Cleaning Love Bugs from Cars

Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

What is the best way to clean lovebugs off an auto and windshield? Also, how can you best keep them out of your home?

Sharon

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RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I don't know how to keep them out of your house but you can clean them off your car with WD-40. Just spray it on and around the bugs, let sit for a few minutes, and they should wipe right off. (09/14/2005)

By sjackie2000

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I know you're asking for a remedy and I really don't have one. Maybe it`s because I have no idea what "lovebugs" are. Are they big? small? Do they sting? bite? I`m curious. Maybe we have them here but know them by another name (09/16/2005)

By Mairmie

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

The best way to get lovebugs off your car is to use WD 40 Spray on car and let sit for a few minutes and use a netted sponge or some sort of scrubber that wont damage the paint, just wash with soap and water as you normally would. The only downside is you have to wash the car two times one with the WD 40 to get the bugs off and another to wash off the WD 40. But it's worth it and believe me it works! (09/21/2005)

By Mandy

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I use Windex (or any other glass cleaner) mixed with some dish washing liquid. I mix the two together, at any amount, I just guess, but more Windex than detergent or else too many suds. I spray on the car and windows and they come off in a snap. I let sit for a couple of minutes and they are no trouble at all to get off. (09/24/2005)

By JMD

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

To clean lovebugs off car, use a bounce dryer sheet just wipes them right off (09/27/2005)

By Sarah

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Lovebugs are little soft bodied flying bugs. We have them here in FL. They come out twice a year. I heard they are attracted by auto fumes, that is why they are so plentiful on the country roads. (10/10/2005)

By Lorraine

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

As a recent transplant to S.E. Georgia, I am experiencing my first encounter with "lovebugs". I had a local old-timer suggest, after cleaning the lovebugs from the hood, grill and bumper of my car, I should spray the front of my car with Pam Cooking Spray to make my subsequent cleanings, easier. I'm going to give it a try. (09/24/2006)

By Gwyn

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Thought I was the only one that used the WD-40! It works. (09/26/2006)

By deb

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

WD-40 does not work.. I just wanted everyone to know . (10/02/2006)

By Diarmuid C

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Just use bug and tar remover. You can get it at Target or Walmart. It works the best. You have to let it sit for a couple of minutes. (05/06/2007)

By Jake.

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Johnson's Baby Shampoo...just put it on with a sponge or cloth and wash your car...no effort...they are GONE..be sure to rinse thoroughly! (05/26/2007)

By dfraser

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Do not use PAM. It ruins your paint job---ask body shop (the grease gets into the paint) (05/29/2007)

By oldole

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I have found warm water and baking soda used with a bug sponge will dissolve them. Don't forget to thank good ol' U.F. for them! (05/29/2007)

By Vren44

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Lovebugs were not invented at UF. They do not sting or bite.

http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/environment/lovebugs.html (05/29/2007)

By

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I do know after you have removed them a good trick to make it easy to remove the next time is to use Rain-x on all windows and apply to the trouble spots on you car even painted areas also the bumper. I have done this and they come right off my car. I have coated the whole front of my car, the bumper and all. Works like a charm. And no it has not messed up the paint if nothing else it is the brightest wax I have seen. LOL (05/29/2007)

By Barbara

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Dryer sheets are the best, just get the car wet with the hose and rub a dryer sheet (Bounce, etc) over the bumper, windshield and grill and they come right off without any waiting or elbow grease. Safe for car also. (05/31/2007)

By lisa

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Just used dryer sheets on the front of my truck and it worked really well.( Hands are softer too) (06/01/2007)

By hd02fatboy

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I have found that a product called Grease Lightning works well spray it on let sit for a few minutes and watch the love bugs turn to brown slime rinse with car wash soap and your good to go (06/06/2007)

By Bob J

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I found a product called LoveBug Wipes. They are for your car's paint and windshield. They are in some convenience stores down here around Gainesville, but you can go to http://www.lovebugwipes.com and buy them as well. They work pretty good on newly hit lovebugs, and leave a film that makes the paint job slick. (08/14/2007)

By ebk1967

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

I talked with paint and body guy about the dryer sheets. He told me that they will work but dryer sheets are made of polyester or a plastic, not cotton, so he said that if used enough or scrubbed hard enough, the plastic "fibers" will rub through your clear coat and you'll see it. I'm still using the lovebug wipes, they work fine. (08/31/2007)

By Eric

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Non sudsing Ammonia, cheap, effective. Use full strength on a sponge or brush. 20% strength with water in the wiper fluid is also very good. Smells, but works. (09/30/2007)

By Jim.

