The Best Bug Remover For Cars: Everything You Need To Know
Photo by Rodolfo Mari on Unsplash
Driving through rural and mountain roads on a road trip during Spring and Summer is one of the underrated pleasures in life. While everyone in the family is thrilled during long road trips, your car may not be too happy with your cross-country excursions – we all know that when the sun’s out, so are the bugs.
Splattered bugs and fresh tar are primary sources of annoyance for many drivers because they muck up your car’s paint and appearance. While most grit and grime are easy to remove with a simple wash, splattered insects and tar tend to stick around quite literally.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of specially-formulated bug removers. For today’s post, we recommend the best bug remover for cars based on our first-hand experience.
7 Best Bug Removers for Cars
1. McKee’s 37 MK37-104 Road Kill Bug Remover (Best Overall)
Price: $25 (22 oz.)
The McKee’s 37 MK37-104 Road Kill Bug Remover is the best bug remover for cars that we’ve had the pleasure of using. Right off the bat, McKee’s isn’t the most affordable bug remover out there – not even close. However, it’s one of those cleaners that you really get what you pay for.
One of the main things we like about McKee’s 37 is its fast-acting solution that removes splattered bug guts while protecting the car’s finish. Removing bug guts and baked-on tar spots is as easy as spraying, letting it sit for a few minutes, and wiping the surface with a microfiber cloth. Plus, it also works well with road grime and dirt film.
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Product features:
- The highly concentrated formula breaks down and dissolves bug guts
- Easy application and cleanup
- Safe on paint, glass chrome, and plastic trim
- Safe on clear coats
2. Armor All Extreme Bug & Tar Remover
Price: $5.97 (16 oz.)
Since time immemorial, the Armor All brand has been around, so you know you’re buying from a reliable brand. The Armor All Extreme Bug & Tar Remover is an easy recommendation if you’re looking for an affordable bug remover that works.
Based on our experience, this Armor All product can remove dead bugs that dried out and encrusted. It boasts a streak-free formula as long as you use the other side of the microfiber cloth for the final buff. It’s cheap, and it works; what more can you ask for?
Product features:
- Works on bugs, tar, and bird droppings
- Streak-free formula
- Can be used as pre-treatment before washing
- Preserves wax application
3. CARPRO TarX Tar & Adhesive Remover
Price: $29 (500 ml)
The CARPRO TarX Tar & Adhesive Remover is another top pick for the best bug remover for cars for its professional-grade efficacy. Used by professionals and car enthusiasts, the TarX doesn’t just work for bugs but also on adhesives, tar, and bird droppings.
Another reason why the TarX impressed us is that it also works as a degreaser. It’s relatively expensive, but it’s a heavy-duty cleaner that works on everything. Plus, it’s a citrus-based formula (orange peel), so it doesn’t have harmful solvents and harsh chemicals that can damage the paint.
Product features:
- Works fast
- Cleans dried bugs, heavy grease, and tar
- Made from orange peels
- Can be used to clean parts and equipment
4. Stoner Car Care Tarminator
Price: $7.99 with discount (500 ml)
The Stoner Car Care Tarminator is far from the best performance in this list of the best bug remover for cars, but it takes care of splattered bugs just fine. However, what takes Tarminator to the next level is its efficacy in removing tree saps.
Goopy tree saps are a pain to remove, especially if they dry out and harden. We recommend Tarminator because it works wonders against tree saps. Therefore, you essentially have a 3-in-1 cleaner that works on bugs, tar, and tree sap with Stoner Car Care’s Tarminator.
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Product features:
- Cleans bugs, tar, tree sap, grease, and asphalt
- Safe on clear coats, chrome, and paint
- Works fast within 30 seconds
- No scratch formula
5. Chemical Guys Concentrated Bug and Tar Remover
Price: $9.99 (16 oz.)
Chemical Guys is another reputable brand in auto detail supplies. Thus, we have no problem suggesting the Chemical Guys Concentrated Bug and Tar Remover for your bug cleaning needs. Unlike the spray and clean products in this list, this product is formulated as a pre-wash concentrate to remove bugs, tar, tree sap, and bird droppings.
We just use three caps, and it’s enough for a gallon of wash liquid. However, for removing bug guts, you may dilute the product in water and spray it directly onto the affected area for the best results.
Product features:
- Concentrated formula
- Cleans bug, tar, grime, tree sap, and bird droppings
- Prevents long-term damage
- Prevents swirls and scratches
6. 3D Bug Remover
Price: $15.99 (16 oz.)
Here in CoPilot, we’re big fans of 3D products here. Like many popular 3D products, the 3D Bug Remover All Purpose Exterior Cleaner works excellent for removing insects from just about any surface.
The specially formulated product works by loosening up the protein from the bugs, resulting in an easy cleanup. We only had to spray, wait, and rinse to remove the bugs in most cases – no wiping was necessary. This is a professional-grade cleaner, so it’s a bit more expensive than comparable products.
Product features:
- All-purpose cleaner for surfaces such as paint, mirror, metal, rubber, aluminum, etc.
- No scrubbing is required
- Protein-based cleaner
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7. Griot’s Garage Bug and Smudge Remover
Price: $14.99 (22 oz.)
It’s yet another brand that we enjoy using ourselves. The Griot’s Garage Bug and Smudge Remover is a bug cleaning product that is just as good as any and works on almost all surfaces. However, we enjoy minimalist branding, which helps it separate from the rest.
Using this bug remover is easy, simply spray, wait for 30 seconds, and gently wipe away before rinsing. Like most bug cleaners, you may have to use more of the product if the stains are more than two to three weeks old.
Product features:
- Quick, easy, and safe bug removal
- Also works on tar, heavy oils, road grime, and scuffs
- Safe on all exterior surfaces
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