks for this post. I always take my car to the valets but that cost adds up, now having gotten ideas from here, I am ready to dump the car washers and do it myself and save some money.
Be careful with bug sponges on paint. They are better designed for use on windows. Use Windex liberally or vinegar mixed with water will do wonders on painted surfaces.
Yes, I have heard that about the bug sponge, so I try to use it sparingly. Thanks for the tip about the vinegar, I have never heard that one before!
I have a huge problem with dead bugs on the front of my car, especially on the grill. I’m excited to use these cleaning tips. The drier sheets sound like an interesting method I want to try but I’ll use the WD40 first.
Yes Zequek, dead bugs can be a big problem, especially when they become dried on! I hope you have are able to clean them off your car with one of these methods!
I would like to thank you’ll or all of your debugging tips for cars!
Your welcome Laverne, I’m glad you found these tips helpful!
I’ve discovered that a disk sander with an 80 grit pad works wonders on removing bug guts
I’m sure it would Keoki, but your cars paint work might suffer! 😉
I have used 0000 grade steel wool dry with good result, particularly on the chrome and windows. Works well on glass shower screens as well. Just use it dry and dont be tempted to gouge it into the paintwork.
I was sceptical at first but I am now a convert
Thanks for the tip John, I never knew you could get that type of steel wool! I’ll have to get some and give it a try! p.s. I’d be skeptical at first too!
I tried the wd40 with a lot of rubbing but it did not work
That’s disappointing Obi, maybe you might have to resort to buying a commercial bug and tar remover!
I just completed a trip from South Florida to Texas and back towing my fifth wheel camper trailer. I did not look forward to cleaning the bugs off the front of the camper when I got home until I read your comments about cleaning them. I tried several of your remedies and they all required a certain amount of elbow grease. I then saw where you suggested using mr. clean Magic Eraser pads. I went out and put a little bit of water on the pad and cleaned off about three square feet in a matter of minutes it is the best cleaning pad I have ever tried. I found you need to clean a small area and then rinse it and wipe it off with a rag then clean another area rinse and wipe down and so on I almost have the whole front of the camper done in probably about an hour to an hour and a half.
Sounds like the Magic Eraser did the trick Bill! Thanks for letting us know what worked best for you!
nice post.
The situation described on the post is mostly experienced while you are on a night out. Sticking with dead bugs, your car may seem awful. That time, you must wander for ways to clean the vehicle. The post describes four ways; however, if I am asked, I would definitely go for ‘bug sponge’. It is easily available and its use is too simple. The video here shows how it can accomplish the job effectively. You can ask auto experts, if there is other methods to get out of the problem.
I have found the using cheap liquid fabric softener applied to the surface before the bugs hit the paint the they come off easier. Try it on the lower part of the front bumper first to see if it stains the paint. I have a 2002 Chevy S-10 that is white and I tow it behind my 2004 white class A motorhome and use it on the front of both and no paint problems and the bugs come of easy as does the oily mess from road dirt and oils. I reapply it after washing to retreat it. Have been doing it for 2 years now. I put it on a rag or wash mitten to apply full strength let it dry and then rinse it off and let it dry and again and good to go. YMMV
Thanks for the tip Straykat!