RE: Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Dryer sheets work pretty well, but I put a THIN coat of vaseline prior to bug season on trouble spots such as the bumper, side-view mirrors etc. (05/03/2008)

By BraneDmg

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Cleaning Lovebugs Off a Car and Windshield

Are those lovebug guts on your car driving you insane? Well, don't let them ruin your paint. Use a fabric softener to wipe them off your car. They're easy and cheap to use.

By Tammy from Fort Mccoy, FL

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Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Is there any way to get rid of lovebugs from your yard, every year they just about drive me nutty. Please, if you have any suggestions, let me know.

cj

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RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Hi cj, Here's a link about them with the an environmental group in Florida. It says that they are not harmful to your garden, just pesky.

www.floridaenvironment.com/programs/fe00508.htm Good luck with them, Susan (07/29/2005)

By ThriftyFun

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs on Your Cars!

Getting them out of your yard is impossible. However, getting them off the front of your car is a must! They are acidic and will eat through paint quickly.

In Florida, we typically see them in April and September. I always get them off of my cars right when we get home. Using Windex and a bug scrubber will get the job done... Jim (08/25/2005)

By smartfell-r

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Cj Here in Texas the lovebugs are an extreme annoyance. I'm still unaware of a way to actually get rid of the bugs themselves. But, by getting a warm glass of water and adding soap to it and then throwing it around the vast majority of the lovebugs- it will damage their wings and keep them from flying, leading them to die. This does leave a large pile of insects around wherever you took this action. But it helps for a few hours. Good Luck! (09/16/2005)

By Mechelle

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I have heard to remove love bugs from your car use bounce fabric softner. Just take the cloth softner and wipe over the windshield or where ever you need. Also i have "heard" by placing a bucket of pine-sol in your yard it will draw them away from your house. (09/23/2005)

by Kaneese

Getting Rid of Love Bugs

We found that any mosquito repellent will actually kill the love bugs. However if you have a problem with them, there are millions more! (09/10/2006)

By Amanda

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Just attended a Board of Directors meeting in Montgomery Alabama and the big topic was Love Bugs. Have not tried it but, 3 individuals spray the front of their auto and side mirrors with cooking spray and said that it makes removal very easy with a water hose. I think I will try it. I have looked on the web but have not found anything but a liquid bug shield that was recommended, so I imagine the cooking spray may work the same way. Would love to hear from anyone with a solution. (09/19/2006)

By Henry

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Dish washing detergent and water in a pail on my patio gets them fast! (09/19/2006)

By Billy

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

We use dryer sheets that are made wet on our car and windshield and they dissolve and come right off. (10/02/2006)

By Diane S.

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I have found that if you want to get rid of love bugs in an outside area such as a deck or porch you can use tiki torches. Make sure you purchase the fluid that has mosquito repellent in it. I know Home Depot carries the torches and fluid. This might look funny having these torches lit in the day but it sure does work. (05/15/2007)

By seo101

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

For the car, I have found that rubbing Johnson's Baby Oil on the front of your car works magic. They will then spray off with a hose if done right away. I have used this trick on my last 3 cars and there is no damage to paint.

For the yard, they are a real nuisance on my pool deck which is white. They seem to be attracted to white and I have tried everything. Someone mentioned air movement. For some reason, movement of the fan overhead, along with 4 or 5 mosquito repellent candles in the large buckets, (Home Depot) work best. Just keep them lit all day and night while you are home, of course. I was gone for one day with no fan nor candles and when I returned, I literally can say there were MILLIONS on my back porch/patio....dead.

