Spring is finally upon us, and while Canadians may be lucky enough to enjoy all four seasons throughout the year, drivers across the country often get to experience one special extra: bug season.
Spring and summer are typically the busiest, buggiest seasons, mainly because insect populations rise in higher temperatures and wet weather conditions. But we aren’t here for a biology lesson—we’re here to get cars clean. Bug splats can be an unsightly addition to any car, but as with many areas of automotive detailing, there’s a right and wrong way to remove bugs from a vehicle’s exterior.
If you’re interested in a career as an automotive detailer, read on to find out what you should know!
It’s a Bug’s World for Professional Automotive Detailers
Spring and summer means that a lot of Canadians hit the road for a summer vacation or roadtrip. Unfortunately, one of the unavoidable factors of a long roadtrip is bugs. Bug splats, of course, occur when a bug hits and sticks to part of a car, but there are certain areas that are more likely to look like a Jackson Pollock painting than others.
The pattern of air flow has a significant influence on where bugs will land on a car, and where automotive detailers may have to be extra careful. When a car travels at high speeds, air flow may naturally lead bugs at the windshield level to travel above the car, but more impacts can be expected in lower areas such as the grille and bumper. Some species of insects are also active at night, which means they’re more likely to fly towards oncoming light sources like headlights.
There Are Certain Steps to Follow During the Bug Removal Process
Fortunately, although bugs may be unavoidable, cleaning them is a relatively simple process.
A pressure washer can actually damage the exterior trim, so the best first step is to soak the areas first with a low-pressure rinse and generous amounts of soap. You may have access to a variety of different cleaners during auto detailing training, but before deciding upon a specific product, it’s important to take a look at the label to see if it needs to be diluted or not. If you’re cleaning off a windshield, avoid any oil-based products that might leave streaks on the glass.
Next, choose between a microfiber cloth or a bug sponge—either is fine, but you don’t want to wipe away the bugs with rough material, as this can potentially lead to scratches. You may have to apply a little elbow grease to the process to really make sure the area is properly cleaned. Once you’ve removed all the remaining bugs, give the affected areas another wash to make sure they’ve all been taken care of.
Auto Detailing Training Can Help You Proactively Protect a Vehicle’s Exterior
Did you know that common insects like moths, mosquitoes, and beetles—no, not that one—can actually damage the paint on a car?
Bug splatter is acidic in nature, which can slowly eat away at a car’s paint if left on too long—typically leaving a quarter-sized stain or pockmark. Although it shouldn’t be treated as a cure-all, applying wax to a car’s surface can help protect it from this kind of damage.
After you’ve removed all the bugs off a car’s exterior, use the techniques from your auto detailing course to thoroughly apply a coat of wax to the front of the car. A water-repellant solution can also be used for the windshield and sideview mirrors. You can also suggest that customers purchase a bug screen, which can reduce the amount of splats they get on the road.
Are you interested in finding out where a career in the automotive industry can take you?
Contact Automotive Training Centres for more information about our automotive school.
