Love Bugs, the Little Pests that are Not Only Annoying but Can Also Ruin Your Paint Job

The take flight twice a year with the goal of ruining the paint on as many vehicles as they can. Okay, maybe that’s not the only reason the bugs fly around, but sometimes it can seem that way. The long black bugs with the tiny orange dots don’t bite or cause disease, but their acidic bodies can wreak havoc on paint when they go “splat.” It doesn’t help that love bugs also have no natural predators.

How to Protect Your Vehicle From Love Bugs

First I will mention some common misconceptions and things you should NOT do. Don’t use cooking spray, WD-40 or dish detergent as they can all damage your paint and clearcoat.

To help prevent the bugs from sticking you can hand wax your vehicle prior to or at the beginning of the love bug season. This will keep the bugs from sticking to your car and prevent the acid from getting to your paint. To extend the protection, you can spray your vehicle daily with a garden hose or low-pressure setting at the carwash, and apply spray wax 2 or 3 times per week. This will keep you from having to reapply the hand wax while keeping your paint protected through the season. To keep the bugs off your windshield, you can use specially formulated windshield washer fluid that is made to remove bug residue.

Suggested Products: Hand Wax – Spray Wax
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How to Remove Love Bugs

If you end up with bugs and bug residue on your paint, you will want to remove it quickly as it can start to eat your paint within 24 hours. First, you will need to spray your vehicle with water. Next, wipe the area with a wet dryer sheet. You might need to use multiple dryer sheets and rinse a few times, but they should all come off. You can also try using a Magic Eraser or generic melamine foam, which is the same thing.

Suggested Products: Melamine Foam Sponge