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Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:03 pm
by Beany
Yeah, I haven't really done regular motorway miles in the summer before, so I'm now learning just how bad bugstrikes can be on the screen. It was massively annoying to be peering around a bees exploded arsehole on the way back up from The South yesterday.

I cleaned it up on Saturday with just boggo Windowlene but it took ages - is there anything better for such things that just dissolves the stuff?

Yeah, I could google it, but quite a few of you lot do big miles, so probably have some favoured product or method for this tat.

Not too fussed if it's a screenwash additive or just a more aggressive glass cleaner.

Any ideas?

I use rainx so ideally something that wouldn't strip that off every time, but to be honest I'd rather have less bug guts than good water beading this time of year.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:13 pm
by Zonda_
There are dedicated bug and tar removers, I've used a couple to good effect in the past, no idea what effect they would have on Rainx though.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:19 pm
by DaveE
scrunched up newspaper (not glossy stuff) and a bit of water is one of those, what are now called "life hacks" for something like this, if you're in a pinch and don't have access to any more "specialised" cleaning products...

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:30 pm
by Mito Man
Just buy one of those sponges which has the mesh type material made for scrubbing bugs off.

Petrol stations on the continent usually provide a bucket of water and a window squeegee which has that mesh on one side, it’s always baffled me why they don’t provide those here.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:49 pm
by DaveE
Mito Man wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 2:30 pm Just buy one of those sponges which has the mesh type material made for scrubbing bugs off.

Petrol stations on the continent usually provide a bucket of water and a window squeegee which has that mesh on one side, it’s always baffled me why they don’t provide those here.
Because some low-life would nick it

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 5:09 pm
by Gavin
When I was doing big miles I carried a wee tupperware box with a no stick scourer and glass cleaner.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 6:57 pm
by NotoriousREV
I collected a huge amount of bugs on my helmet visor over the weekend and this morning. Riding home tonight in the rain, I gave my visor a wipe without thinking, now I have bug gut paste across my visor.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 9:34 pm
by Marv
If you can, let the dew which forms on your windscreen overnight loosen up the dead insects and go back in the morning with some of that fibreous kitchen towel and whatever window cleaner you have should do the job.

The Wurth glass cleaner did used to be really good at dissolving baked on insects, but the last can I bought seemed rather less effective than it used to.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 9:57 pm
by mik
Doing two or three pre-soaks with water before washing it really helps, and avoids stripping wax off the paint (or rain-x off the windscreen) like bug n tar spray will.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 10:12 am
by Beany
Marv wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 9:34 pm If you can, let the dew which forms on your windscreen overnight loosen up the dead insects and go back in the morning with some of that fibreous kitchen towel and whatever window cleaner you have should do the job.
Being up early enough for dew? HAHAHAHA.

The non-scratch scourers or those sponges with the netting seem to be a good compromise.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 10:24 am
by JLv3.0
50-pager.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 10:27 am
by ZedLeg
NotoriousREV wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 6:57 pm I collected a huge amount of bugs on my helmet visor over the weekend and this morning. Riding home tonight in the rain, I gave my visor a wipe without thinking, now I have bug gut paste across my visor.
You need visor tear off strips like a racing driver, I'm sure getting paid shitloads in IT will cover all the littering fines :).

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 11:14 am
by NotoriousREV
ZedLeg wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 10:27 am
NotoriousREV wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 6:57 pm I collected a huge amount of bugs on my helmet visor over the weekend and this morning. Riding home tonight in the rain, I gave my visor a wipe without thinking, now I have bug gut paste across my visor.
You need visor tear off strips like a racing driver, I'm sure getting paid shitloads in IT will cover all the littering fines :).
I just wash it in the kitchen sink at work with the sponge every uses to wash their coffee cups.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 11:17 am
by JLv3.0
Question for the motorbiklists actually - why do the Moto boys wait until they're almost out of the pitlane before ripping the visor strips off, rather than doing it before they set off? I have many questions in life but this is the most pressing for me.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 11:33 am
by NotoriousREV
JLv3.0 wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 11:17 am Question for the motorbiklists actually - why do the Moto boys wait until they're almost out of the pitlane before ripping the visor strips off, rather than doing it before they set off? I have many questions in life but this is the most pressing for me.
They have to be a minimum weight as they cross the pit exit line and they play it so close on the tolerances that 1 strip could see them under.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 11:35 am
by GG.
NotoriousREV wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 11:14 am
ZedLeg wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 10:27 am
NotoriousREV wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 6:57 pm I collected a huge amount of bugs on my helmet visor over the weekend and this morning. Riding home tonight in the rain, I gave my visor a wipe without thinking, now I have bug gut paste across my visor.
You need visor tear off strips like a racing driver, I'm sure getting paid shitloads in IT will cover all the littering fines :).
I just wash it in the kitchen sink at work with the sponge every uses to wash their coffee cups.
Rev in washing his, er.. helmet in the works sinks shocker :shock: :lol:

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 2:59 pm
by John
I've been de-flying the motorhome this morning. We went away in it last weekend and there seemed to be many more insects around than usual, the result wasn't pretty.

Image

Popped to Halfords this morning and bought some of this stuff, only a fiver and the results were very good. Spray it on and leave it for a few minutes to do its stuff then wipe it off with a cloth. A couple of stubborn blood baths needed a second treatment but definitely recommended.

Image

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 3:38 pm
by PaulJ
Use soaked kitchen roll and apply like wallpaper to the bug(gered) up area half an hour before you wash the car. It's usually enough to soften the bugs sufficiently for an easy wipe off. Of course this all happens more easily if the car was polished and had a layer of quality wax on in the first place.

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 5:48 pm
by McSwede
I just give the screen a good soak of boggo glass/window cleaner, leave it for 3-5 mins and then the wipers/washers clean it off.

It isn't exactly one of life's great challenges :lol: :lol:

Re: Bug guts

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 8:46 pm
by nuttinnew
The rain's coming down hard in big drops here atm. Hopefully that'll blast the muck off.