Splattered dried on insect removal?

Came back from our inaugural adventure to find splattered dried on insects in all sorts of hard to reach places covering the front of the van. Any top  tips or recommended products/methods for easy removal without damaging the paintwork?

Came back from Scotland looking as though we had driven through a swarm of midges yet hadn't seen any. Applied hot water, left to soak in and then wiped off.

Baby wipes work. Buy the cheapest from Poundland or the like.Don’t use them on windscreen or windows as they leave smears.

Trying to avoid baby wipes and other plastic based products.

Initially used an extending brush to clean outside of van but recently changed to a (think it's known as a noodle mop) and you can get a hand mitten as same. Seen it used and with the swivel head, it gives more dexterity and believe it is more gentle on surfaces like acrylic windows. But have kept the brush to more readily remove dried insects off cab windscreen and area above.

aajax42 wrote:Trying to avoid baby wipes and other plastic based products.

Put them in the bin not flush them down the loo !

It's still plastic going into landfill.

aajax42 wrote:It's still plastic going into landfill.

Not here..it goes to an incinerator and provides electrical energy among other useful by-products.


https://viridor.co.uk/our-operations/energy/energy-recovery-facilities/ardley-erf/

( there are at least 350 such plant across the UK and many more in Europe. )

A product we use is one we bought in France some years ago in spray form. It is called "Nettoyant vitres demoustiqueur"   it gets off all baked on beasties. Can be used on glass and paint work and is available on the internet.
Hope this helps.
Leighton.

When touring on my motorbike when I got home I soaked a towel and left it on the front screen to work its magic then hose off .forget all that scrubbing now do the same with the van and use a small bed sheet then mop it off job done.

Hi Bertie, great idea but trying to get a blanket to wrap around the high bedroom bulge, back a foot to the windscreen and then around the bonnet would be a challenge to say the least.

Hi  Bad Penny, I can find the product on French sites but not in the uk. Sounds like a good product though.

I thought you would like a challange try using a bed sheet and a helping had

Last weekend seems to have been a peak period for insect "splatting". Had to clean windscreen just south of Newcastle on Saturday after leaving Edinburgh. Now need to read the tips for cleaning them off.

We Love Hugo wrote:Last weekend seems to have been a peak period for insect "splatting". Had to clean windscreen just south of Newcastle on Saturday after leaving Edinburgh. Now need to read the tips for cleaning them off.

Please pass them on if you find any good tips

I soak kitchen paper in soapy water. Leave on bonnet for 10 minutes and the bugs rinse straight off.... Same for the dried on bombs dropped by seagulls.

A couple pulled onto a campsite and were on the next pitch to me, they had a vw camper, the first thing they done was to remove a big piece of cling film from the front of the van both above and below the windscreen and of course the mozzies came away with it.
Pete

Best thing I found was Muc Off spray, deisignwd for motorcycle fairings, so no problem with plastics, spray on, agitate with soft brush and rinse off, works best if can prewet.

Best cleaner I have used is Bilt Hamber's Surfex HD.  Great for bugs, stubborn stains algae etc. etc.

Available in 1L to 25L containers.

https://www.bilthamber.com/car-cleaning-and-degreasing/surfex-hd

I use this for my Spring tidy up, particularly the roof.

aajax42 wrote:Came back from our inaugural adventure to find splattered dried on insects in all sorts of hard to reach places covering the front of the van. Any top  tips or recommended products/methods for easy removal without damaging the paintwork?

Wait until it has rained and just wash van as normal, they come off easy why use unnecessary elbow grease.