As you have probably seen on your social media feeds, cicada season is here. This is the year of “Brood X.” These cicadas only emerge every 17 years. While Cicadas are known to cause damage to trees and plants in your yard, one thing you may not have thought about is protecting your car.
First, you will want to protect your paint, as residue from these bugs can be corrosive. Make sure you regularly wax your vehicle, which will add an extra layer of protection. Consumer Reports has compiled information on finding the best wax for your car.
Even if you have protected your paint, you still want to wash your car regularly. If you can get the bug residue off before it dries, that’s even better! If you don’t have the opportunity to wash bug guts off your car daily, you can also try a bug and tar remover.
Regardless of the preventative measures you take, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to keep away from the swarms of cicadas. They can splatter across your windshield, reducing your visibility. Make sure your windshield wiper fluid is full, and be sure to take the opportunity to wash off your windshield and wipers when you fill up your car at the gas station. Bug deflectors may also prevent bug splatter on your windshield.
While these bugs may be huge, they can still get inside of your car’s grille, which can do damage, such as clogging your radiator. You can prevent this by getting a grille cover or bug screen.
Lastly, if you’re not a fan of bugs, you should keep your windows and sunroof or moon roof closed. This will keep you from getting into an accident because a cicada flew inside your car.
