Lovebugs: How to Protect Your Car

Lovebugs are in the air … and all over your car.

Florida’s lovebug season might sound romantic, however, it is anything but that. April through May is the first of two mating seasons for those pesky black and red swarming bugs. They seemingly appear out of nowhere and wind up covering your vehicle’s windshield, grille, or hood. Their acidic, crushed remains can damage the finish on automobiles.

Let’s learn how to protect your car from those annoying lovebugs. BAM! Here are simple car care tips:

Protecting Your Paint

Besides each other, lovebugs are most attracted to highways and hot temperatures. Add car exhaust to Florida heat, and our highways become the new hot spot for single lovebugs ready to mingle. (And dotting your car with their damaging remains!)

Unfortunately, the acidic fluids from lovebugs eat through your car’s paint, especially when they bake in the hot Florida sun. After about a week, that acid will have caused significant damage to your vehicle’s exterior.

Add a layer of protection to your vehicle’s clear coat by applying wax, which will defend it from lovebugs and their acidity.

Wax On

Preventing the damage in the first place is the best thing to do to protect your car during lovebug season.

Apply a heavy coat of car wax on the front of your vehicle, where impact with lovebugs most often occurs. If you want to go the extra mile, you can apply wax to your vehicle every couple of weeks. Essentially, the wax creates a barrier over the top coat of your vehicle’s paint, preventing the acid from lovebugs eating through your clear coat.

Wash it Off!

To prevent paint damage to your car, wash the lovebugs off as soon as possible. The longer they are on your car’s paint, the harder they are to wash off — and the more damage they will do. Remember, after about a week, the harm has been done.

Fight the effects of lovebugs! Book an appointment with the mobile car care pros at BAM today!

Removing Lovebugs From Your Car

Follow these steps to remove lovebugs stuck to your car:

To make lovebug splatter easier to remove, completely soak your vehicle, paying special attention to the areas that are the most bug-laden. If they are especially plentiful, apply a light layer of baby oil to your car to help loosen them.

Lightly scrub the area with a wet dryer sheet and continue to rinse while switching out dryer sheets.

Scrub, scrub, scrub to remove the gook.

Clean off any leftover bug residue, and then wash and rinse your car.

To further protect your ride, try these tips:

Apply a light coating of cooking spray on your side mirrors to make it easier to remove the lovebugs.

Wax your car to protect it from lovebug splatter.

Use a bug screen on the inside and outside of the grille to protect the radiator from bugs.

Drive slowly to avoid hitting large swarms at high speed.

Have a fleet? Keep it clean and lovebug free: Business Benefits of Mobile Steam Wash

Protect and Clean Your Vehicle With BAM

Say goodbye to the impact of lovebugs on your vehicle’s paint with BAM’s mobile steam wash and steam sanitization services. No need to drive across town, we come to you!

Protect your vehicle from lovebugs! We clean sensitive surfaces and instruments with chemical-free sanitation and deodorization to remove pollen, mold, and LOVEBUGS from your car!

Call Butler Automotive Management at (813) 850-0022! We’re at your service. Schedule your appointment today – save when you schedule four or more vehicles!