Cleaning bugs - the real secret

[Maule Driver]

First, thanks everyone for past posts on cleaning agents, corrosion,
polish etc.

The weather has been so outrageously nice in North Carolina since
Christmas that I finally ran out of excuses to wash the plane. It's
still hard to put shorts on in mid-January despite mid-70 temperatures.

So, I decided to wash the plane first with dish washing detergent and
lots of water to get the major grime off. Then I planned to go back
with the "Wash Wax All' line of products to clean and polish.

The bugs were tough. No matter how much elbow grease, water, soap,
WashWaxAll, Lemon Pledge or whatever, the bugs would not all come off
the leading edges, prop, etc. I tried all the products on various test
spots.

Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.

The secret is wet patience.

I Already knew this from my glider days. The gel coat surfaces give up
the bugs pretty easily but doing all 50' daily at a 10 day contest can
tax the crew. But for performance reasons it was absolutely necessary.
The secret for those that tied out was to get to the airport at sun
up while the dew was still on the wings. A simple light wipe would take
them off. Then go for breakfast, shower and shave before returning to a
clean ship. Bet you guys that go to fly-ins already know this too.

YMWNV. This wet patience worked on painted fiberglass, aluminum, steel,
and fabric, all of which the motley Maule has.

[C J Campbell]

"Maule Driver" > wrote in message
m...

>
> Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
> surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
>
> The secret is wet patience.
>

That is the secret. Keep 'em wet. A little Woolite helps them to absorb
water, but that is about it.

[Ross Richardson]

I have been a long time user of the WashWaxAll. They also sell a
"BrilloPad" that I use on the painted surfaces to help remove the bugs.
Really works well. The pack of 10 are rather expensive, but I cut each
one in half and it will last a long time. You can rince them out from
time to time. I still use diapers on the windows.

I usually spray the leading edges with the WashWaxAll let it sit, then
start cleaning it off. Same as the water. After using the WashWaxAll
sometimes all you need is water to remove the bugs.

Ross

Maule Driver wrote:
>
> First, thanks everyone for past posts on cleaning agents, corrosion,
> polish etc.
>
> The weather has been so outrageously nice in North Carolina since
> Christmas that I finally ran out of excuses to wash the plane. It's
> still hard to put shorts on in mid-January despite mid-70 temperatures.
>
> So, I decided to wash the plane first with dish washing detergent and
> lots of water to get the major grime off. Then I planned to go back
> with the "Wash Wax All' line of products to clean and polish.
>
> The bugs were tough. No matter how much elbow grease, water, soap,
> WashWaxAll, Lemon Pledge or whatever, the bugs would not all come off
> the leading edges, prop, etc. I tried all the products on various test
> spots.
>
> Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
> surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
>
> The secret is wet patience.
>
> I Already knew this from my glider days. The gel coat surfaces give up
> the bugs pretty easily but doing all 50' daily at a 10 day contest can
> tax the crew. But for performance reasons it was absolutely necessary.
> The secret for those that tied out was to get to the airport at sun
> up while the dew was still on the wings. A simple light wipe would take
> them off. Then go for breakfast, shower and shave before returning to a
> clean ship. Bet you guys that go to fly-ins already know this too.
>
> YMWNV. This wet patience worked on painted fiberglass, aluminum, steel,
> and fabric, all of which the motley Maule has.

[Maule Driver]

I'm a new user of WWA and their 'Brillo Pads' or what I'd call "real
fine scotch brite pads". They were part of my test and as you said, the
Brillo pads are great!

I still found the "amount of time left wet" to be the secret of that
day's success. The WWA, which warns against letting fully dry, worked
fine but just soaking the bugs in plain water for over 2 hours was the
best I found. The Brillo Pads made it even more effective.

Any tips for WWA usage?

