Bug Removal

detailguy71

detailguy71

New member
Joined
Jun 18, 2009
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
I have searched this forum and others to find out the answer to a question that i have concerning the use of baking soda as a bug remover. I have seen other people use it and all of them say that it works very good. So naturally, i wanted to test that theory, so i went to the local Dollar General Store and purchased a box of Arm & Hammer baking soda. Then i went to the house and washed my mom's car. I used Meguairs Deep Crystal Car wash soap along with a eagle one bug sponge & a microfiber mitt. I wash the entire vehicle first, then went to the job at hand, bugs. I soaped the area really well and then applied the baking soda directly to the bug sponge with light pressure. I was amazed at how easily the bugs were like dissintergrating right before my eyes

So me being me, i got a little cocky. I decided to try to create my own version. So i got a empty 32oz spray bottle and mixed a little dawn and about 1/2 box of baking soda and filled it with water. Shook it up good and then tried it out on my own truck. Almost instantly, the baking soda went to work. After a few minutes, i got my sponge and wiped over the area and the bugs were coming off like butter, even a few that were kinda baked on. Once again i was amazed. A simple cleaner that cleaned with NO scratches.

So my question to everyone: Have anyone else used this & if not, what is your take on using baking soda.

Feed back please
 
My first thoughts would be regarding how safe that is for the paint. I'd also be curious as to the ph balance and it's affect on the LSP.
 
I am 100% sure if he used dawn the LSP was gonna be striped regaurdless of the baking soda.
 
isn't baking soda slightly on the alkaline side when it comes to pH balance??
 
detailguy71 said:


So my question to everyone: Have anyone else used this & if not, what is your take on using baking soda.

Feed back please
Click to expand...

It's understandable why it works. It counteracts the acidity of the bugs. That said I would never use it because in a dry form it is quite abrasive. In a book "The Queen of Clean" there is a section on cleaning stainless steel sinks. The last step is to polish the stainless with baking soda. Shines it right up.
 
Jimmie said:
It's understandable why it works. It counteracts the acidity of the bugs. That said I would never use it because in a dry form it is quite abrasive. In a book "The Queen of Clean" there is a section on cleaning stainless steel sinks. The last step is to polish the stainless with baking soda. Shines it right up.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree with the above statement. Baking Soda is alkaline. That is why it neutralizes the acid in the bug remains. The dawn would definitely strip the LSP. Baking soda is abrasive, your mother taught you to brush you teeth with it for this nature alone. Yes it is a remedy for cleaning metals because of it's abrasive nature. I think I will stick with my PB's Bug Squash.:dblthumb2:
 
Last edited:
My guess would be that baking soda is abrasive and could instill swirls.
 
baking soda is abrasive enough when dry that it's used as a blasting medium to strip paint off cars, and to clean and strip paint off parts before repainting.

I know of many people that used baking soda to strip the paint off their corvettes before repainting them going by the assumption that the baking soda was much milder than sand, glass beads, or other blasting mediums and it wouldn't hurt their fiberglass body. With an inexperienced blasting operator or one that just wasn't paying attention I've also seem many of these same stripped fiberglass bodies with MAJOR damage from the force and stripping power of the baking soda and where entire body panels had to be replaced from damage.

based on that i'd think of baking soda as slightly too abrasive for my tastes to use as a bug remover on a painted surface
 
but the op is saying that its diluted and mixed with water. but if it works and is safe to use on the paint that would be nice. but just guessing by how awesome he says it works it probably does take off all the wax/sealants.
 
1Z Anti-Insekt does extermely well...

Just used it on my SAAB, couple of sprays let it sit for 3 minutes, rinse right off.
 
for what it's worth, i use the Megs Body Solvent for bug removal and one of those yellow bug removal sponges from AG.
I spray the Body Solvent on, let it sit for 5-10 minutes as get everything prepared to wash the car and than usually also let itsit while i' working on the wheels.
by the time i'm done with the wheels the body solvent has loosened up the bugs pretty well and i hit the areas with the yellow bug sponge and the bugs usually come off fairly easily.
The Megs body Solvent does a real nice job and no risk of damaging or scratching the paint with an abrasive
 
so i'm confused...is everyone saying that even mixed with water in a spray bottle as the OP stated, that baking soda is still too abrasive. it sounds like he is making a solution and the baking soda just reacts with the bugs and causes them to wipe right off.

ive got some major bugs from a road trip and would be willing to try this over my PB bug wash.
 
thats what im trying to figure out. if its mixed with the water wouldnt the abrasiveness of the soda be canceled out sence its disolved?
 
BlackSunshine01 said:
thats what im trying to figure out. if its mixed with the water wouldnt the abrasiveness of the soda be canceled out sence its disolved?
Click to expand...

It might be "disolved" to the human eye, but the question is whether or not it is still abrasive. I don't think the baking soda being disolved automatically means it is no longer abrasive.
 
I was researching again to find out about the available chemicals for bug removal and this is the conclusion that i have arrived at:

I know that there are certain chemicals available for each individual use. Some cleaners are more aggressive than others while some are not aggressive enough. I went to a lot of stores and checked out the products for bug removal. One thing ALL of them had in common was that they recommended polishing and/or waxing after using their product. Even the "professional" line of products recommend the above after using their stuff. They all strip or are abrasive enough that after using them you have to wax/polish. At one point and time who would of ever thought of or tried to use alcohol in any form on a car. But here today, a lot of people use it. Nowadays everything "scratches" paint so no matter what you use, scratches are common things.

In closing, my belief is "what works for one might not work for others". I have other chemicals i use for bug removal besides baking soda. However, you gotta admit, $.50 for bug remover, c'mon man ya gotta love it.

And if any one from arm & hammer reads this, If you can come up with a solution to mix in with the baking soda and make it "less' abrasive, the auto detail universe will be never the same.

Thanks for reading my post. GOD BLESS!:work:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top