Dealing with bug splatter in summer

Why they stick

Bug remains are mostly protein and fluid. Wet, they wipe off easily. As they dry, the proteins harden and grip the surface, and a few days of summer sun bakes them on. Some remains are also mildly acidic and can leave faint marks in the clear coat if they stay long enough.

They collect in the same places every time: the front bumper and grille, the leading edge of the hood, the side mirror housings, the licence plate, the windshield, and the front of roof racks or roof boxes.

When it gets worst

Evening drives in June, July and August are the worst for it, especially on the 401 and 402 and on concession roads past fields and wet ditches. Drives along the Lake Huron and Lake Erie shores can bring swarms of midges and mayflies on certain summer evenings. After a weekend trip, the front of the car can look sandblasted.

Removing them without scratching

Like most stuck-on dirt, the trick is softening before you touch it.

• Rinse the front of the car to wet everything and wash away loose grit.
• Spray a bug remover, or lay a towel soaked in warm soapy water over the worst area for a few minutes.
• Wipe gently with a microfibre towel or a bug sponge made for paint. Let the product do the work.
• Reapply and wait again for stubborn spots instead of pressing harder.
• Wash the area afterwards to remove the remover and the loosened remains.
• Do not use a green kitchen scrub pad or steel wool on paint, trim or headlight lenses.

Glass and the grille

Windshield glass is harder than paint, so you can use a bit more effort there. A washer fluid labelled for bugs helps while driving, and a sponge made for glass will clear the rest at a fill-up. Run the wipers with fluid, not dry, or the remains smear.

Bugs also pack into the grille and the radiator or condenser behind it. Gentle water from a garden hose through the grille openings helps. Do not aim a pressure washer wand close to the fins, which bend easily.

Making it easier next time

A protected surface releases bugs much more easily than bare paint. A protectant layer or sealant on the front bumper, hood and mirrors means most remains come off in a regular wash instead of needing a soak. Paint protection film, if your car has it, does the same and also takes stone chips.

Timing matters most, though. A wash within a day or two of a highway trip takes off most fresh splatter. Fast Lane is open 24 hours, so stopping on the way back into London on a Sunday night is easy, and the Luxury Wash finishes with the Shine Guard Plus protectant, which helps for the next drive.