Two times a year, the state of Florida and much of the South Eastern region of the U.S. has this problem. Lovebugs populate the area during the month of May and September. This is significant for car enthusiasts because of how quickly lovebug guts left on bumpers and other areas of a car can damage the paint as the acidity of the guts causes etchings.
Normally I would rank the importance of removing bird drop etchings (very acidic) even higher than bug guts, however, Lovebugs are the exception! The acid in these bugs, amplified by the sun, will literally burn into your paint if not removed with urgency. Every year I will receive calls about damage from specifically dead lovebugs left on a car for too long. Often I have been told the lovebug guts were only left on the car for about a week, none the less, these guts etch into the paint causing issues!
It is my strong recommendation to be more proactive in bug removal during these periods. Do not treat them as regular bug guts, instead, inspect the bumper area and side-view mirror areas after traveling during these months. From there, I would suggest removal of any lovebug guts within a 48 hour period, even if that means washing the entire car. The faster you remove these love bugs, the less likely you will be to have etchings that need to be removed. Below are some of my tips for removal:
Have your rinseless wash solution ready with microfiber towels, a bucket and a gamma seal lid. Something like:
- Optimum No Rinse or Woflgang Uber Rinseless
- DI Accessories 3.5 Gallon Bucket
- DI Accessories Gamma Seal Bucket Lid
- Plush Microfiber Towels
If the guts are stubborn, pre-treat with a high quality all-purpose cleaner like Gtechniq W5 All Purpose Cleaner. After about a minute follow with your microfiber soaked in rinseless solution.