Really Stubborn Bug Guts

**dennis b** · 07-15-2020, 04:34 PM

Love bugs don't follow the normal rules of bug removal. If you catch them the same day they aren't bad to remove. Wait a few days or longer and they harden like cement. Especially in the high heat and UV of Florida. Extreme soaking and scrubbing with chemicals will get most of them off and even with claying a few will remain that will defy your best efforts. They won't soften up and wipe away. In those cases polishing is your only option because the acid in their bodies have etched into the paint.

**clm65** · 07-15-2020, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the help and replies. The WD40 did seem to help a bit. But as several of you mentioned, my paint is etched. Pretty bad. I will break out the polisher and see how much I can fix.

**Mike Hoekstra** · 07-15-2020, 06:00 PM

CarPro Bug Out is a fantastic product. In my opinion and experience it is a superior bug removal product. When you spray it on, you can actually see the color from the insects running with the product after it dwells. Use it in conjunction with a bug sponge and a wash mit.

**mc2hill** · 07-16-2020, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by cvwebb

ETCHED! That is exactly what i have. I used jeweling wax and thought i removed it, but this morning it is still there. How do i remove it?

As 'dennis b' pointed out the acid in the love bug bodies have etched INTO the paint. Once it gets that far, there is no removing them - only smoothing them over. The only complete solution is a repaint. My truck is over 20 years old, so I live with them.

Mike Phillips · 07-16-2020, 09:48 AM

I agree with the below.

Originally Posted by mc2hill

As 'dennis b' pointed out the acid in the love bug bodies have etched INTO the paint.

Once it gets that far, there is no removing them - only smoothing them over. The only complete solution is a repaint. My truck is over 20 years old, so I live with them.

The etching is where the acids from the bug guts have literally EATEN or ETCHED you could also say DISSOLVED the clear layer of paint.

Most of the instances of this that I've seen can never be fully corrected. The MOST you can do is COMPOUND HARD then polish and seal. This will tend to improve but not fully remove.

Mike Phillips · 07-16-2020, 09:53 AM

And just to add....

For everyone reading this into the future - if you have to drive in an area with heavy concentrations of flying insects, take a quality waterless wash with you and a pile of clean microfiber towels. Then pull over once in a while for gas and wipe the bugs off before they can cause damage.

Or - if it works for you - rent a car. Let the rental car take the hit.

There's also Bug Blockers on the market, the BLACKFIRE Bug Blocker works great.

Review: Black Fire Bug Blocker on my Ford truck

I know some people that have gone to this extreme,

2014 BMW 535i - Removing Dealership Holograms, Swirls and Scratches

The owner lives on the East Coat of Florida and would be driving his new BMW to the West Coast and that's about a 3 hour drive and during Love Bug season that can mean a lot of dead bugs on the front of a car.

I spoke with the owner before hand to discuss the Love Bug issue here in South Florida. I actually suggested holding off on detailing his brand new BMW till after the Love Bug season passes so we wouldn't have to worry about bug impacts for his drive home. He really wanted to get the paint corrected without more time going buy so I sent him the link to a write-up by another forum member showing how to make a Blue Painter's Tape Bra.

This is how the car arrived.

So the first thing we did was carefully remove the Blue Painter's Tape Bra...

And of course - we removed the swirls and did this,

2014 BMW 535i - Removing Dealership Holograms, Swirls and Scratches

**ducksfan** · 07-16-2020, 11:07 AM

That's a lot of blue tape.

You might want to check out a product vinyl wrapers use to apply lettering. I think it's called transfer tape (or application tape). 3M makes it. TransferRite makes it. It comes in low, medium and high tack; varying widths (Think feet, not inches); and you can get it in clear, so you don't look like Jethro going down the road. 100 yard rolls and not that expensive.

**Bill D** · 07-16-2020, 11:15 AM

Wow that’s a lot of tape. I was going to suggest a vinyl bra but that doesn’t cover the whole hood like you can with tape.

**mc2hill** · 07-17-2020, 08:50 AM

And for a less 'blue' option there is Tracwrap, Track Armour, and TrakkTape temporary CLEAR paint protection films. There is also a roll-on version, but figured that is not something this group would be comfortable using!