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Bug cleaning

JackinMichigan

Well Known Member
Cleaning the dead bugs off the windscreen and leading edges is a common after-flight ritual for most people, particularly in the summer months. It seems everyone has a different method and cleaning agent, so I'm creating this post because I want to see how everyone else does this. I've seen it as simple as straight water and a paper towel, to elaborate detergents and freshly laundered soft towels. What do you use?
 
Main tactic to getting bugs off of anything .. wet them and let them soak for a few .. their dehydrated/hardened juices will remove paint/clear coat.

I'm sure there are tons of similar products but the Harley Davidson bug remover does an awesome job.
 
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Generally I lay a water soaked microfiber cloth on the windshield/leading edges/spinner/wheel pants/etc for a minute or so to loosen things up then use the same cloth to wipe if off. I then dry with a clean microfiber cloth. I don't let paper towels get anywhere close to anything on my plane except the engine.
 
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Simple Green Aviation for getting the bugs off

The best product I have found for getting the bugs off is Simple Green Aviation. Doesn't need to be full strength either. I usually just top off the spray bottle with water when half the bottle is used. I spray down the leading edge of both wings, then go back and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Bugs come right off. Plexus or Brillianize or similar for canopy with an old t-shirt.
 
Reilly's or W*lm*rt

They sell snot green or puce pink bug remover. Cheap and very easy.

#1 goes round squirt, squirt, #2 goes round with a wet microfiber cloth - done.

If you want to be CDO (it's OCD but the letters are in correct order) then follow up with a chamois leather.
 
in buggy florida

a spray bottle of water and a soft cloth. works great without a lot of effort. spray, give it a couple of minutes and wipe off.
 
bug removal

For the windshield, I use plain water and a clean microfiber cloth. For the rest of the plane, I use Carbonex mixture (20:1) and microfiber cloth. As said before, never a paper towel which will scratch your windshield.
 
KELLI GIRL is vinyl-wrapped. Scott Farnsworth at AircraftWraps.com has me using a roughly 3-1 mix of clean water and rubbing alcohol. I spray it on the entire wing leading edge, then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Like others said: Never ever use paper towel, but the blue automotive lint-style towels are permissible if a microfiber towel isn't available.

I use plexis on the canopy. I used to use lemon pledge, which works great on bugs, but the citric acid causes the vinyl to release. Plexis is better.
 
For general windshield cleaning, the best I've found is AvLabs foaming cleaner, and I also then use their plexi protectant. I buy it at OSH every year and it's a great bargain and works well.

For bug removal, Jungle Jake is what I use. I buy it at the local Fleet Farm store:

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/ju...-cleaner-1-gal-/0000000215272?Ntt=jungle jake

It's very inexpensive at about $8/gal and a gallon will probably last you nearly 10 years or more. You can water it down very very far until the water is just a very light tint of green...probably an ounce or two per squirt bottle with the balance water. I spray it on, let it sit a half minute or so, and then they wipe off. I use the same stuff on the wing leading edges. It looks similar to Simple Green but is not chemically the same. Jungle Jake is non-toxic and not corrosive.

For belly grease, it's Simple Green Aviation formula. That stuff works miracles. Regular simple green is corrosive and has no business being by airplanes, as it's corrosive, but the Aviation formula is great stuff.
 
3 recommended cloths are Microfiber, cotton Terry cloth, and Cheese Cloth.
I use Cheese cloth on plexiglas, it's open weave takes the grit and dead bugs and reduces scratching.
I buy Cheese cloth at Walmart and cut it to size. I wash it in the clothes washer and re-use it.
I buy Terry Cloth bar towels at Costco in a bundle. When they look too gross for use in the house, they go to the hangar for bug removal and any other job as they get worse until I throw them out.
I start removing bugs with water, right now I'm using Lemon Pledge, but I also use McGuires spray cleaner detail-er, car wash soap etc.
I try to avoid caustic cleaners which are hard on aluminum.
 
But the BIG secret is timing!

Bugs are fairly easy to remove with plain (plane) water if removed immediately.

