Bug and Tar Removal

Members :
I think it would be great to make a compilation of tips on Bug and Tar Removal . So far, the only compilation I've edited is the one on Glass Cleaning. If you like the idea, post your bug and tar removing methods here and we'll see what happens.
I'll start it off :
NOTE- Before removing bugs and tar, wash the vehicle. That way, you won't end up scraping dirt against the paint as you scrub the tar off .

* Spray the bug and tar prone areas with a citrus product such as Goo Gone or a product like Stoner's Tarminator. I've had little luck with turpentine . Mineral spirits can work but I find it so-so . You can even apply a strong dilution of car wash soap . Let the product dwell as much as 20 minutes to dissolve the tar .

* Scrub with a fabric softener sheet such as Bounce brand, a 3M Dobie pad or one of their pink ScotchBrite delicate dish care sponges . Rinse .

* Scrape really heavy tar with a plastic putty knife or plastic razor blade . Bud sells a special putty scraper .

* Rub for awhile with a wet cotton towel .

I just use prepsol to remove tar instantly, steams not bad either

???? why use a hydrocarbon based product such as tar remover to remove bug guts?
Just pre-wet with water, allow to soak, then soak some more as you wash the vehicle.
Water, first, then your normal soap and water will "liquify" the bug deposits in most cases.
Worse case, there are "special" bug or insect removal pads available, which while they will not mar the finish, if the "guts" are still hard from not being soaked enough, they will mar the finish as one attempts to "rub" them off.
While they are soaking, wash the wheels, etc, let them dwell.
For tar deposits, if a large amount, inexpensive mineral spirits is quite good and safer than "body shop prep-sol's which normally contains some xylene, and that stuff is not good for humans.
If a few small spots, plain old naptha (lighter fluid) works well.
Then wash the vehicle as normal.
Grumpy

Iron X or Iron X Soap Gel is fantastic on bugs. Trix is also available now, which is a Tar Remover/IronX hybrid. So you've got everything you want in one bottle. These are from a company called CarPro.

Other than that, I use Maxolen Sticky Stuff & Tar Remover which is Terpene-based and lovely to work with. I avoid anything with Xylene in it. Naphtha is a nice little liquid on tar, as Ketch says. I've used it a lot in the past.

I'd like to add that there are ways to prevent bugs from sticking to the surfaces as well :

Meguiar's recommends using 3 or 4 extra coats of wax to keep bugs from getting as much of a hold on the paint. I just applied a coat of Zaino's Z-AIO and one coat of Z2 Pro over it and found I could wash the bugs off with easier than before .

An old truck driver trick is to spray the front bumper with Pam non-stick cooking spray when the " love bugs " are swarming .

Insect deposits consist of "acids" and such. (organic in nature)
Just like "acid rain" they will "eat, etch" through any "wax/sealant" over a short time, and if one really believes that they are more resistant to such acids, etc than the "clear coat" they have a lot to learn about modern paint systems.( does make for some great marketing words, as all see when the see the advertising, don't it?)
All any "over the counter/bought on the internet" can in reality only really accomplish is to "slow down" the acidic reaction of the bug deposits, and that is variable due to "what bug guts", percentage of polyamino siloxanes in the formula, cure time of when they are applied, temperatures of the paintclear on the vehicle, which is the temperatures of the paint system, is it a 1K or 2K system, etc, that make up the basics of the paint system.
Some, are at one point on the scale, more resistant, due to the content, while others contain more liquids, (Most of the liquids consist of hydrogen and oxygen- and do some research on the reactivity of those components) which harbor more of the acidic compounds and take longer to "dry-evaporate" from the affected surface, which then brings into the "reactive" portion of heat and acidic/alkaine percentage in the deposit.
It's called or termed, "chemistry" of reactives in a defined chemical enviorment.
There is "no" one way to determine what will stand up to what is deposited on a paint surface.
It's all about utilizing what the chemists have found to be the most effective "anti-corossive" resin content that may become part of the "wax/sealant".
At this point, be whatever "name" that is marketed, at the present state of chemistry, is at least one of the members of the polyaminosiloxane family.
And, "they market" the things that they believe their target market will fall in love with and buy.
Grumpy

Ketch-
( Assuming you were taking issue with my post )
If you go back and re-read my post, you'll see that I was talking about the ease of washing off bugs if there is a lot of wax or sealant on the surfaces---

---NOT claiming that wax prevents damage from bugs that stay on the surface.

And while I'm thinking about it, Here are some tools to consider for bug and tar removal :

* Plastic putty knife or one of Bud's tar scrapers
* Plastic 'razor blades'
* Long-handled RV Windshield tool with bug pad
* Mitt with bug scrubbing surface on back
* 3M Dobie pads
* Dryer Sheets ( Bounce etc. )
* 3M Delicate Care ( pink ) ScotchBrite pads
* Ribbed Towels to scrub with
* Bug-getter pads



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2012 06:44AM by Doug Delmont.