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hey guys, so I washed my car today at the local car wash and it looks like the front of the car hasn't been washed at all. The problem is stuck on bugs, tar and just road debris. I haven't washed my car in weeks due to all of the rain and now it seems I need a solution to get this stuff off. Any suggestions? I need something that won't strip either paint nor clear coat. Thanks in advance.
A little late for this time, JaredC . . .
However, in the future make certain you have a heavy coat of wax / polish on before "attacking" the bugs as removal will be much easier.
Very simple if you have some time.
Wet a towel with somewhat warm water and lay it over the affected area. Keep it there for about 30 minutes or so.
Then wipe them off with a soft MF towel with liberal amount of QD.
Bugs are hard to remove because they have dried on to your bumper. So basically the idea is to rehydrate it.
Jared, use fabric softener sheets. Wet them and rub it on, then just rub it off, like magic. And I'm not kidding either.
I cannot even begin to tell you how easy they work. I have seen some pretty amazing stuff in my life....and honestly this ranks up there with the Grand Canyon's "wow" factor.
Just an FYI, the products sold as tar and bug remover are usually just petroleum distillates similar to WD40. They somewhat work but not completely. Someone mentioned Westley's Bleach White but it will actually degrade paint and if you have any trim or strips that are adhered with adhesive, both the Bleach White and Tar and Bug remover products will break down the adhesive.
I have been in the used car business in one way or another on and off for years and the absolute best way I have ever came across to remove bugs is non-abrasive comet. It will completely remove the bug guts and we always used it on the windshields to bring them to like new crystal clear clean. It strips the road grease and oil residue off the windshield too allowing the wipers to work perfectly again. The only downside is, it completely strips the wax off too so you have to do a quick wax on any painted surfaces you use it on like the front bumper cover.
non-abrasive comet. It will completely remove the bug guts and we always used it on the windshields to bring them to like new crystal clear clean. It strips the road grease and oil residue off the windshield too allowing the wipers to work perfectly again.
What do you mean by "non-abrasive comet"? Is that a certain kind of Comet, or do you just mean Comet in general. I know the can I have under the sink says, "Scratch Free" on it.
The reason I'm so interested is that I put Rain-X on the windshield about 9 or 10 months ago and it has never worked....well, the rain would bead up, but when the windshield wipers were on it would streak and be cloudy so badly that it actually made it harder to see! I guess I applied it wrong (I followed the instructions, but oh well), but anyway, I thought it should be worn off by now. It's not. Very annoying. I've tried several things but nothing has worked. Maybe the Comet would.
What do you mean by "non-abrasive comet"? Is that a certain kind of Comet, or do you just mean Comet in general. I know the can I have under the sink says, "Scratch Free" on it.
The reason I'm so interested is that I put Rain-X on the windshield about 9 or 10 months ago and it has never worked....well, the rain would bead up, but when the windshield wipers were on it would streak and be cloudy so badly that it actually made it harder to see! I guess I applied it wrong (I followed the instructions, but oh well), but anyway, I thought it should be worn off by now. It's not. Very annoying. I've tried several things but nothing has worked. Maybe the Comet would.
Scratch free is the non-abrasive to which I was referring. It is usually in a green can. Clean your windshield with the comet and you will probably be shocked at how clean it is afterward.
They used to sell, and probably still do in places, an abrasive formula of comet. I believe it is in a red can. It basically has fine sand in it and it will scratch the hell out of anything you use it on. It is more or less liquid sandpaper. lol
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