Bug shifter mini test
With summer apparently in full swing we test a pair of products designed to rid your paintwork of stubborn bugs
Any motorway journey at this time of year leaves dead insects coating the front of your car. Yet just washing with a bucket and sponge won’t shift baked-on bugs, so you need a dedicated insect-removal formula.
We tested new Muc-Off Bug & Tar Remover against Simoniz Bug Shifter – the Best Buy in our Issue 1,168 test. Each was tried on the bug-splattered front bumper of a car that had been pounding the motorway and then left to bake in the sun.
We assessed their bug-cleaning ability by spraying each product once, leaving it for 30 seconds and then wiping it away with a clean microfibre cloth. We checked the cloth and the car to see which had removed more bugs. Finally, we factored in value for money.
While these two products are visibly different, they both performed very well and are far superior to using only soapy water. Muc-Off doesn’t remove bugs quite as quickly as Simoniz, so it requires more effort. It also looks expensive here. So the reigning champion from Simoniz is still the bug shifter to beat.
Muc-Off Bug & Tar Remover
Price: £7 (250ml)
Contact: www.muc-off.com/store
Rating: ★★★★
Squirt the Muc-Off and its cap releases a large amount of formula. But unlike Bug Shifter, Muc-Off mists it on instead of spraying it. The good news is that, like all Muc-Off products we’ve tried, it smells good – far more pleasant than the Simoniz does. It worked quickly, but the formula isn’t quite as aggressive as our reigning champion’s, so you need to apply a second coat or rub a little harder with a microfibre cloth for the best results.
The price is a bigger issue, though. It costs £7 for 250ml – you get twice as much as Bug Shifter for less, and then you need to use more of Bug & Tar to achieve the same results. However, Muc-Off can also remove tar and tree sap.
Simoniz Bug Shifter
Price: £4.99 (500ml)
Contact: 0161 491 7391, www.simoniz.co.uk
Rating: ★★★★★
A massive bottle and a low purchase price are just some of the reasons that Simoniz Bug Shifter is our favourite product for removing dead insects from your car. It softens the bugs very easily and quickly, although there’s a strong whiff of glass cleaner when you spray it.
After one squirt and wipe, our cloth had more bugs on it than with the Muc-Off, as the formula has been designed specifically for insects rather than tar and tree sap, too. Just make sure you wipe the product off quickly – the green liquid can prove tricky to shift if it’s left to dry, and the colour isn’t exactly discreet, either.
