Bug Removal Tips for Car Wash Owners and Operators

Bugs can be a problem year-round yet are a bigger problem from late spring to early fall for your car wash customers. As the bugs splatter across bumpers, grilles, hoods, windshields, and backs of mirrors, they leave a big mess. Hot summer weather doesn’t help, either. The heat bakes the bug splatters onto the vehicle, making them harder to remove.

Why Dead Bugs Need to Be Removed Right Away

Bug guts have acid in them that can slowly eat away and erode the clearcoat on vehicles. The longer the bugs remain on the vehicle, the more likely there will be damage to the clearcoat. Once the clearcoat is completely eaten away, the bug acid starts to attack the paint.

As you can imagine, eventually the baked-on bugs and acid will remove the paint from the vehicle. It is important to encourage your customers to wash their cars frequently to get rid of the bugs and protect their vehicles’ paint and clearcoat.

How to Remove Dead Bugs Without Damaging the Vehicle

Removing dead bugs can be challenging. There are several dos and don’ts that you want to follow when washing your customers’ vehicles. If you own a self-serve car wash, you can hang up posters that offer these same tips, so your customers know how to remove dead bugs themselves.

Do wash the car first.

You want to wash the car first to remove as many dead bugs as possible with the wash cycle. Be careful when using a pressurized wand to not put it too close to the vehicle, as this can also remove the clearcoat and paint.

Do rinse off all the soap.

Make sure all soap has been rinsed off the vehicle, so it is easy to tell where bugs are still left on the vehicle.

Do use a bug remover spray.

For difficult bugs, a bug remover spray is highly recommended. Spray the bugs and leave the remover on for a few minutes.

Do use a bug remover towel.

A bug remover towel is designed to be gentle and helps remove bugs from the vehicle. Use this type of towel to wipe off bug remover spray. Some towels are already pre-treated with bug remover spray to further help remove dead bugs from the vehicle.

Don’t use anything abrasive to remove bugs.

You should avoid using any abrasive materials like scrubbing sponges to remove bugs. While they will certainly remove the bugs, they will also remove the clear coat and will leave scratches in the vehicle’s paint.

Don’t rub too hard. 

Rubbing too hard can remove the clearcoat and paint from the vehicle. Gently use small circular motions to gradually remove the bugs. If necessary, reapply bug remover spray and repeat.

Do use a power buffer for difficult baked-on bugs.

If the bugs just don’t want to come off, a power buffer can be used to “buff” the bugs away. Use a soft pad as you would when buff waxing. Apply bug remover spray first to help loosen up the baked-on bugs.

How to Prevent Dead Bugs from Sticking in the Future

After the dead bags have been removed from your customers’ vehicles, encourage them to have their cars waxed as part of their car wash and detailing service. A good coat of wax will help prevent the bugs from baking into the clear coat and being such a hard problem to remove. A new coat of wax should be applied every time dead bugs are removed, to maintain the added protection.

By using these tips, you can help keep dead bugs off your customers’ vehicles and looking great! For bug remover spray and bug remover towels, please feel free to shop online at Superior Car Wash Supply or call us at 800-554-9274 today! We offer a wide range of car wash materials and supplies at wholesale prices.