How To Recover The Car Paint Damage From Bird Droppings?
After a long winter, everyone loves to take their car outside for a fun day in the sun. Or, you may decide to give it a well-deserved wash. But, parking it outside brings a problem that you may not have thought about – bird poop on car!
It’s an annoying problem, and the damages from bird droppings can be unsightly if not taken care of quickly.
What Is Bird Dropping?
Of course, we all know what bird poop is. But not many people know, different types of bird poop on car have different ways to deal with it. So to give your vehicle a nice and clean paint, you need to be able to tell them apart. There are two common types of bird-dropping etchings:
Type I: Bird Dropping Topical Stain Etching
Bird dropping topical stain etching is a quite common type of bird poop on cars. It is shallow and fades, which is easy to wash or remove completely.
To clean this type of dropping, the driver can use a clear coat-safe polish or compound. The cleaning process can be performed by both hand and machine, yet doing it manually is more efficient.
You can apply more pressure on a specific area. And if you don’t have time to do hand removal, a spot repair system will be perfect for cleaning.
Type II: Bird Dropping Fractured/Wrinkled Etching
Here comes the tough guy. Wrinkled etchings is the bird poop type number 2. This type of dropping is very stubborn and hard to be fixed safely since it swells well with the paint fractured.
Drivers should be careful since trying to remove it will also damage clear paint and expose the base coat of the car. So if you recognize this type of bird dropping, don’t try to clean or remove it by force.
Damages from Bird Poop On Car
Have you ever thought how such a little amount of poops could do substantial damage to the paint? How long does it take bird poop to damage car paint? The answer is over 3 minutes.
Well, it’s all about science! Bird deposits contain a high amount of uric acid with a pH level somewhere between 3 and 4.5, which is quite acidic.
Simple speaking, bird poop on a car can slowly eat your car out! Uric acid is corrosive, and it quickly eats the wax coating or paint sealant and cuts through the paint.
For that reason, never let the poop stay too long in your car if you don’t want to spend a lot of pennies at the painting shop.
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Tips to Recover Paint From Bird Poop On Car
The first and most important rule is to deal with all poops on the car. Removing bird poop stains from car as soon as possible because the uric acid will penetrate through the paint over time and reach the base coat of paint.
You should use a moist microfiber towel to remove the deposit. If it’s already dry, put the wet towel on it, pour some water, and then wait for 10 minutes. After that, remove the poop gently and dispose of the towel.
Now, follow these tips to recover the bird poop paint damage:
Use a Car Detailer Spray
It’s probably the easiest way to remove bird poop stain on car. You will just need to apply a few shots of spray on the dried poop. The liquid will dissolve the deposit, which you can wipe with a microfiber towel.
Another plus point is it will sit on the top of your paint sealant or wax, not melt or get through it. It will restore the shine and remove all the dirt.
Polish the Paint
If the damaged spot is less than 1 inch in diameter, apply a high-quality dual-action car polisher to fix it.
Apply it on the affected spot and its immediate surrounding area and then sand the area using 1000 or 2000-grit sandpaper. Remember not to polish or sand too much because it will make the paint thinner and expose the layer underneath.
Apply a Cleaner
If the droppings affect more than a 1-inch diameter, you have to use a fine-cut cleaner. However, after removing bird poop from car, pre-level the spot with a 3000-grit wet and dry sandpaper. Then, you can use the compound to reglaze the finish.
Check this video from AMMO NYC to have a better idea about how to do clean bird poop with a cleaner.
Use a WD-40
WD40, which (WD stands for water displacement) has been on the market since 1953 and is currently quite popular worldwide.
The WD40 formula is made up of hydrocarbons and low-volatile lubricant molecules. When these hydrocarbons are sprayed over surfaces, they evaporate and leave an oily film behind.
As stated by WD-40, its magic-in-a-can spray has 259 automotive applications, one of which is removing dried bird excrement from automobile paint. To remove bird droppings off your vehicle, sprinkle WD-40 on the affected area, wait 60 seconds, then rinse or wipe away with a clean, soft cloth.
How To Protect Against Bird Droppings
You know two types of bird poops, along with understanding how to fix this problem. So now we will provide you with how to protect your car from bird droppings: Wax or paint sealant.
The clear, thin layer of wax or paint sealant might sound too vulnerable, yet it is one of the best protection for your paint layer.
After drying, wipe off your car’s paint to protect it. For that reason, keeping a bottle of spray detailer, along with soft microfiber cloths for emergencies is essential.
You can also park your car in covered areas like underground basements of buildings to avoid bird droppings on car. If you must park outside, park as far away from trees or buildings as possible. Avoid lamps, light poles, and telephone lines as well.
Another simple method you can use is using a high-qualified car cover. A vehicle cover will establish a barrier to protect your car’s paint from bird droppings.
If you often leave your car in a high-risk region, consider purchasing a cloth cover. It may not allow you to show off your gorgeous automobile, but it is surely preferable than risking harm to it.
Notices When Dealing With Bird Poop On Car
We have just gone through all types of methods and tips on how to remove bird poop from car without damaging paint.
Overall, bird poop on car paint is inevitable but not a super complicated issue to deal with. Surfing through the internet and you can see there are both wrong and correct ways to manage bird feces cleanup.
With that said, here is the summary of what you should and shouldn’t do when dealing with bird poop etching.
Don’t:
- Wiping bird droppings with a damp paper towel.
- Use a direct pressure washer blast on the feces.
- Use any ordinary home cleaning on the feces.
- Scrape or make any hard scrub against bird droppings. Do not do this at all cost!
- To avoid scratches, don’t keep bird excrement on your car too long.
Dos:
- Wash your automobile thoroughly to remove bird feces from any spots that are out of sight.
- Use a waterless wash method or high-qualified detailing product.
- Avoid hard soap or detergents at all cost
- Wipe the dirty areas with a microfiber towel or soft cloth. Don’t scrub continuously on the car surface.
- Look for bird poop wipes or cleansers that are designed particularly for bird excrement. Bring them with you in your car everyday.
- Using any sanitizer type on your vehicle.
The Final Words
It’s actually impossible to completely shield from bird poop on car. Nevertheless, these tips above will help you keep the paint unaffected. You can use a car cover to limit the occurrences and wax the vehicle frequently. It won’t keep the birds away but will make the cleaning process easier.
For more car maintenance tips, follow Car From Japan today.
