⚠ Active Paint Damage
Bugs, Tar, and Sap
Are Eating Your Paint
These are not just cosmetic. Bug residue is acidic and it etches clear coat, tar bonds to the paint and hardens, and tree sap cures into a resin that has to be dissolved off rather than wiped. All three get harder to remove the longer they sit.
Three Different Threats, One Add-On
Bug splatter, tar, and tree sap all bond to the paint, but each one comes off with a different product. That is the whole reason this is a separate add-on.
Bug Splatter
Highway driving coats your front bumper, hood, and windshield in insect residue. The residue is acidic and starts etching the clear coat within days, faster in warm weather.
Tar Spots
Road sealant and asphalt overspray hit lower panels and wheel wells. The spots harden into a dark, sticky resin that no standard car wash product will remove.
Tree Sap
Fresh sap is removable. But San Francisco's trees drop sap year-round, and it cures fast. Once it cures it stops being something you can wipe off, and it needs a solvent to break it down.
Delay Makes the Damage Permanent
All three contamination types get progressively harder and more damaging the longer they sit on the paint.
Clear Coat Etching
Bug acid and sap compounds eat into the clear coat layer. The longer they sit, the deeper they etch. Once it is etched in that deep, cleaning will not touch it and it becomes a paint correction job.
Staining
Insect pigments and sap tannins leave stains in the clear coat that are visible as faint marks even after the contamination is removed. Early removal prevents the staining from setting.
Resale Value
A front bumper full of etched bug marks and tar spots is the first thing anyone notices on a used car. Taking it off early keeps it from becoming permanent.
How We Remove It Safely
Scrubbing is the wrong approach. It takes the contamination off and puts scratches in the clear coat at the same time. We use chemical removers to break the bond, then wipe cleanly.
Identify & Assess
We walk the vehicle and identify the location and type of each contamination. Severity determines which products we apply and how long we let them dwell.
Chemical Application
We apply the appropriate solvent or citrus-based remover to each contaminated area and let it dwell. The chemical softens and breaks the bond without touching the clear coat below.
Lift & Wipe
Once the bond is broken, we lift the contamination away with a clean microfiber. No scrubbing, just a clean lift. Hard sap or tar gets a second application if it needs one.
Inspect & Touch Up
We inspect every treated area under light and confirm the contamination is fully removed before finishing. Any remaining spots get a targeted second pass.
Bug / Tar / Sap Removal Add-On
Added to any Exterior Services or Full Package booking. We treat every contaminated panel: front bumper, hood, mirrors, roof, and any tar-heavy lower panels.
- Full-vehicle contamination assessment
- Bug splatter chemical removal, front panels
- Tar spot treatment, lower panels and wheel wells
- Tree sap removal, roof, hood, trunk
- Repeat passes on heavy or cured contamination
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| All Vehicle Sizes, Flat Rate | $50 |
Add-on to Exterior Services or Full Package. Not available as a standalone-only service.
Don’t Let It Etch Any Deeper
Add bug, tar, and sap removal to your next detail. We come to you anywhere in San Francisco. One flat rate, all vehicle sizes.