NEVER let a dead bug spent the night on your airplane!
 
bug cleaner

Windshield- Plexus- terry cloth to wipe it down after 30sec-1 min
leading edge- I used water, soap, wash and wax and pledge, in the end sure they work but Turtle wax "bug and tar" remover works so much faster and a whole lot easier. I painted my plane with California worthy paint (aka water based paint that doesnt cause cancer in the state of California) I figured 2 years and I would need to repaint, going on 6 and the home latex still looks great- my point- even with lousy paint the bug and tar remover doesnt effect the paint in any way. Oh and I use paper towels to wipe it all down, THAN use a cloth to put a layer of pledge on the leading edge.
Pascal
 
Bounce or similar dryer sheets in a spray bottle of water - spray the mixture onto the bugs, let it sit a bit then wipe clean with wet towel. The stuff than softens clothes softens the bugs. I've done enough A/B comparisons with this vs other methods to be convinced it works. The sheets themselves can be used (very wet) to remove stubborn bugs.
 
Yep.

Have used the McGuires #8 plastic clean and shine with a soft blue shop roll towel to clean the canopy. Every couple of months, I will use the McGuires clean and wax to coat the wind-screen and canopy so the bugs come off and the plastic has a little wax coat on it. The wings, VS, HS, and wheel pants, soap and water or a aluminum safe spray cleaner. I find that a half gallon of water and a small squirt of Joy soap in it and a soft towel will do 90% of all clean-up jobs. Just what we do. Yours, R.E.A. III #80888
 
Small World?

The best product I have found for getting the bugs off is Simple Green Aviation. Doesn't need to be full strength either. I usually just top off the spray bottle with water when half the bottle is used. I spray down the leading edge of both wings, then go back and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Bugs come right off. Plexus or Brillianize or similar for canopy with an old t-shirt.

Killer Bee is that you? I thought you were in Defuniak Springs.

I buy Aviation Simple Green by the 5 gallon jug. Only downside for use on wings is it strips the Rejex or Zaino polish off. So I generally don't use it for bugs unless they are really stubborn.

Go Jackets!
 
Bug removal

I apply Rejex once or twice a year to the whole plane. When back from flying i walk once around the plane spraying(I use a pump up sprayer) water on the leading edges, wheel pants, nose, spinner and windshield to soften bugs. Then on second trip around I use a bug sponge(soft mesh wrapped about sponge) to wipe off bugs and dry with an old clean towel. The windshield I use Plexus with a clean microfiber cloth.
 
Wet dryer sheet

I think I read it here on VAF 4-5 years ago, came from a Helicopter guy; Use water and a dryer sheet (Bounce, etc.) This will take off the worst of of the worst. This was the ONLY thing that would work for taking dried, hard, cooked bugs off the paint and chrome of my Harley. I have not, would not try it on plexi, stick to plexus for that and I have not tried it on my plane yet because its never got that bad but this did not touch the paint or chrome on the Harley. The dryer sheet turns soapy when it gets wet so you will need to wipe or rinse afterward.
 
I use pledge before and after flights and they come off very easily! I even use pledge on my car when I travel on areas with a lot of bugs.
 
The local airport Detail Guy turned me on to these products

For bugs: the post flight does a great job and puts down a coat of wax - you can use it on skins or windshields. Gave all my unused Pledge back to my wife.:eek:

For the underbelly: The soot master cuts it better than anything I have ever seen.
I now use my Simple Green for my vehicle tires....

I have not tried the new product, the bug remover, so no opinion on that.

I suggest you get the Fly Away Kit to start for $69, it includes a good sample of their products plus some micro fiber towels.
I don't think you will be disappointed.
p.s. I also use the stuff on my Jeep for a quick touch up......

https://realcleanproducts.com
 
I have been detailing and reconditioning automobiles for over 20 years.

PAINTED SURFACE: I agree that warm soapy water, a "carefully" utilized fingernail and a microfiber is the best low cost solution but I wanted to add one other "Portable" method that would work well while away from your hanger and or water.

PAINTED SURFACE: When you are away from a readily available water source any generic spray "quick detailer" applied generously onto the dried bugs will soften them. Spray quick detailer and then gently (carefully) slide your fingernail across any stubborn bugs to remove them from the surface. Utilize your dirty microfiber to clean the bug remnants. Follow up with additional spray detailer and a clean microfiber and perform final clean on surface. Wax cleaned surface to ease in any subsequent cleanings .

CANOPY: I am currently using a CLEAN 100% Cotton T-Shirt and a generous amount of Pledge applied to any dried bugs. If the bugs do not come off after the first pass I spot apply pledge to stubborn areas.

