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Cleaning this thing is a BITCH !!!

CBH

Seasoned Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
Messages
489
Location
Austin, TX
V-Series Cadillac(s)?
'23 CT5 Blackwing w/ Clutch
The Marquis de Saad must've designed the front end of the CT5 BW. There are a seemingly endless array of fins, ducts, angles, ridges and crevices.

It had an embarrassing number of bugs that had been there an embarrassingly long time, but 30 minutes of scrubbing with soap and water had no effect. Following that up a motorcycle cleaner/bug remover spray that usually has good results on my bikes also had little noticeable effect.

Does anybody have a secret weapon against dried-on bugs ?

PS - when I first put water on it, suds came pouring off of it. I presume residue from the last commercial car wash ? They always seem chincy with the water and seem to never rinse enough, so my fear that soap is left on the car appears to be confirmed.
 
The only thing I've found over the years is...first, get them off asap (warm/hot soapy water, if possible)...second, a good coat of wax/polish really helps....third, mine has PPF and really helps too.
 
PPF, ceramic coating and staying on top of it is my approach. You have to get them off as soon as you can, else they will start to etch the clear coat.

This is representative of what my front-end looked like after a 1300 mile drive from Ohio to Texas.
PXL_20250909_161636083.MP.jpg


And this is how clean I got it with some water-less car wash and 20 minutes...
PXL_20250906_150439229.MP.jpg
 
I am going to try Griots Bug Barricade before my next long trip. Hopefully that will make cleaning off the bugs easier.
 
EZ Bug Remover

RV people use this method with good results. Also heard that spraying RainX on the front will make the bugs come off easier.

I have used WD-40, it works pretty good too. Never seemed to have any bad effect on the paint. Maybe silicone spray would work too.
 
I have a whole detail center set up on the side of my home. I have an electric awning to keep sunshine away, portable vacuum, 2000psi Greenworks electric pressure washer, hot/cold water connection w/ foam cannon and a 75' hose attached to a 30 gallon compressor in my basement. The hot water works great for removing bugs, but ...I also had the whole front end PPF'd and ceramic coated. November will be here soon and the 5BW will go into storage until next April. Taking her on a 222 mile foliage viewing cruise up the Hudson Valley in a week, weather permitting. My 2022 should hit the 7000 mile mark around that time.
 

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