Auto Paint Damage Problems: How to Deal With Dead Bugs
While you may get some measure of satisfaction from watching bugs die as they hit your car, you may be less than happy later if these dead bugs exact their revenge on your car's paint. These bugs may be small, may look insignificant and may be very dead. However, they can come back to haunt you later. Just one dead bug, if left on a car for too long, can damage your pristine paintwork. Why do dead bugs damage vehicles and what can you do to avoid this kind of problem?
The Revenge of the Dead Bug
Bugs don't stand much of a chance when they crash into a car. They die and then start to decompose and harden into position. During this process, the dead bug releases acidic substances which, if left alone, can eat into auto paint leaving you with unsightly pits on your paintwork. To prevent this kind of cosmetic headache, you need to deal with dead bugs as fast as you can.
The Fresher the Bug the Better
The easiest way to prevent bug damage is to get the bugs off your vehicle fast. Remember, it's also easier to remove fresh bugs than old ones that have had the time to harden into place. Typically, giving your paintwork a quick wash and wipe down with an auto detergent should clear fresh bugs off your vehicle before they can cause significant damage.
Tip: If you can't deal with dead bugs immediately and they've hardened on the paint, you may find that a regular detergent doesn't really do the trick. You need to be careful not to scrub away at hardened bugs too much as you may damage your car's paint yourself—in this instance, it may be a better idea to try a specialist auto bug remover product that can break down the bugs and make them easier to wipe away safely.
If you clean up your car and discover that you've left things too late and have some bug paint damage, then you may need to get this fixed and may also want to look at putting preventative measures in place to avoid the same thing happening in the future. For example, try talking to auto spray painters in your neighbourhood to assess how to fix the damage if it is really unsightly; body and paint specialists can also advise you on protective paints or coatings that add a layer of protection to your vehicle's paint to keep future bug damage at bay.