Quick Report: Dielectric Grease Works On Mirror

Post by **MrAl** » 23 Jun 2016, 07:48

Hello there,

Quite a while ago i posted a question about keeping insects off the outside rear view mirrors. Some people think this isnt a big deal, but every time i go out to the car i have to clean off the rear view mirror before i can drive off. So i was thinking of ways to prevent or reduce this.

One of the ideas i got was to apply grease to parts of the mirrors. That was some time ago, so it wore off my now, but then i had to get some silicone spray anyway, so i shot some of that on one mirror. That stuff is way too thin, so it did not help at all. The next day, same thing.
Then i went back to the grease, this time silicone grease which is actually called dielectric grease. The reason is partly because it is clear, and when applied it makes the mirror finish 'shine' like new. A thin layer was applied, and so far so good. Several days now, and no insects.

I've had some insect problems out there in the past. One time a big spider made a web all the way from the top of the car up to the tree branch that used to hang over the car. It was probably the biggest web i have ever seen. The spider was pretty big too.

The ones on the mirror are usually smaller, but there was one big one once that hung on for 2 miles of normal driving on main roads. The web went from the mirror to the side of the door, and i didnt see it because it was dark out. When i went to the store and came back out, that's when i saw it and the dang spider was still hanging on! But the smaller ones are the most trouble because they appear almost every day and make webs on the mirror and have to be cleaned off with a rag or something. That gets to be a pain when you have to do it EVERY single time you go out to the car. If it was just once in a while i would not care, but it happens very often in the summer months.

So if anyone else has this problem, try the dielectric grease. They dont seem to like that probably because it gets on their feet. The silicone spray seems to not bother them at all though. Of course you can try other types like brake grease, but i would stay away from petroleum based grease because it might bother the paint.

Oh yeah, they like to go inside the mirror for safety, so i had to spread a little around the inside of the mirror case where there is a space between the glass mirror and the inside of the case. Also a little on the outside fo the mirror too, so they dont like to get on the mirror at all.

If you try this or anything else for this problem please let me know.

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 23 Jun 2016, 20:20

That's interesting. I could imagine any insect would probably despise getting silicone grease on their feet. Its a real treat getting it off your hands if you handle it. Lol. The only thing I'm concerned about is that I always understood grease, including silicone or dielectric aren't really good for paint and especially plastics. I've used this with good results https://www.amazon.com/Star-brite-Spide ... B00EYNNP4C

Speaking of bugs and stuff have you ever tried using fabric softener sheets to get bug splatter off of your paint? It works great. Even gets road tar off the rocker panels and bumper. Thought I'd share since its the summer and both bugs and road tar are bountiful.

Post by **MrAl** » 25 Jun 2016, 06:52

Hello there,

Hey thanks for the reply. This has been an issue with my car for many years now.
It has a lot to do with where we park our cars, but i have to park in a certain spot so i cant change that.
What surprises me is that they are still coming onto the mirror even with the trees trimmed pretty well. What else surprised me was that the silicone "spray" did not work at all, they seemed to like the stuff or something

I guess the spray is too light of a coating to bother them

From what i have read silicone based greases are OK for paint and plastics. Some of them even state it right on the can itself, "safe for paint and plastics". The problem is with petroleum based greases because they act like solvents. Silicone parts is recommended for plastic parts for example, such as plastic gears. If anything goes wrong i will report back here though with the details.

I checked out the StarBrite spray, i might try that. Dont like the price i am seeing though, 17 dollars (USD) for a 22 oz spray bottle. I'll have to think about that. I have a lot of car repairs coming up soon.

No i never tried the fabric softener sheets. I'll have to look into that too.

Thanks again

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 25 Jun 2016, 09:15

I agree with saving money. I try to cut costs myself to continue repairs and purchase quality parts. I just happen to have a a Girlfriend who is deathly afraid of spiders haha, and spiders seem to love setting up house in the small boat we have. I don't really like using the canned poison sprays, and the starbrite keeps them out, so I figured I'd pass the info along.

Yeah the fabric softener sheets are amazing. I had tar splashed along the DS rocker panel and back quarter panel the day you mentioned the spider issues and with very minimal rubbing that tar was off and embedded in the fabric softener sheet and GONE. I'd used it before on bug splatters to great success as well. I'd tell anyone to try it. Kind of like a cheap clay bar

Post by **MrAl** » 25 Jun 2016, 13:36

Hello again,

Yes thank you very much for passing along that info. Since you say it is so good then i have to try it. I wonder if rain washes it off?

Well guess what? To show that the grease really does work and that the little critters are fairly clever, when i went out to the car today after it sat for 2 days, i saw that one little one built a web already, on the BOTTOM of the mirror stretching to the door handle! That was the ONLY place i did not put the grease. It's almost unbelievable. I cant believe they love that one mirror so much (the drivers side, although it is on the west side geographically). I just cant believe they would go through that much trouble to make a web on that one mirror. The other mirror is bug free and no grease or anything.
Something must be attractive with that one mirror. Maybe they need to refresh their makeup for the daddy long legs?

I'll cover the whole dang car with grease one of these days. Until then, next time i go out there i'll have to grease up the bottom too. I'll also have to check into that spider blocker too very soon.
Would be nice if it was in stores around here.

LATER:
Checked out some reviews on other web sites for the StarBrite stuff. The reviews are mixed. Some say it worked, others say it did not do anything. Others said it has to be reapplied often to work. They all said it has a strong smell until it dries. After that i dont feel confident about the product. I'll keep checking around though.

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 25 Jun 2016, 17:21

Some interesting reading http://www.naturallivingideas.com/9-nat ... your-home/

Post by **MrAl** » 26 Jun 2016, 10:09

Hello again,

Thanks for the link, i'll check that out.
I did look a little already, and i see that there are some low cost methods to "try". I put emphasis on 'try' because we never know what works and what doesnt when it appears on the web.
I like the vinegar idea, low cost, smell isnt too bad. Outside however it wont last very long with the rain and all, but inside it might work.

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 26 Jun 2016, 11:05

Hi, the furniture polish remedy seems like a good candidate. Allegedly the spiders dislike citrus, so maybe try the pledge trick, those aerosol sprays (if I remember correctly) include silicone so that may deter them and not wash off so easily.
I'm just thankful I don't have one of the newer Mazda's, because apparently spiders get in the emission system and block it causing a negative pressure situation that ruptures the fuel tank. Its been a big problem in recent history.

Post by **MrAl** » 26 Jun 2016, 12:29

Hi again,

Wow, and i thought insects in the rear view mirror was a problem.
I didnt realize that any emission system could be that 'open' to outside influences due to the filters usually employed.

Post by **MrAl** » 11 Jul 2016, 11:29

Hello again,

Little update.

The other day i went out to the car, and also i never applied more dielectric grease to the mirror on the bottom like i intended to do. After sitting for just 24 hours or less, there was not one, not two, but three spiders that took up residence in the bottom of the mirror where there is an indentation right where the mirror body meets the door itself, along with another web. How nuts is that? I have to wonder where these things are coming from. I have to guess that the wind is blowing them onto the car and they grab on to the only thing there which is the mirror.
I greased the top and sides of the mirror body, and also just inside where the mirror glass edge almost meets the inside cup part of the mirror body, but did not grease the bottom. Now i see that there is no way out of doing the entire thing, and making sure to cover every inch of it. I believe the phrase here is, "video sed non credo", i see it but i dont believe it.
BTW bug spray only works on the day or day after it is used, even if no rain. I dont know if it bothers the paint either.