OP has a 2022 model 3, so chances are high this vehicle is already covered in rock chips and etched bugs. Detailers could try to paint correct, but the result won't be OEM.
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Bug removal, front bumper, how often
- Thread starter gottagofast
- Start date
zoomer0056
Active Member
Oh maybe I should just water and soap then because I don’t want to reapply wax, maybe the wax is strong enough to protect the paint from bugs that have been on there a couple months
I got the ethos ceramic wax says it has a life span of 18 months and I put 2 coats on the front bumper
We have lots of experience with bugs here in Florida. I drive a 125 trip across Florida 3-4 times a month.. During “Love Bug” season twice a year it’s really bad.
I rinse as soon as possible then use any car wash soap and let it sit for a while to loosen the bugs. Then I use an Aero Cosmetics Bug scrubber soaked in car wash soap to remove the bugs. https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Scru...Squeegee/dp/B00CAU2I4O/ref=asc_df_B00CAU2I4O/
This is my truck after one trip just before debugging.
I rinse as soon as possible then use any car wash soap and let it sit for a while to loosen the bugs. Then I use an Aero Cosmetics Bug scrubber soaked in car wash soap to remove the bugs. https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Scru...Squeegee/dp/B00CAU2I4O/ref=asc_df_B00CAU2I4O/
This is my truck after one trip just before debugging.
Wow lol, I don’t get why they so low on the road why aren’t they off in the woods and grass, is there something around the roads that they like?
PianoAl
Active Member
Yes. If you hit them with the hose as soon as you get home, they blow right off.
After a delay, a pressure washer (2000 psi, 40 degree nozzle) fails, but Citrol works well.
OxBrew
Active Member
It works! How quick do the bugs come off with those mesh towels?Dryer sheets for bug removal is... interesting. I use one of those microfiber mesh towels that kind of folds like a glove. The mesh picks up the bugs pretty easily. Pair it up with a bucket with dirt guards, and you're golden.
Actually took like 1 minute, as fast as I could wipe it down. Just saying 5 for rinsing etc. I've spent over an hour with normal microfiber cloths. Thats why I went months between cleaning them off.
Dryer sheets: saw some stupid reel on instagram about it, had to try it. Happy to use that mesh cloth if it really works.
I waxed it as soon as I got it while it was still clean
Ethos ceramic wax 18 month life span
joebruin77
Active Member
Bug guts are highly acidic, just like bird poop, which is why both bug guts and bird poop should be removed from your car's paint asap to prevent etching in your car's clearcoat.
Personally, when I get home, if I see either bug guts or bird poop, I spray down the guts or poop with waterless wash and then wipe them off with a clean microfiber towel.
If the bug guts are left on the paint, a normal waterless wash won't remove them and you have to use a more powerful cleaner specifically designed for bug guts. These bug cleaners are more powerful in part is because they are highly alkaline. For example, the 3D Bug Remover you listed earlier has a pH of 12. By comparison, a "pH neutral" car shampoo has a pH of 7. The high pH of bug cleaners make them effective at cleaning bugs, but also removes most car waxes and sealants. Although I do not know for sure, I would suspect that most ceramic waxes and spray sealants would also be degraded by bug removers, including the Ethos Ceramic Wax
Given your situation, I would highly recommend that you apply a ceramic coating to your car. A true ceramic coating will make it a lot easier to clean off bug guts and, if you need to use a bug remover, the coating will not be degraded by the high pH cleaner. For example, Carpro C-Quartz UK 3.0 or Gyeon Pure are two ceramic coatings that you can apply yourself.
Personally, when I get home, if I see either bug guts or bird poop, I spray down the guts or poop with waterless wash and then wipe them off with a clean microfiber towel.
If the bug guts are left on the paint, a normal waterless wash won't remove them and you have to use a more powerful cleaner specifically designed for bug guts. These bug cleaners are more powerful in part is because they are highly alkaline. For example, the 3D Bug Remover you listed earlier has a pH of 12. By comparison, a "pH neutral" car shampoo has a pH of 7. The high pH of bug cleaners make them effective at cleaning bugs, but also removes most car waxes and sealants. Although I do not know for sure, I would suspect that most ceramic waxes and spray sealants would also be degraded by bug removers, including the Ethos Ceramic Wax
Given your situation, I would highly recommend that you apply a ceramic coating to your car. A true ceramic coating will make it a lot easier to clean off bug guts and, if you need to use a bug remover, the coating will not be degraded by the high pH cleaner. For example, Carpro C-Quartz UK 3.0 or Gyeon Pure are two ceramic coatings that you can apply yourself.
What is etching exactly, does it mean the clear coat will be gone in that 1 spot or several spots?
Is there something about the front of the Model 3 that makes it so prone to squashed bugs? I've had this car a month and I've never seen bug squish like it before.
OxBrew
Active Member
I think its the lack of a radiator grill that makes it seem worse. Just more real estate to catch bugs, ICE grills are like 80% holes so the bugs build up on the radiator.
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Idk if the clear coat is gone. Etched bugs look like this:
Oh like the little bug guts splashes? I haven’t had trouble washing that off maybe because of my wax
I wash the front daily from about May through October. I have a car wash mop that takes about two minutes to use. I just use a bit of water. Cannot stand the bug stache.
About once a week I wash the entire car and use Meguiars ultimate quick wax spray. Less than an hour by hand. In the winter I just do a quick wash with water to get the road dirt and salt off of the car, about once a week. No bugs.
I’m thinking about getting the front ppf’d due to a couple of chips I’ve gotten this winter. I use a touch-up paint (the car is white so it works well), but I’m hoping the ppf will help.
About once a week I wash the entire car and use Meguiars ultimate quick wax spray. Less than an hour by hand. In the winter I just do a quick wash with water to get the road dirt and salt off of the car, about once a week. No bugs.
I’m thinking about getting the front ppf’d due to a couple of chips I’ve gotten this winter. I use a touch-up paint (the car is white so it works well), but I’m hoping the ppf will help.
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