Ross Richardson wrote:
> I have been a long time user of the WashWaxAll. They also sell a
> "BrilloPad" that I use on the painted surfaces to help remove the bugs.
> Really works well. The pack of 10 are rather expensive, but I cut each
> one in half and it will last a long time. You can rince them out from
> time to time. I still use diapers on the windows.
>
> I usually spray the leading edges with the WashWaxAll let it sit, then
> start cleaning it off. Same as the water. After using the WashWaxAll
> sometimes all you need is water to remove the bugs.
>
> Ross
>
> Maule Driver wrote:
>
>>First, thanks everyone for past posts on cleaning agents, corrosion,
>>polish etc.
>>
>>The weather has been so outrageously nice in North Carolina since
>>Christmas that I finally ran out of excuses to wash the plane. It's
>>still hard to put shorts on in mid-January despite mid-70 temperatures.
>>
>>So, I decided to wash the plane first with dish washing detergent and
>>lots of water to get the major grime off. Then I planned to go back
>>with the "Wash Wax All' line of products to clean and polish.
>>
>>The bugs were tough. No matter how much elbow grease, water, soap,
>>WashWaxAll, Lemon Pledge or whatever, the bugs would not all come off
>>the leading edges, prop, etc. I tried all the products on various test
>>spots.
>>
>>Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
>>surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
>>
>>The secret is wet patience.
>>
>>I Already knew this from my glider days. The gel coat surfaces give up
>>the bugs pretty easily but doing all 50' daily at a 10 day contest can
>>tax the crew. But for performance reasons it was absolutely necessary.
>> The secret for those that tied out was to get to the airport at sun
>>up while the dew was still on the wings. A simple light wipe would take
>>them off. Then go for breakfast, shower and shave before returning to a
>>clean ship. Bet you guys that go to fly-ins already know this too.
>>
>>YMWNV. This wet patience worked on painted fiberglass, aluminum, steel,
>>and fabric, all of which the motley Maule has.

[G.R. Patterson III]

Maule Driver wrote:
>
> Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
> surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
>
> The secret is wet patience.

Then the best time to wash the plane is right after it quits raining.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

[Aaron Coolidge]

G.R. Patterson III > wrote:
: Then the best time to wash the plane is right after it quits raining.

I prefer to let the rain wash my plane for me, except that it takes the paint
off and leaves the bugs behind.... when you're going 120K!
--
Aaron C.

[Matt Barrow]

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> G.R. Patterson III > wrote:
> : Then the best time to wash the plane is right after it quits raining.
>
> I prefer to let the rain wash my plane for me, except that it takes the
paint
> off and leaves the bugs behind.... when you're going 120K!

You either need new paint, or different bugs.


--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

[No Spam]

> "amount of time left wet" to be the secret...
>
> Any tips for WWA usage?

I combine the two techniques. I go down the leading edge with the pad
sprayed with WWA and rub it all over the buggy surface. Then I go back and
do the light elbow work needed for clean it off. A dry towel then is used to
buff it up. Works easier the longer you use it - builds up a slight coat, I
guess.

-> Don
The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment
by men of zeal - well-meaning, but without understanding.
- Louis D. Brandeis

[Nathan Young]

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 15:57:29 GMT, Maule Driver
> wrote:


>Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
>surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
>
>The secret is wet patience.

Exactly. I place wet towels over the wing and tail leading edges - go
get a cup of coffee, and when I get back - the bugs wipe off easily
and without chemicals.

That's one upside of the winter flying - haven't had to clean the
leading edges in a while!

-Nathan

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
Nathan Young > wrote:

> On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 15:57:29 GMT, Maule Driver
> > wrote:
>
>
> >Two and one half hours later, the secret emerged... just keep the
> >surfaces wet for 2.5 hours or so and the bugs come off like magic.
> >
> >The secret is wet patience.
>
> Exactly. I place wet towels over the wing and tail leading edges - go
> get a cup of coffee, and when I get back - the bugs wipe off easily
> and without chemicals.
>
> That's one upside of the winter flying - haven't had to clean the
> leading edges in a while!
>
> -Nathan


I have found that a mixture of 10% Carbon-X/water in a spray bottle
really loosens up the bugs and oil from the surface. It all wipes off
with a damp sponge.

[Roger]

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 19:23:31 GMT, Orval Fairbairn
> wrote:
<snip>
>
>
>I have found that a mixture of 10% Carbon-X/water in a spray bottle
>really loosens up the bugs and oil from the surface. It all wipes off
>with a damp sponge.

I wash with a 40:1 or 60:1 mix of Carbon-X, but I use a 1 to 1 or 2 to
1 mix for soaking the leading edges.

Spray once as I walk along the front. Walk back to the other side and
wash using the regular 40 to one and they just come right off.

OTOH I figure bugs are slippery so if I let them build up to a
slippery layer the plane should fly faster.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

[Jon Woellhaf]

Roger wrote, "... I figure bugs are slippery so if I let them build up to a
slippery layer the plane should fly faster."

Unfortunately, all the slippery bugs avoid the leading edge and only the
sticky ones hit it.