How Do You Remove Bird Poop From Your Car?

August 13, 2019

Bird droppings on car

There’s nothing like going outside to get a nice shiny car only to find that it has bird droppings all over it. These bird droppings are not just annoying and disgusting, they can also do actual damage to the vehicle.

Bird poop can destroy the paintwork of your car quickly if left untreated. This could lead you with hundreds of dollars in repairs that you might not have a budget for.

Removing bird droppings is relatively easy if you can catch it quickly.

How do you remove bird poop from your car? The easiest way to remove bird poop from your car is by first making the droppings soft by getting a damp cloth and putting it over the bird droppings. After they are softened, you can use a cloth and water to remove them from your vehicle.

It is essential that you do not leave bird droppings on your vehicle. The longer that it sets, the more damage to your car and the harder it will be to get off.

Many people have left bird poop on their vehicle thinking that it would come off later or in the car wash, only to find that is done some extensive damage to their car. They have found that they had to have extensive paint repairs done to their vehicle just because of a little bird poop.

Keep reading for more information on removing bird droppings from your vehicle and why it is so important to do so quickly.

How Does Bird Poop Damage My Car

In a worst-case scenario, when the bird poop is removed, it leaves a visible ripple on the paint surface. In some cases, it will just leave a dull cloudy mark. It has been thought that the acid of bird droppings causes that ripple effect in the paint job.

However, it is found that the top layer paint on your vehicle warms during the day, which makes it expand and soften. Bird droppings do not do this. They become hardened and can’t be removed. When the paint cools down, the paint will mold around the texture of the bird droppings. Sometimes, this effect is so slight that you do not see it unless you are looking for it.

Other times, this can be visibly seen next to the bright shiny paint that is on the rest of your vehicle. These spots can make your vehicle look horrible, especially if your vehicle was attacked by multiple birds.

How to Remove Bird Dropping Safely

It is important to remove the bird droppings as soon as possible. This will help to ensure that the bird droppings do not do damage to your car. You want to make sure that you look at your car, especially on hot sunny days to ensure there are no bird droppings on it.

When you drive your car every day, you will be more likely to spot bird droppings. If you do not drive your car every day, it is a good idea to go outside every day to make sure that your car does not have any bird droppings on.

If you are leaving your car sitting for an extended amount of time, a car cover might be a great option to ensure that your car is protected.

Another great idea is to avoid parking under trees, eave of buildings, streetlights, and anywhere birds might hang out. This will help to prevent birds from pooping on your vehicle.

Step 1: Get Gloves

Your very first step in the removal of bird droppings is to make sure that you have a pair of gloves on.

This is important because birds can carry a variety of different diseases and it is always wise to protect yourself. Not to mention you do not want to get bird poop all over your hands.

Step 2: Make the Droppings Soft

Once you have your gloves on, you will want to make sure that the droppings are soft. Do not try to remove droppings that are hard as this will do nothing but scratch the vehicle’s paint.

In fact, you may scratch the area around the bird droppings, making the repair even worse.

You can achieve making the droppings soft by getting a damp cloth and putting it over the bird droppings. Allow this to sit for a few minutes. Make sure that the cloth is relatively damp to ensure that the droppings are soft enough.

Step 3: Wipe the Droppings Away

Now that the bird poop is softened, you can begin to wipe it away. It is important never to use a scraping, or hard rubbing motion to dislodge the droppings. Rubbing or scraping will cause scratching to your vehicle. If the droppings are not budging, repeat covering with a damp cloth and leave for several more minutes. Repeat this as needed until all the droppings are removed from your vehicle.

Do not use anything other than the damp cloth on your vehicle. It is best to use a microfiber cloth or cotton cloth that is rated to be used on vehicles. Taking your time during this process is important so that you not cause any damage to your vehicle.

These droppings will come off with plain water, but if you want to use a cleaner use one that is made specifically for vehicles. You want to make sure that the chemicals that you use are gentle enough not to scratch your vehicle during this removal process.

Keep in mind that no matter what you put on the vehicle, you will need to make sure that the bird droppings are soft enough for removal.

What If My Car Has Already Been Damaged By Bird Droppings?

If your vehicle already has dull spots and ripples because of bird poop, you will need to give those spots some attention. In some cases, you will need to do some repair work to ensure that your car looks brand-new and that it looks like it has never had bird droppings on it.

If you have damage from bird droppings, you should start the repair process as possible. This will not get any better with age, so it is important to address the unsightly damages quickly.

Here are some tips on how to repair the issue yourself.

The first step is to clean the car well. Make sure that it is completely clean and dry. You will then want to make sure that you put on a lightly abrasive polish to the area where the bird previously dropped its mess.

Make sure that you have already removed the bird poop. This method should remove any damage to the paint’s top layer.

Once you have polished the car, you will want to seal the car wax or sealant to help protect it from the elements.

If for whatever reason you cannot get the bird poop affected area back to its normal shininess, you will want to see someone who specializes in getting your car back to its original state. An expert will have tools like an orbital polisher that will help to get your car buffed and polished to where you would never know that you had an incident with bird droppings.

Do not be ashamed to have to go to an expert about the bird droppings on your vehicle. They have seen many cases, as this happens to everyone, and will have all the equipment to fix the paint on the vehicle

Of course, we never want to deal with bird droppings on our vehicles, but the fact is that whenever you have birds, there is a potential for them to release their droppings all over your vehicle. It is imperative to keep a watchful eye on your vehicle, and remove any bird droppings as soon as possible. Failure to do so can lead to costly repairs and an unsightly looking vehicle.

Be sure to inspect your car on a daily basis for signs of bird droppings. Regular inspection will help you to prevent any damage to your car from bird poop.

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About The Author

Rob

Rob

I've been detailing cars for years. I love cars but more importantly, I love clean cars. I created this blog to share all of my knowledge around keeping cars as clean as possible.