This Common Household Product Is Perfect For Removing Bugs Off Your Car

Like many objects that reside primarily outdoors, cars can be a magnet for attracting irritating insects. Even if you go out of your way to keep trash and food out of your car, ensuring there is absolutely nothing in there that bugs could possibly be interested in, it doesn't matter – they'll still ram themselves to their dooms while you're careening down the highway for a chance to wreck your paint job. Whether you're parked under a tree or cruising the freeway, sooner or later the front and sides of your car are going to be absolutely lousy with the compressed remains of these unwelcome guests.

To add insult to injury, bug remains are incredibly sticky and stain easily. Even if you can muster up the courage to peel a dead bug off of your car, odds are good the majority of its body will stay stuck fast, leaving a blotch on what would otherwise be a smooth paint job. How are you supposed to scrub these skittering intruders from your vehicle, then? Well, if you own a garage or toolbox, then odds are good you've already got the solution to your problems.

One of the best ways to removed squashed bugs from your car is that classic king of garage staples, WD-40 Multi-Purpose spray. The primary purpose of WD-40, after all, is water displacement and degreasing, freeing up hard-to-remove substances to clean, rejuvenate or loosen the hinges on whatever object to which they're applied. It doesn't get much goopier than bug remains, so WD-40 is your huckleberry.

It should be noted, however, that WD-40 is not a one-size-fits-all solution. You can't just spray some WD-40 on your car and expect the dead bugs to fall right off. Rather, WD-40 works best as a supplement to a proper car-cleaning regimen, adding an extra layer of degreasing and protection to your cleaning efforts to really scrub that gross stuff off. As long as you don't mind putting in some time and elbow grease, WD-40 can ensure the efficacy of your car-cleaning efforts, as well as make the results last longer.

Before you jump to scrubbing, you'll want to get some tools together. Obviously, you want a can of WD-40 Multi-Purpose spray, but in addition to that, you'll also need a microfiber towel, a scrubbing sponge, some car-cleaning soap (dish soap works, too), windshield-cleaning solution, and some car wax.

1. Wash the car's outer body with water and soap using the scrubbing sponge. Use the sponge to pick off any bug splatters that aren't completely stuck to the car.

2. Spray WD-40 on any areas of your car where bugs or their remains have solidified.

3. Leave the WD-40 for 10 minutes.

4. Clean off the WD-40 with a microfiber towel. The bug splats should come right off.

5. Clean the body again with soap and water to remove any leftover residue from the WD-40.

6. Apply wax to the body with a foam applicator to seal in and protect the finish.

One thing you should remember – make sure to only spray the WD-40 on the car's body. Do not spray it on the windshield or windows, as the WD-40 may become stuck to them. It won't damage your windows, it's just fairly difficult to clean up. If you want to remove bugs from your windshield, use a dedicated window cleaning solution.