Need SERIOUS help with bugs!

Don M

Don M

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I have recently gotten several details (with more to come) in an area that is plagued by these bugs that LOOK like mosquitoes, SWARM like mosquitoes, but are not mosquitoes. Any how, the cars I'm getting have absolutely no wax protection at all and these flying menaces are literally CEMENTED to the front ends, windshields and all forward surfaces of the cars.

Washing won't touch them, neither does an APC. I even tried Meguiar's Acid Free-Wheel/Tire Cleaner with little results. Using a compound on a microfiber cloth even has little effect.

Is there something I can use to help rid myself of these 'cement bugs' before they ruin my reputation?
 
Pressure washer and a good bug remover soap.Have you tried poorboys bug squash straight with a bug brick.If so pm me and I will give you the name of another much stronger bug apc.Pressure washer is key.
 
no pressure washer available and I haven't tried any bug uhhspecific cleaners yet. I wanted to get a consensus of what the best is so I can stock up
 
I pre soak with meguiars super degreaser and pressure wash most off but with no pressure washer it could be a lot of work. I like stoners tarminator bug and tar remover and also use the Pinnacle safe scrub bug and tar sponge soaked in warm water with my car soap and it does an awesome job. Just throwin a few things out there hopefully it helps.
 
I use a hot water/ steam pressure washer. There isn't a bug on the face of the earth that can withstand it....great on oil, grease, tar, diesel, hydro oil etc.....you name it and I can clean it off....even road paint comes off...
Big investment but worth every penny if you detail or like me have many BIG vehicles and heavy equipment to clean weekly. If you can only clean by hand then it's allot of work even with dedicated bug removal products..
Try pre soaking with high pressure hose nozzle, hand washer, apply dedicated bug removal product and continue to repeat until clean....AG sell a really nice bug removal block, stiff yellow cell foam block bug eraser...Works really good imho, try one i think it will help you out allot if only hand removal of bugs is your only option..
Good luck!
 
Have any pictures of these bugs? We have something similar here, but they usually clean off somewhat easily. Mike Phillips has suggested draping a soaking towel over an area covered with bugs before. The towel will hold water on the paint softening up the bugs. If those bugs have been on there a long time, the physical remains of them will come off, but there's probably some etching left behind. Some of the bugs we have, it takes very little time for them to etch paint.
 
mayfly.jpg



Turns out these things are 'Mayflies' or 'Canadian Soldiers.' And the closer you get to Lake Erie, the more prevalent they get.
 
Don M said:
mayfly.jpg



Turns out these things are 'Mayflies' or 'Canadian Soldiers.' And the closer you get to Lake Erie, the more prevalent they get.
Click to expand...
Powerwasher works well getting these creatures off. And the fish smell they give off. Hate driving at night this time of year they swarm under the lights and are just as slick as ice. Few more weeks

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
Don M said:
mayfly.jpg



Turns out these things are 'Mayflies' or 'Canadian Soldiers.' And the closer you get to Lake Erie, the more prevalent they get.
Click to expand...

Looks like a flying scorpion. I think I will take the love bugs over those things.
 
Whitewater25 said:
Looks like a flying scorpion. I think I will take the love bugs over those things.
Click to expand...

You definitely need some 3D Bug Remover. HIGHLY dilutable enzyme based bug remove that can be used on glass, paint, plastic, etc. At it's strongest concentrate (4:1) as long as you spray it on in the shade so it has time to dwell before drying, it will seriously remove 100% of the bugs with a pressure washer and no manual agitation. Not to mention it's by far the cheapest bug remover on the market. I've been using it for the past year and I absolutely love it!!
 
Don M said:
I have recently gotten several details (with more to come) in an area that is plagued by these bugs that LOOK like mosquitoes, SWARM like mosquitoes, but are not mosquitoes. Any how, the cars I'm getting have absolutely no wax protection at all and these flying menaces are literally CEMENTED to the front ends, windshields and all forward surfaces of the cars.

Washing won't touch them, neither does an APC. I even tried Meguiar's Acid Free-Wheel/Tire Cleaner with little results. Using a compound on a microfiber cloth even has little effect.

Is there something I can use to help rid myself of these 'cement bugs' before they ruin my reputation?
Click to expand...

Say hello to the Highland Midge, a regular occurrence here in NE Ohio. They are particularly bad this year(especially in Ashtabula area and Erie) This is a bad thing because they breed in water with low oxygen content, if their bad, the lake is not doing well :(

I have been struggling with these buggers this year also, and have started to try some new methods to their removal. However, I can't say for certain if the vehicles I have touched had no protection on them. Anyways, this weekend I tried Shine Supply Bug Off. I was attracted to the dilution and economical factor. Stuff works, but you have to rinse the panel, THEN wash the panel. I just started washing the panel(hood) without rinsing the Bug Off first, and it left streaks. Had to go back and wash the front end again. But it did soften all the bug guts up nicely and performed exactly how they said, including the streak advisory.

I have had good success in the past with pre treatment with CG Grime Reaper diluted to 5:1. Spray, dwell for a minute, then hit it with the strongest setting on my nozzle. Being a strong degreaser it's scary spraying it everywhere but tough bugs call for tough chems.

Heard good things about the Poor Boy's, haven't tried it though.
 
Don M said:
mayfly.jpg



Turns out these things are 'Mayflies' or 'Canadian Soldiers.' And the closer you get to Lake Erie, the more prevalent they get.
Click to expand...

My band played a gig near New Baltimore, MI, and those mayflies were all over everything. The sound they made as the tires rolled over them was like bubble wrap...
 
custmsprty said:
:iagree:

Poorboy’s World Bug Squash 32 oz. Refill

Best bud sponge ever!!!

SONAX Insect Sponge

You guys haven't lived until you've had the pleasure of dealing with love bugs in Florida. These bad boys will etch clear coat in a matter of days, coating or not.

They dry on as hard as epoxy resin.

A pressure washer will barely make a dent on these bad boys:

Click to expand...

When I worked at a car wash, people would come from Florida vacations with love bugs all over the front end of their cars. They were usually already etched into the paint by the time they returned to MI.
 
I'll join the others in recommending Bug Squash. Where I live all manner of insects come out of the corn and soybean fields to die on the front of a car.

My go to weapons are Bug Squash and the McKee's Bug Scrubber. I've not really found any situations they haven't handled. When the bugs are really bad and baked in the sun for a day or two, I've also let a wet towel soak on the areas to soften things up a bit. The towel doesn't work for vertical areas, but serves well on side mirrors and leading edges of hoods and rooflines.
 
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