I am headed out now to try the Pine-sol in the bucket with water for the yard. By the way, I live in Central Florida and they are the worst ever! (05/17/2007)

By totts2u

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I just sprayed a plant bed in front of the house where they were the worst with dish soap and water solution through the pressure washer. I noticed that there were many in the mulch moving around but not flying yet. it's worth a shot. (05/28/2007)

By Brian

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Use baby shampoo or WD 40 for your yard use this stuff that sprays with the hose by Orkin it's used to kill pests and bugs..it's relatively cheap. Good Luck (05/29/2007)

By Josh.

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I just use Dawn dish soap and water in a bucket and spray the foam with a hose and the bugs and babies are dead. (08/04/2007)

By Debi.

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I too have observed that they are attracted to white. I have tried several sprays and candles. It seems to work. There are hundreds of dead lovebugs on my front porch. I sweep them up and the next morning I see a hundred more. I've been seeing them barely hovering over my lawn. I'm going to try to see if maybe I can get rid of them through a lawn treatment. (10/13/2007)

By D.Pyle

Bad Solutions for Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Used Pam cooking oil on front of the car and motorcoach, wrong move. I went from Lakeland Florida to Key West, took three days to get the cooking oil off everything along with lovebugs, dirt and sand. I had to used Greased Lightning and many rags that I had to throw away. Cooking oil blew back to the middle of the car and a third of the way back on the coach. Hope this saves you some trouble. Good Luck, Bill (05/04/2008)

By Bill

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1757.html This website has plenty of products that may help with the problem. (09/07/2008)

By Olga

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I used a Black Flap fogger this afternoon and had zero effect on the invincible love bug. They seem to die easily enough on their own but I can not find anything to speed the process. (09/14/2008)

By Bill A

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

Lovebugs are attracted to white or light colors. There is nothing that will kill them. They only live 2-3 days anyways. But a bucket of water may hinder the pests. Cooking spray does work I use this every year. Flights occur twice each year, first in late spring, then again in late summer, usually April-May and then again August-September. And generally last 4-5 weeks each occurrence. During other months, they live in the grass. The best remedy to getting them off your car would be dryer sheets. (09/16/2008)

By Melissa From Alabama

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

I live in south Mississippi and the Love Bugs are horrible. My house is light tan and white. They are in clusters on my house in parts. I spray bug spray and they fall, some start swarming. The ones that are located toward the top I can not get to. I love messing with my flowers in the yard, but thanks to the love bugs I stay inside. (09/18/2008)

By pat

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

These little creatures are driving me nuts! I have to fight to get in my front door. I've tried fly spray, spraying down with the water hose and nothing seem to kill these little things. Please help (09/21/2008)

By Step

Sure-Fire, Non-Toxic Way To Kill Love Bugs On Contact

Over the years, I've had many run ins with these horrible bugs. They swarm all over the back of the house and cluster on the deck, the back door, everything! Yuck! Of all people,my bug guy gave me the remedy to get rid of them. It's non-toxic and non-chemical. It sits by your kitchen sink. Dish washing detergent. That's right folks - plain simple Joy or Dawn or any brand you want to use.

At first, I thought the bug guy was nuts, but I was willing to try anything, so I bought a spray bottle attachment for my hose and filled it with detergent (I used Joy, but I've tried other brands and they all work). Then I hosed down as much of the back yard as I could. Unbelievably, it killed the annoying little icky creatures on contact! I kid you not. I keep a spray bottle on my back deck and when I spot a few, I immediately zap them.

Apparently, the soap coats the bugs and smothers them or something. However, it does the job, it gets rid of the annoying little pests. Good luck and happy spraying! (10/30/2008)

By Monty

RE: Getting Rid of Love Bugs

To get them off my car I use LoveBug Wipes and LoveBug Cleaner. Stuff works great, only $6 bucks. Found it at a gas station in Gainesville, but they have a website. www.lovebugcleaner.com (04/19/2009)

By ebk1967