As I live on a fairly well-traveled highway, I get a chance to see tons of cars go by on any given day. Lately, they have been covered with a black, gooey mess that we commonly call “love bugs.” The proper name is Plecia nearctica and were first mentioned in 1940 by D. E. Hardy. Late March and September are the traditional months for these nasty things to mate and hatch out. Numbers are difficult to come by, but as anyone who has to drive through them will attest, there seems to be an infinite number of them. The damage they do is immense.

Their fluids are very acidic, and can eat the paint right off your car. I asked our local Ferrari aficionado how he managed to keep his cars showroom perfect. His solution? Wash them every time you go somewhere, immediately after parking. He carries a kit with him, and cleans his cars (whether Ferrari or not) at every opportunity. I just don’t see it. Even though his cars will always get top dollar when he chooses to trade or sell off, the labor involved just doesn’t seem to be justified. My concern here is: do you know of a frugal technological solution to keeping your car clean with minimal time and effort? Post your tips in the comments, please!

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