I can't find anything in the forum about removing bugs splattered on the front of the Crossfire. My method is to soak the front end of the car first and let it sit for a while and then use Meguire's Gold soap on the front and let that sit for a while. After washing, there are still some stubborn bugs on the front which I remove by rubbing with the microfiber cloth while drying. When I was in the service station business we used to use baking soda with water on a wash mitt to remove bugs. I don't know if it was the chemical reaction of the soda or the slightly abrasive action that made it work. I do believe that if you don't get them off right away, they harden over time.

Do any of our members have a favorite/best way of removing bugs without stripping the wax?

I have read that if you know that you are going to be driving where the bugs are severe, you can spray the front of the car with Pam cooking spray and the bugs will wash right off.

Note on Thumbnail:

I have seen cars covered by bugs this severe. It happens yearly around Lake Erie when the May flies, or some call June bugs hatch. Cars actually skid out of control when the drive over them because they coat the roads.

 

Nothing new to suggest other than some reliable bug remover liquid.
Frankly, Chuck, I've just about given up on keeping a wax on the front end. Between all the tiny pin-head sized chips that I touch up every wash & the endless bugs that I remove almost nightly after the drive home I figure as long as I can keep it sorta clean I'm coming out ahead.
Same kinda hatches occur every early June around the Mississippi. On our honeymoon so many years ago, the wife & I drove through our first 'Mayfly storm'. We ended up spending the night in some 2 bit hotel simply because you couldn't keep your windshield clean enough to drive any longer. Wipers just smeared the little buggers; washer fluid was the only way but I ran out quickly. Literally clouds of them! It was one of the most unexpected things I've ever come across while driving.
We don't drive the Mississippi (the Great River Road) in June any longer!

 

Hi Chuck,

I have found that keeping a fresh coat of RejeX on the front end works very well. It keeps them from sticking. Washing or spray detailer will then easily take them off. Use it on all the glass as well.

Steve

 

Fortunately we don't have a huge bug problem here in SoCal, but I do remember those May flies along the St. Clair River when I lived in SE Michigan. And you're right, the darn things will make a road slick as ice when they get really heavy. I remember having to use my windshield wipers to see where I was going. No, I really don't miss that about Michigan.Obviously any bug & tar remover is going to strip the wax but the following usually works pretty well:

Fill a wash bucket about half full with very warm, almost hot, water. Mix in some car wash soap. Soak a large cotton towel in the bucket and then lay it onto the front of the bug covered vehicle. Let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Wash as usual.

This usually does a nice job of softening up the dead bugs and makes them much easier to remove without scrubbing.

 

my method while a little gross is to just spray the front with water and then rub over the bugs with my fingers tehy come right off then i spray my hand off and spary the front off then wipe it down with a microfiber towel to dry it

 

Mike - I use your technique for bird droppings as well. Most have seeds (sorry to be graphic) in them and will scratch the paint if you just try and wipe it right off. Better off to soak it first, once its soft I lift the towel away from the finish rather than use a scrubbing motion.
Pat

 

Dang. You couldn't say "something that can scratch your paint"

I think my lesson for today is don't eat while on the forums.

 

This works pretty well ... wet the front end, let soak for a few minutes then wet out a few dryer sheets then scrub. It does not scratch the finish and you smell pretty when your done. (grin)
Bill,

 

Interesting concept with the dryer sheets but do they mask the smell of the bird poop seeds?

manisusmc, I know you marines were tough but I had no idea that you could wash off bugs with your bare hands.

Thanks everyone so far for sharing your methods.

I forgot to mention that the worst case of bug splat that I ever had was in eastern Colorado, around Sterling, when I ran into a swarm of grasshoppers. I had to start the cleaning process at the do it yourself spray car wash to blast all of the mangled critters off, and finished by hand washing.

 

we could look at this in another way, if we drive our crossfires enough we'll rid the world of all bugs

 

Here is what I do to keep my Crossfire looking perfect between major details. I keep a 5 gal bucket filled with plain city water mixed with a small amount of Duragloss car wash liquid (any good car wash liquid should work) in my garage. I wet a clean medium sized cotton terry towel and wring it out some. I go over entire car working from the the top down rubbing no harder than necessary, rewetting and wringing out maybe once or twice. After wet wiping about one quarter of car, I dry with a large clean cotton terry towel. I let buggy areas soak a bit before towelling off. I use straight line motions instead of cicular motions. This has worked well with no marring of the finish after 6 months of this procedure about 3 times per week. It takes me 10 to 15 minutes and my Crossfire looks perfect all week. It takes care of the bugs also which can etch your paint if not removed. I do my wheels, rockers and exhuast tips last. If I want a super good job I follow with a Zaino Z6 pass ocasionally. I started with a full detail with 6 coats of Zaino z2 pro as LSP applied this spring. I always use clean towels. I will do a complete ground up detail this fall when I put the Crossfire away for winter.