Getting Rid of Baked-on Bugs and Stubborn Road Tar

Never, ever do this on a hot bonnet in direct sunlight. The chemicals will flash off (dry out) instantly and leave streaks that are a nightmare to remove. Find some shade or wait until the sun goes down.

Touch the panels. If they're hot to the touch, give the whole car a good hose down with cold water to bring the surface temp down.

Blat the car with water to get the loose dust and red dirt off. If you've been out west, that red dust acts like sandpaper if you start rubbing it.

Bug and tar removers work better on a dry surface. If the car is dripping wet, the chemical gets diluted and just runs off the tar before it can dissolve it.

Spray your chosen remover directly onto the bug guts or tar spots. Be generous, but you don't need to soak the whole car.

Let it sit for 3-5 minutes. You'll see the tar start to 'bleed' brown or black streaks. That's the chemical doing the hard work so you don't have to.

Take your damp bug sponge or a microfibre and gently wipe. Don't scrub like you're cleaning a burnt pot. If it doesn't come off, it needs more time or more product.

I've found plates are bug magnets. Give them an extra spray, it makes the whole front end look heaps better.

Wash the chemical off completely. You don't want bug remover sitting on your plastic trim for too long.

Now wash the whole car with your two-bucket method. This removes any oily residue left behind by the tar remover.

Run your hand over the paint. If it still feels like sandpaper, use a clay bar with plenty of lubricant. This grabs the tiny bits of tar stuck in the 'pores' of the paint.

Dry it off with a big microfibre drying towel. Don't use a chamois, they're old school and can trap grit that scratches your paint.