An Easy Way to Clean Your RV’s Windshield??


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There’s a slight chance that this video may be a little over-the-top.  It involves a slingshot…

 
Several months ago, I was contacted by the makers of a product called “Scrubless Bug-a-Way”.  They wanted to send me some samples and have me write up my opinion.  I’m afraid they’re going to get a little more than they were expecting.

The idea behind the product is that you add it to your regular windshield washer fluid and it helps remove bugs.  If you’re looking for an easy way to clean your RV windshield, it doesn’t get much easier than that.  Now, I suppose I could have just driven around Utah Lake in the summer to pick up some bugs – but that struck me as a little too “random”.  No, if I was going to compare the Scrubless Bug-a-Way to regular blue washer fluid, I needed a consistent set of “bug guts” to test with.

It took me months to figure out what I was going to do, but this video is what I came up with. You’ll just have to see for yourselves.

Full Disclosure: The makers of Scrubless Bug-a-Way did provide me with the product you see me testing here. But, rather obviously, they didn’t have any input on the testing methodology or results.

But does it work?

I’m going to give the Scrubless Bug-a-Way a qualified thumbs up.

In the test where the bugs were “fresh”, it did seem to do a little better in cleaning bug guts from the windshield.

However, if the bug residue was dried on to the windshield, it didn’t seem to clean it any better than standard washer fluid.

So the lesson here, is that if you want to use the product, be vigilant and use your wipers before things become dried on.

And is it safe?

Again, another qualified thumbs up.

Under “normal” usage, the product should be safe for your RV’s paint and decals.

There is a slight film present when the Scrubless Bug-a-Way dries. You’ll want to properly wash your vehicle after using the stuff.

Under extreme circumstances that I can’t imagine replicating in real life, the Scrubless Bug-a-Way seemed to be more damaging to decals than regular windshield washer fluid. Although, in this scenario, either fluid would eat the paint off your rig, so you’d have much bigger problems than your decals.

And finally –

I need to give a huge thanks to the awesome staff at Motor Sportsland here in Salt Lake City.  Without their help in providing the space to make this video, it wouldn’t have happened.  Do yourselves a favor and check out their YouTube channel!  It’s loaded with high quality walkthrough videos of RVs that we haven’t covered here, including towables.  Last time I looked, they had over 50 walkthrough videos up, and they were making more.



James is a former rocket scientist, a USA Cycling coach, and lifelong fitness buff. When he's not driving the RV, or modifying the RV (or - that one time - doing both at once), you can find him racing bicycles, or building furniture, or making music. In his spare time, he works for a large IT company.


    15 thoughts on “An Easy Way to Clean Your RV’s Windshield??

    1. Mark G

      It seems to me that your experiment missed one potentially important aspect of the product, namely, the “film” that you detected in the soak test… it may be that a thin film is deposited by normal use of the fluid (when there are no bugs to clean off) that could help quite a bit when you hit a bug cloud at speed. Basically, it could be like rain-x that needs to build up to be effective.

      (Yes, I know, this video is now six years old and quibbling over experiment design is probably a waste of time, but being stuck at home for Covid means that we all have extra time on our hands, so why not use it?)

      Thanks to you both for a great channel

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Yeah, I thought of that at the time, but the instructions didn’t say anything about a film build-up, so I didn’t mention it.
        It could very well make a difference. But if that’s the case, they should have said so in the instructions.

        Reply
    2. Two Buck Chuck

      You are having WAY too much fun. I busted a gut watching the “pre deceased” guts being plastered on your windscreen.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Well, if I’m not having fun, then why would I be doing it?!?! Lol.

        (Asking for dead bugs at the pet store will get you some strange looks though…)

        Reply
    3. Stewbie

      I speak to praise good tools. In this case, a lucky find.
      About 6-8 years ago I found a billboard sign-applicator’s brush used for pasting or gluing up paper signs. It’s a 6′ long wooden handle and has soft bristles that hold water very nicely. The combination makes reaching AND cleaning ALL of my 4×4 Sprinter windshield much easier. Storage is pretty simple in that it snaps into a holder with our bikes. …………I was lucky to find it.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        When traveling, I like to hit Flying J and Loves travel stops… because they usually have long-handled squeegees for cleaning the windshield.

        Reply
    4. Cecil Treadwell

      The three best products for cleaning a windshield are A) two plastic Zip sprayers bought at Home Depot, B) Dawn dish soap, C) a good rubber squeegee.
      Put a couple or three caps of dish soap diluted in water in one sprayer.
      Put plain water in the second sprayer.
      Spray the soapy water on the windshield and let the soapy water set a while. Squeegee the soapy water off.
      Repeat.
      After squeegeeing a second time, spray with plain water.
      Squeegee a third time and use paper towels or a rag outside the edge of the glass or plexiglass, but never directly on them.

      Reply
    5. Al

      Nice work James. A fair, controlled experiment in our minds. Although we don’t think you’ll be getting any more experiment solution from the company in question 🙂 Would we use it? Yes, if driving through Saskatchewan … but no if just staying local on the Sunshine Coast. (No bugs here). Ha!

      Reply
    6. Jim Rollins

      Hello, enjoy all of your videos. I was a little bit of a lab rat before I retired and love all of your controlled experiments. My wife and I are new to RVing and I have learned a lot from your videos. Noticed you do some of your videos in what appears to be a wood shop. I am a woodworker myself and belong to the Edwardsville woodworkers club here in Illinois.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Indeed it is a wood shop. If you’re interested, over last winter, I did write up some posts about a furniture project I was working on.
        You can find the completion of that project on our blog.
        You can work all the way backwards to the beginning if it’s something you like.
        Thanks for watching!

        Reply
    7. Josh Freeling

      I’m gonna need more Cowbell. Haha! Seriously, great job on the test James. It’s fun to see what you come up with to do these tests. As always thanks for all the effort to produce helpful material & to entertain.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Hi Josh. For a fringe product, this one got pretty involved. Glad you liked it!
        (I’ve got a whole dresser full of oddball T-Shirts. Stef won’t let me wear many of them…)

        Reply

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