Insect remover in comparison: Sonax versus Go/On!
Insect removers are supposed to make cleaning easier. Is the expensive branded product better than the cheap product? Which alternative we recommend
(Image: Franz)
It may seem a little old-fashioned to some, but test cars are usually cleaned by us before being returned to the manufacturer. After all, we usually get them delivered to the editorial office carefully prepared. The BMW iX1 spent several kilometers on the highway and collected plenty of insects on the front. The wide range of cleaning and care products also has something to offer. The promise is that special insect cleaners will make cleaning easier. For a test, we bought two products from a DIY store that are readily available in many places - the "Sonax Insect Remover" for 11, the "Go/On! Insect Remover" for 5 euros. Do they do what the manufacturers advertise? Is it worth spending more money on a branded product? What are possible alternatives?
The promise
The promise is similar: spray on, leave on briefly, then wash the car as normal. To do this, the products must have a certain level of aggressiveness, because otherwise it is not possible to soften the insect remains in 2 (Go/On!) or 3 to 5 minutes (Sonax). The Sonax spray bottle distributes its contents somewhat more widely and evenly than the competition. I would also recommend not using these products on hot paintwork. There is a corresponding note on both bottles. Under no circumstances should such a cleaner be allowed to dry on the paintwork.
The idea that all residues can simply be wiped off afterwards should not even be entertained. Both agents make cleaning much easier, but even a high-pressure cleaner on the wash box alone was not enough to remove everything. Even the foam brush did not succeed everywhere. Hardly anything remained on the windshield and the slightly rough exterior mirror housings, but there were a few remnants on the front fascia. The insect remover from Sonax was slightly ahead in a direct comparison, but the surface treated with it and then treated with a foam brush was not really residue-free either.
Why we advise against it
Apart from that, you should be aware that you are using a rather aggressive cleaner here. This is not only questionable from an environmental point of view, many wash box operators also prohibit the use of such agents. What's more, these cleaners reliably remove any paint protection that was previously applied. Both are good reasons to stay away from such products. After all, insect residues can also be removed without using chemicals. We have shown you how to do this in this article:
(Image: Franz)
Basically, you can also make such work a little easier by protecting the car with wax or a sealant. Obviously, neither of these will prevent the dirt itself, but they will make cleaning easier. So it's time well spent beforehand. Incidentally, such products don't have to be particularly expensive, although a clever choice saves a lot of effort during application. I have had good experiences in this respect with "Sonax PolymerNetShield" and "Collinite Super DoubleCoat Wax #476s", which offer several months of paint protection with average vehicle use – provided that not everything was done wrong during the preparatory work. Incidentally, the remaining residue on the test car was removed with a gentle polish. To make things a little easier for the next editorial team, the front was given a coat of wax.
Insect remover in comparison (7 Bilder)
(Bild: Franz)
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(mfz)