Don’t Bug Me

Photos by the author

Taking our motorhome out for vacation has to be the highlight of the year for us — and everyone else we know with an RV. If you’re like us, you spend weeks planning the trip and days packing and getting ready. After driving all day, you set up camp and are ready to relax and enjoy yourself away from the daily grind back at home — but after walking around your RV and or tow vehicle, you notice that it is covered with a thick, unsightly layer of bugs. It’s an unfortunate part of the camping season — the same weather that draws us to the outdoors is prime season for insects, and for many their “cycle of life” oftentimes ends across the front of our rigs.

If you are one of those people who prefers to keep your rig clean and shiny, you know you can’t leave those bugs on all week, drying and etching the paint, so out comes the water hose and your bug cleaner of choice. As you start cleaning, you notice the whole front of the RV and tow vehicle as well as the windshield are covered in bugs.

What a mess.

Here’s a look at all the products we tested, along with the cleaning mitts and bug sponges that will help to make this task a bit less tedious. The wash mitts (from Auto Drive) have a typical microfiber side for washing your auto or RV while the other side is a dedicated bug scrubber sponge.

We’ve all been there, done that — and learned from our experiences. And while we can’t promise to turn this chore into something that you will look forward to doing, there are some tips, cleaning tools and products that will make this process easier. In this article we tested 10 different bug removers and report on their effectiveness. We’ll also clue you in on what we’ve found to be the right cleaning tools to use — and when is the best time to clean up those unsightly bug stains.

First, let’s start with the right tools. To properly remove stubborn bugs off your RV you will need a dedicated bug remover sponge. There are many different types and brands, but we did not find any major performance differences in the ones we gathered for this article and those we have used in the past 15-20 years of RV cleaning. All major auto parts stores as well as Walmart and Camping World have bug sponges that work fine. Some wash mitts have one side with a microfiber sponge and a perforated surface on the other side just for bugs. Those mitts are very handy if you are removing bugs and washing the RV at the same time.

The best time to clean and remove bugs off your RV or tow vehicle is, as you might expect, as soon as possible. Usually that means after arrival at your destination or when returning home. Some of these products are more flexible than others in terms of when and at what temperature they can be applied, but it is always safest to apply bug removing chemicals in the shade when the surface is cool.

If you absolutely have no other option than to clean in the direct sun, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of success. First, fully wet the surface with cool water. This will not only help cool the paint but will help loosen and soften the bugs. When spraying bug cleaner on the vehicle, make sure you do not allow it to dry before wiping it off or rinsing. Some cleaners are harsher than others and, of course, you should always read the manufacturers suggestion on the product label. Some of these cleaners are a gel or lotion and are meant to be sprayed on dry and then wiped off with a microfiber towel without water; others specifically state that they need to be rinsed with water to neutralize the effects of the cleaner.

Some RV parks and, in particular, high-end RV resorts, don’t allow you to use a water hose to wash or rinse your RV on-site; in those cases, you’ll want to stick to some of the “waterless options” tested. If you have access to water and a hose, we find this traditional water method to be the most reliable as you can keep scrubbing and applying more bug remover to the surface until each spot is clean.

Also, keep in mind that some of these products state they do not remove wax while others recommend a wax or sealant should be used afterwards. One product that we tested, from Aero Cosmetics called Wash Wax All, is a waterless cleaner and sealant built into one. If you plan on using a cleaner that removes the wax, it is simple enough to keep a bottle of spray sealant in your bag of detailing supplies and give it a quick wipe down after removing the bugs — this will restore any loss of sealant and make the surface as smooth and slick as possible, which will make clean up easier the next time. There are literally dozens of spray sealants to choose from, so pick one you like and use it after cleaning off the bugs.

Know, too, that some of these specialty bug remover products are available at your local auto parts stores — but some of the higher-end products are only available through automotive detail suppliers such as Autogeek.net. Many are also available online at Amazon.

Below is a product-by-product breakdown of the 10 bug removers we tested, in no particular order, along with our user notes and ratings of each one.