How to safely remove a dried bird dropping by Mike Phillips

[Mike Phillips]

How to safely remove a dried bird dropping by Mike Phillips


First - If at all possible remove a bird dropping as soon as it's discovered and before it can dry. The acid in the bird dropping can permanently etch the paint if not removed immediately.

If the bird dropping has already dried, then here's how you can safely remove it without scratching your car's finish. Note that dried bird droppings can contain abrasive particles in them so this is why you want to take these simple precautions.








A bird dropping can etch your car's clearcoat finish in under 5 minutes!

Now in the picture above it's apparent that the bird dropping has already dried like cement onto the paint. The reason you want to keep a spray detailer or a waterless wash in your car with a few clean microfiber towels (and also some nitrile gloves), is so AS SOON AS POSSIBLE you wipe off the bird dropping before it can etch the paint. If it does etch the paint, and that depends upon what's in the dropping, you'll likely have to use an aggressive compound to remove the etching. So it's better to be prepared and remove the dropping as soon as it's discovered then to let it dry and potentially cause damage.


What to do if you're too late and the bird dropping has dried...


Looking at the close-up of the bird dropping in the above picture you can see to try to RUBB this off the paint is probably going to scratch the paint. So here's the safe way to remove a dried, petrified bird dropping.

Step 1: Get a clean microfiber towel wet with water and place it on top of the bird dropping.

Step 2: Pour even more water onto the microfiber towel so that the towel is completely wet and saturated.



The secret?

It simple - the towel holds the water onto the dried bird dropping so the water can go do work doing what it does best and that is dissolving and re-liquefying the dried bird dropping. If you simply pour water or spray water onto the dried bird dropping it will simply run off onto the ground.







Step 3: After allowing the water to penetrate for a few minutes (or longer - you be the judge), carefully grab the dropping off the paint and lift the towel up and away. Don't wipe the bird dropping over the paint this could scratch the paint too.






Yuck!





There was some bird dropping residue in the seam of the mirror and for this I used a soft horse hair brush to get it out.




There you go... the safe way to remove a dried bird dropping. I would recommend sacrificing the towel and throwing it away as you don't know what kind of germs or disease the bird may have. It's also a good idea to wear some disposable gloves.


Mike's tip...
After removing the bird dropping, apply a light polish to the affected area to deep clean the paint and then apply your regular paint protection product. You can also use a one-step cleaner/wax.

[idriveblackcars]

Great tips! I also always use warm to hot water. It seems to remove it quicker.

[Buster906]

Excellent how to Mr Phillips.

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk

[Dan K]

I plan to cut a microfiber towel into pieces that I can use for this purpose instead of using an entire towel as I have in the past. Keep the pieces with "emergency" detailing supplies already in the car, use a piece and toss it in the trash.

[Eric@CherryOnTop]

The birds always manage to land their dropping right where there is some sort of seam that makes it super tough to get out. It's like they know....

[Frank70]

Great article Mike. Seems the birds always find my car from Spring to Fall. I have no trees on my property but my neighbors have them. Guess the birds flight path is over my car.

[dlc95]

The Robins up here in Michigan are horrible polluters of vehicle finishes. They leave the biggest messes of all the birds in their size category...

And of course... They are our state bird...

[fightnews]

This is why I always drive around with a high powered air BBC gun. You gotta take these pesky birds out whenever you see them around your house

[Mike Phillips]

A gentleman on Facebook shared his input...


Comment on this article on FB


Hi mike, using a tissue/toilet paper/kitchen towel soaked with water is more economical. U do not have to sacrifice a MF cloth. Cheers!


And I think he does make a good point except for two things...

1: Paper - if you're not careful can mar or scratch paint. Not a big deal on the top of a side mirror but what if the bird dropping was smack-dab in the center of a highly polished and perfected black hood?

2: We don't sell tissue/toilet paper/kitchen towels - we sell microfiber towels.



It's all good, big picture is use water - held in place - to soften and liquefy the dried bird dropping to make it safer and easier to remover.

[briarpatch]

Here in South Jersey....we have seagulls...lots and lots of seagulls. If you live near a blueberry farm, there are flocks of them which 'carpet bomb' your car......with lovely blueberry juice-tinted droppings. They are rats with wings