The Cheap Kitchen Staple That Makes It Easy To Get Bugs Off Your Car

Because your vehicle sits outside, it's liable to become dirty over time. This can come from weather, mud, pollen, leaves, or just about anything really. While your paint job and windshield are fairly resilient, cleaning a car is all part of its long-term maintenance. One common problem, especially in the warmer months of the year, is bugs coating your car with a sticky, grimy mess. 

The look of bug bodies on your car is one thing, but there's a deeper reason you'll want to remove their remains as quickly as possible. Their insides are acidic, which can eat away your paint job, taking off its protective coating, and eventually leading to rust. A car wash will certainly help, but for stubborn dried-on bugs, more drastic methods may be needed. However, you won't need to invest in any expensive tools to do the job. There's one very cheap household item that can help you restore your car's coating to its original shine.

Scraping bugs off a car can be a tedious activity. But one simple kitchen item can take some of the work out of the process: cheesecloth. Made up of cotton, this gauzy material is usually used to remove the curds from whey when making cheese. Other kitchen uses typically involve straining liquid away from soft food products. It's this woven texture that makes cheesecloth perfect for removing bugs from your car. 

You'll need a few additional materials including dish soap and water. According to Kelly Blue Book, you'll want to use one to two ounces of dish soap for every gallon of water in a bucket or a bowl. Then you'll want to add the cheesecloth into the mix and let it sit. The softness of the cloth will prevent damage or scratching to the paint job while the soapy solution removes the bug bodies with ease.