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  #21  
Old 09-19-2017, 09:10 AM
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kjowen kjowen is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 150
Default The local airport Detail Guy turned me on to these products

For bugs: the post flight does a great job and puts down a coat of wax - you can use it on skins or windshields. Gave all my unused Pledge back to my wife.

For the underbelly: The soot master cuts it better than anything I have ever seen.
I now use my Simple Green for my vehicle tires....

I have not tried the new product, the bug remover, so no opinion on that.

I suggest you get the Fly Away Kit to start for $69, it includes a good sample of their products plus some micro fiber towels.
I don't think you will be disappointed.
p.s. I also use the stuff on my Jeep for a quick touch up......

https://realcleanproducts.com
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  #22  
Old 09-19-2017, 12:01 PM
WindAdvisory WindAdvisory is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 26
Default

I have been detailing and reconditioning automobiles for over 20 years.

PAINTED SURFACE: I agree that warm soapy water, a "carefully" utilized fingernail and a microfiber is the best low cost solution but I wanted to add one other "Portable" method that would work well while away from your hanger and or water.

PAINTED SURFACE: When you are away from a readily available water source any generic spray "quick detailer" applied generously onto the dried bugs will soften them. Spray quick detailer and then gently (carefully) slide your fingernail across any stubborn bugs to remove them from the surface. Utilize your dirty microfiber to clean the bug remnants. Follow up with additional spray detailer and a clean microfiber and perform final clean on surface. Wax cleaned surface to ease in any subsequent cleanings .

CANOPY: I am currently using a CLEAN 100% Cotton T-Shirt and a generous amount of Pledge applied to any dried bugs. If the bugs do not come off after the first pass I spot apply pledge to stubborn areas.

What is "Quick Detailer"?

Quick detailers, which are often called waterless washes, are commonly used by detailers to put the finishing touch on a freshly detailed vehicle. Quick Detail Spray products quickly and easily remove water spots, streaks, dust and other light contamination. The special formulations evaporate quickly to prevent further spotting, lubricate to prevent scratching and contain gloss enhancers to refresh your just waxed shine. Today, every major paint care brand has a quick detailer or waterless wash type product in their line-up.
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  #23  
Old 09-19-2017, 12:31 PM
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Carl Froehlich Carl Froehlich is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dogwood Airpark (VA42)
Posts: 2,597
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WindAdvisory View Post
. SNIP

CANOPY: I am currently using a CLEAN 100% Cotton T-Shirt and a generous amount of Pledge applied to any dried bugs. If the bugs do not come off after the first pass I spot apply pledge to stubborn areas. SNIP
I alway thought Pledge was not to ever be used on the canopy or windows (but know others swear by it). I use this product and recommend it. A quart bottle to refill a little pump sprayer will last years. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/search...POLISH&x=0&y=0

Carl
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  #24  
Old 09-19-2017, 12:51 PM
sblack sblack is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,456
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There is a flying museum called Vintage Wings not far from me. They have mustangs, spitfires and lots of other warbirds. They have a crew of volunteers who descend on any airplane after it flies and they detail it. A crew of 6 can have a warbird sparkling in no time. The lady that leads the crew also details people's biz jets. She is quite the OCD fanatic.

She showed me what they use - it is Wash Wax All. You get it from spruce. It leaves a thin wax coat that makes cleaning bugs off easier and it leaves a nice shine. Of course if you let the bugs dry it is harder to get them off. I have a spray bottle and I spray all the problem areas and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then I wipe it down with a micro fibre cloth. My current airplane is wood and fabric, so I don't like spraying with water in case any gets inside the structure. So I dry wash it with this product and it works well.
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  #25  
Old 09-19-2017, 07:39 PM
scsmith scsmith is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashland, OR
Posts: 2,574
Default PLUS 1 for motorsports/aviation simple green

Quote:
Originally Posted by bkilby View Post
The best product I have found for getting the bugs off is Simple Green Aviation. Doesn't need to be full strength either. I usually just top off the spray bottle with water when half the bottle is used. I spray down the leading edge of both wings, then go back and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Bugs come right off. Plexus or Brillianize or similar for canopy with an old t-shirt.
YES! Simple Green is the best I've found. I've tried soaking paper towels and letting them sit for awhile. I've tried commercial bug-remover products. But I think the blue Simple Green is best, by far.

One commercial bug remover product I tried had the funniest thing on the label that I can not imagine was anything but tongue-in-cheek: it said, "Removes both male and female bugs". Got a big laugh out of me - I can not imagine there is any sex-specific characteristic of a baked on bug carcass.

I confess I do not have the discipline to follow Mel's advise. I let bugs bake on for about 3 months between cleanings. So having a product that is effective is a relief. The blue Simple Green really is best of everything I've tried.

Great thread, thanks to the OP
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  #26  
Old 09-19-2017, 08:26 PM
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roadrunner20 roadrunner20 is offline
 
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Location: Bay Pines, FL (based @ KCLW)
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After each flight...
windscreen: Plexus with a micofiber towel
leading edge: spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish soap, use a gray work shop paper towel
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  #27  
Old 09-19-2017, 09:12 PM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 4,435
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I've been using Castle Plexo on both the windshield and the bare aluminum leading edges. Works well. I follow it up with a car wax or Pledge on the windshield.

I'm saving this discussion, though, for future reference.

Dave
RV-3B skinning the fuselage
Cessna 180 flying
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  #28  
Old 09-20-2017, 12:00 AM
scsmith scsmith is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashland, OR
Posts: 2,574
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RV8JD View Post
We need to differentiate between Simple Green and Extreme Simple Green for Aircraft. I understand the non-aircraft Simple Green is corrosive to aluminum.
Yes, that is why I referred to it as blue Simple Green. It is sold as Motor Sports Simple Green, and Aviation Simple Green. It says on the label it is non-corrosive to aluminum. It even says it is approved by Boeing.

It does beg the question though.....is normal Simple Green actually corrosive, or is it just that the blue stuff is promised not to be? I don't really know. Maybe normal Simple Green isn't corrosive either, and they just dye it blue and charge more?

its kind of like black sharpie pens.
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Last edited by scsmith : 09-20-2017 at 12:03 AM.
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  #29  
Old 09-20-2017, 12:45 AM
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Bluelabel Bluelabel is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: San Diego, Ca
Posts: 431
Default Adams

The high end car guys that did the vinyl on the plane tuned me onto Adams detail spray. I hit each wing, let it sit for a few seconds and they come right off. I use that stuff to clean my whole plane. And it smells like bubble gum... If you have some water, the Guard and Gloss they make is awesome too for a wax.
I use Novus on the windows. Works great, but I may try the Brilliance recommended by Carl.
Incidentally, I picked up some FastWax at Oshkosh. That stuff is awesome too. Used it to clean the belly, worked super fast. While I don?t get much oil on the belly, after a few flights, did what the guy recommended and put a little on a rag and wiped the bottom of the plane... bam! The belly was clean in under 1 minute. Highly recommend that stuff.
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