ilike2cheez

iTrader: (2)

Its been a hell of a month here in houston. Bugs everywhere. I have some bug stains all over my hood and bumper. I try to scrub them of every 2 days but I can still see stains. I have tried Turtle wax bag and Tar remover and even some turtle wax rubbing compound. No luck. There must be an easier way than claying the car every couple of days. ( even though I haven't tried clay.) My car is only 3 months old. Any suggestions? BTW I have a black car.

csmeance

get some good wax on there, I put on Zaino and the love bugs in Florida stick only slightly, just a hose off with some high pressure water gets rid of it all.

AZuser

You really shouldn't let the bug splatter sit on your car for a couple of days. You should really try to clean them off A.S.A.P. because if you don't, the bugs will just bake onto your paint and it'll be harder to remove later on.

When cleaning the bug spots, do you let the bug and tar remover/cleaning solution soak the bug spot(s) for a few minutes before wiping away? Because you should. You need to give the cleaner some time to work in a bit and dissolve the bug splatter before you try to wipe it off.

You can also try a bug sponge such as the Pinnacle bug pad and some soapy water or bug and tar remover. If you don't want to buy that pad, you can also try soaking a dryer sheet in some soapy water or bug and tar remover. Best bug remover I've come across is from Poorboy's.

Finally, there's the pre-wax cleaner/cleaner wax.

I've also heard that WD-40 works too, but I wouldn't use that on my paint. The bumper maybe..... but definitely not on the paint since I'm not sure if it will cause any damage.

Remember to put some wax or sealant (preferred) after cleaning the bug splatter because the clay bar, bug and tar remover, cleaner wax, etc. will stripe whatever wax/sealant was there.

No wax or sealant protection = bigger PITA to remove bug splatter next time.

ilike2cheez

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the responses guys. I think the problem is that when I used bar and tar remover the first time I didn't wax my car afterwards. I did not think I had to since it left behind a shine and smooth surface.
How about I remove the bugs that are bakeed on with some rubbing compound and seal up with some wax?

Hawhyen51

Because of the acidic nature of bugs remains, you should remove them at the first chance available. One easy way is to let soak with water, place a wet towel on it and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Use a clay bar on any residual spots followed with a mild or light cut polish and finally apply a coat of your favorite sealant/wax.

exceldetail

WD-40 is perfectly fine for painted surfaces...........Its to cars, what aspirin is for mankind.....Should be in every detailers arsenal....

ilike2cheez

iTrader: (2)

Thanks again guys. I tried WD-40 and it works good. I now have a bigger problem. It seems that before i knew of his I used the bug and tar remover on the hood and when i came out to see the car in bright sunny condition there is some hazing in some spots on the hood. To make matters worst there are fine scratches. It looks like something a green scrub pad would leave behind. I must of tried to rub them off too hard with my towel or maybe the surface was not completely free of debris and it scratch the clearcoat.

What can I do now to fix this? I'm am a noob when it comes to detailing. I tried Mguiar's scratch X and some turtle wax carnuba wax. It looks better but I can still see the scratches. Is this something I have to have professionally done?

Ill see if I can get some pics. I only have a camera phone so I don't think it will show up.

triggerman

Some times using rubbing compound too often will dull the paint.

AZuser

Sounds like you have paint swirling/micro-marring from scrubbing too hard trying to remove the bugs.

To remove the fine scratches, you're gonna have to use a light polishing compound and a machine polisher (i.e. porter cable, rotary, etc.). If you have the correct tools, you can do it yourself. If not, check around locally for detailers.

I would suggest investing in the equipment because if something like this happened again down the road you'll be able to do it yourself instead of paying some guy $80 or so to do it each time.

ilike2cheez

iTrader: (2)

How much would these tools cost and where is the best place I can get the? Any recommendation on brands? Thanks for all your help!

Hawhyen51

PC 7424 for $99 + SH or the UDM at $149 from Exceldetail. Both machines are capable of correcting surface defects. I believe Patrick said it best "The UDM is a PC on steroids". See post #8 of this thread why either of these two machines are recommended.