Bug removal
Bug guts are one of the most common contaminants you will likely see on a regular level.
Bug guts can chemically etch your paint over time and burn in, thinning out your paint and making polishing needed if you want to get rid of them. But if you take care of them in a regular manner and don’t let them bake on they are little of a challenge.
Bug guts is something where any kind of protection will make your life much easier and one of the best reasons to seal your paint.
Generally Bugs should be removed as soon as possible but you need to keep the scratch risk at bay, too.
In-between washes or cleans are generally discouraged because the scratch risk is insane. There still are some methods available that use spot less/ distilled / demineralized/ DI water (for the context of this article, they all perform identical) For very fresh bug guts you can rinse them away with distilled water, at best from a pressure washer but a spray bottle or pump sprayer will work fine, too. Note that this might not fully remove them.
For any more burned on bug guts a full wash is needed. Bug guts dissolve very well by alkaline and solvent based cleaners. Most alkaline pre washes and even APCs in a pre wash step provide good chemical power to get them off in the pre washing phase.
The last remains might need the contact wash. Chemically and touch free removing them is generally considered more safe to your paint, however alkaline pre cleaners above pH 12 and especially those that contain an alkaline and solvent mix can highly stress your Sealant and even a full blown ceramic coating can be weakened by them.
There are some tools that can help with bugs too, specialized bug scrubbers and both synthetic and real clay. These are last resort items tho and should only be considered if the chemical solution has failed on paint – on other surfaces where scratches are not as big a concern such as glass or unpainted plastic trim they can be amazing tools. They may scratch, or they may not but if you use, them better be prepared for them to scratch and be ready to either live with the scratches or to polish.
Regular cycles of full washing and a good sealant or coating are the best safe guard for your paint.