What is "Quick Detailer"?

Quick detailers, which are often called waterless washes, are commonly used by detailers to put the finishing touch on a freshly detailed vehicle. Quick Detail Spray products quickly and easily remove water spots, streaks, dust and other light contamination. The special formulations evaporate quickly to prevent further spotting, lubricate to prevent scratching and contain gloss enhancers to refresh your just waxed shine. Today, every major paint care brand has a quick detailer or waterless wash type product in their line-up.
 
. SNIP

CANOPY: I am currently using a CLEAN 100% Cotton T-Shirt and a generous amount of Pledge applied to any dried bugs. If the bugs do not come off after the first pass I spot apply pledge to stubborn areas. SNIP

I alway thought Pledge was not to ever be used on the canopy or windows (but know others swear by it). I use this product and recommend it. A quart bottle to refill a little pump sprayer will last years. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/search/search.php?s=NOVUS+PLASTIC+POLISH&x=0&y=0

Carl
 
There is a flying museum called Vintage Wings not far from me. They have mustangs, spitfires and lots of other warbirds. They have a crew of volunteers who descend on any airplane after it flies and they detail it. A crew of 6 can have a warbird sparkling in no time. The lady that leads the crew also details people's biz jets. She is quite the OCD fanatic.

She showed me what they use - it is Wash Wax All. You get it from spruce. It leaves a thin wax coat that makes cleaning bugs off easier and it leaves a nice shine. Of course if you let the bugs dry it is harder to get them off. I have a spray bottle and I spray all the problem areas and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then I wipe it down with a micro fibre cloth. My current airplane is wood and fabric, so I don't like spraying with water in case any gets inside the structure. So I dry wash it with this product and it works well.
 
PLUS 1 for motorsports/aviation simple green

The best product I have found for getting the bugs off is Simple Green Aviation. Doesn't need to be full strength either. I usually just top off the spray bottle with water when half the bottle is used. I spray down the leading edge of both wings, then go back and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Bugs come right off. Plexus or Brillianize or similar for canopy with an old t-shirt.

YES! Simple Green is the best I've found. I've tried soaking paper towels and letting them sit for awhile. I've tried commercial bug-remover products. But I think the blue Simple Green is best, by far.

One commercial bug remover product I tried had the funniest thing on the label that I can not imagine was anything but tongue-in-cheek: it said, "Removes both male and female bugs". Got a big laugh out of me - I can not imagine there is any sex-specific characteristic of a baked on bug carcass.

I confess I do not have the discipline to follow Mel's advise. I let bugs bake on for about 3 months between cleanings. So having a product that is effective is a relief. The blue Simple Green really is best of everything I've tried.

Great thread, thanks to the OP
 
After each flight...
windscreen: Plexus with a micofiber towel
leading edge: spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish soap, use a gray work shop paper towel
 
I've been using Castle Plexo on both the windshield and the bare aluminum leading edges. Works well. I follow it up with a car wax or Pledge on the windshield.

I'm saving this discussion, though, for future reference.

Dave
RV-3B skinning the fuselage
Cessna 180 flying
 
We need to differentiate between Simple Green and Extreme Simple Green for Aircraft. I understand the non-aircraft Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum.

Yes, that is why I referred to it as blue Simple Green. It is sold as Motor Sports Simple Green, and Aviation Simple Green. It says on the label it is non-corrosive to aluminum. It even says it is approved by Boeing.

It does beg the question though.....is normal Simple Green actually corrosive, or is it just that the blue stuff is promised not to be? I don't really know. Maybe normal Simple Green isn't corrosive either, and they just dye it blue and charge more?

its kind of like black sharpie pens.
 
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Adams

The high end car guys that did the vinyl on the plane tuned me onto Adams detail spray. I hit each wing, let it sit for a few seconds and they come right off. I use that stuff to clean my whole plane. And it smells like bubble gum... If you have some water, the Guard and Gloss they make is awesome too for a wax.
I use Novus on the windows. Works great, but I may try the Brilliance recommended by Carl.
Incidentally, I picked up some FastWax at Oshkosh. That stuff is awesome too. Used it to clean the belly, worked super fast. While I don?t get much oil on the belly, after a few flights, did what the guy recommended and put a little on a rag and wiped the bottom of the plane... bam! The belly was clean in under 1 minute. Highly recommend that stuff.
 
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