![Don't Bug Me title with a clipart fly](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-title.png)
![Don't Bug Me title with a clipart fly](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-title-mobile.png)
![man applying a cleaning spray to an RV](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-feature.jpg)
aking our motorhome out for vacation has to be the highlight of the year for us — and everyone else we know with an RV. If you’re like us, you spend weeks planning the trip and days packing and getting ready. After driving all day, you set up camp and are ready to relax and enjoy yourself away from the daily grind back at home — but after walking around your RV and or tow vehicle, you notice that it is covered with a thick, unsightly layer of bugs. It’s an unfortunate part of the camping season — the same weather that draws us to the outdoors is prime season for insects, and for many their “cycle of life” oftentimes ends across the front of our rigs.
If you are one of those people who prefers to keep your rig clean and shiny, you know you can’t leave those bugs on all week, drying and etching the paint, so out comes the water hose and your bug cleaner of choice. As you start cleaning, you notice the whole front of the RV and tow vehicle as well as the windshield are covered in bugs.
What a mess.
![collection of cleaning products and sponges](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-01.jpg)
First, let’s start with the right tools. To properly remove stubborn bugs off your RV you will need a dedicated bug remover sponge. There are many different types and brands, but we did not find any major performance differences in the ones we gathered for this article and those we have used in the past 15-20 years of RV cleaning. All major auto parts stores as well as Walmart and Camping World have bug sponges that work fine. Some wash mitts have one side with a microfiber sponge and a perforated surface on the other side just for bugs. Those mitts are very handy if you are removing bugs and washing the RV at the same time.
The best time to clean and remove bugs off your RV or tow vehicle is, as you might expect, as soon as possible. Usually that means after arrival at your destination or when returning home. Some of these products are more flexible than others in terms of when and at what temperature they can be applied, but it is always safest to apply bug removing chemicals in the shade when the surface is cool.
![RV with cleaning spray applied](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-02.jpg)
![RV with white foam spray applied](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-03.jpg)
Some RV parks and, in particular, high-end RV resorts, don’t allow you to use a water hose to wash or rinse your RV on-site; in those cases, you’ll want to stick to some of the “waterless options” tested. If you have access to water and a hose, we find this traditional water method to be the most reliable as you can keep scrubbing and applying more bug remover to the surface until each spot is clean.
![man applying a cleaning spray to an RV](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-04.jpg)
![orange microfiber towel from Chemical Guys](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-05.jpg)
Know, too, that some of these specialty bug remover products are available at your local auto parts stores — but some of the higher-end products are only available through automotive detail suppliers such as Autogeek.net. Many are also available online at Amazon.
Below is a product-by-product breakdown of the 10 bug removers we tested, in no particular order, along with our user notes and ratings of each one.
![CarPro Bug-Out](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-06.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 8
User Notes: Easy to use and bugs came off easily with light rubbing.
![Mothers Speed Foaming Bug and Tar Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-07.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 7
User Notes: Spray foam is good, but not as heavy and thick as Meguiar’s. Also, if you plan on wiping off instead of rinsing, the foam gets into small cracks and crevices — making the wipe-off method a bit more difficult. However, the no-rinsing method is a huge advantage if you don’t have access to water.
![Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-08.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 6 (only because the thick liquid is hard to deal with on large areas)
User Notes: This is the best product I’ve found for removing tar and sap and for that reason alone it is in my personal RV.
![Meguiar’s Heavy Duty Bug and Tar Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-0.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 9
User Notes: It produces a thick, clingy foam and if you can wait the full 5 minutes dwell time, the bugs can be removed very easily.
![Camco RV Black Streak Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-14.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 7
User Notes: The bug removal is pretty good; not among the best in terms of strict bug removing power, but it is very economical — and it also removes black streaks!
![3D Bug Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-09.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 10
User Notes: This is the most satisfying product here to use in terms of bug removal. If you will follow the directions, the bugs wipe off more easily than any other bug cleaner we have ever tested or used. The price is good, too — and you can buy it in a gallon jug for very economical refills.
![Aero Cosmetics Wash Wax All](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-10.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 8
User Notes: It does take a bit longer to cut through heavy layers of bugs but if you use its bug removal pad that helps speed up the process. The big advantage with this product is you do not have to use a spray sealant afterwards to restore surface protection.
![Duragloss Bug Remover #471](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-11.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 9
User notes: This is an industry favorite and a product we have used successfully for many years. It is among the very best products in this test and simply powers through bugs, making clean up a breeze.
![Griot’s Garage Bug and Smudge Remover](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-12.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 8
User Notes: This is a good product overall but thick and/or big bugs took a bit longer to fully hydrate and remove.
![PoorBoys Bug Squash](https://magazine.rventhusiast.com/assets/2022/06/rve-june-2022-bug-fig-13.jpg)
Bug Removal Score — 9
User Notes: When used at full strength, it is one of the very best products on the market today. If you do not have a heavy layer of bugs, you can dilute it — making it even more economical to use.