As a car owner, you are bound to park your car in the open at some point. That means your car can be exposed to the elements, including the waste from our fine feathered friends. If your car has been stained by bird poop, here is the best way to remove it according to the professionals.
Vehicle owners are advised to carry bird muck wipes in the car as this will help wipe the bird poop in the first instance it occurs. If the poop has already been dried and it forms an etching, you can't use the bird muck wipes as it might damage your painting.
Other options you could try are carbonated water, baking soda, or detailer spray.
Does that mean you can not instantly remove dried poop etching from your car? Keep reading as we would talk about the complete steps involved in cleaning both fresh and dry bird poop etching from your car without destroying the car painting.
Ways to Remove Bird Poop Etching From Car
Bird poop etching can be a bit damaging to your car, especially when it becomes dry. This is because bird poop contains acidic chemicals and a highly concentrated urea composition.
If it is left on your car for the sun to dry, it can etch your car painting or even peel the metal layer. Here are materials you can use to get bird poop off your car without causing any further damage.
Use Muck Wipes
Muck wipes are just like microfibre cloths that can be used to remove bird poops etching from your car. Either you use a muck wipe or a soft cloth, just make sure it is moist before using it to wipe off the etching. Even though this method works only when the mark is still fresh.
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Use a Detailer Spray
The car may be hot when the poop settles on it, this might cause direct sticking to the body of the car even though it is still new. Because of this, it would be tough for you to use only bird muck wipes or soft towels alone.
A detailer spray can help soften the sticky stuff so that you can wipe it off immediately.
Carbonated Water
Carbonated water is an alkali solution. Since bird poop contains an acidic solution, the carbonated water will neutralize its acidic properties, hence making it very easy to clean.
Use WD-40 to Soften, Then Clean
This is a very efficient method of clearing dry etching. Once the bird poop is dry, spray WD-40 on it and leave it to soften for the next 60 seconds. Afterward, you can use a soft cloth to wipe off what remains remain.
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Baking Soda
If you don't have carbonated water, you can also use baking soda to neutralize the acidic chemicals in the droppings. Once you have done that, its affinity will reduce a bit, and you will be able to remove it.
Detergent and Cloth
You can soak a soft cloth or towel into a detergent or a car-safe soap solution. Leave it to moisten for a while, then place the cloth on the area. Leave it for about 15 minutes. It should have absorbed the whole etching by this time.
At least one of the methods explained above in this article would work to prevent the etching. If none of them works, then you might have to go to an automobile shop near you to have it cleaned by a professional.
Can You Polish Out Bird Poop Etching?
If you should take your vehicle to automobile experts for auto detailing, the most common thing they will tell you is to restore the paint. You can polish out bird poop etching with a simple baking soda.
That remnant in the lines of the poop that could have remained in your car would be wiped off within a few seconds of the baking powder saturating the mess.
How Do You Remove Dried Bird Poop?
You can remove dried bird poop from your car without causing any damage to the painting. You need to be very careful though and don't just try to use tough cleaning solutions that can react with the car's paint. Here are five simple ways for you to clean dried poop from a car:
- Sprinkle WD 40 specifically on the area containing the bird poop etching. Leave for the next 1 minute, and then wipe the poop with a cloth.
- Mix 2 or 3 spoonfuls of baking soda in water or spirit to clean the bird poop etching off the car.
- You can also use bird poop wipes moistened in car-safe soap to clean dried bird poop.
- You can also use baking soda, carbonated water, or seltzer water to clean up the poop.
Dry bird droppings are harder to remove compared to fresh ones. But sometimes there is nothing you can do about it since you might not even notice the stain immediately. However, once you notice, do not hesitate to remove the dried poop as soon as possible.
It takes a certain length of time before bird poop can eat up your car paint or cause corrosion to the metal. There is no need to be worried about paint damage when the stain is new.
How Long Does Bird Poop Take to Ruin Paint?
Those unwanted gifts from above contain acidic urea that can hurt your car. The acid doesn't attack your car paint instantly. However, after about 48 hours, and it has not been cleaned yet, then the poop might starts to damage your car paint.
The etching is caused by food eaten by the bird making them release poop of acidic PH ranging from 3PH to 4.5PH. This results in a destructive pattern on your car.
Does WD-40 Damage Car Paint?
WD-40 does not destroy car paint, rather it helps to restore and maintain the painting on cars, vehicles, trucks, and automobiles.
If you are driving and you get involved in an incident of car paint scratch, damaging the painting a bit, WD-40 is an excellent chemical that can help you restore your car's regular painting.
Does WD-40 Remove Bird Poop Etching?
One of the uses of WD-40 for car owners is the ability to remove bird poop etching. It is used to unstuck harmful substances from a metallic object, just like the body of a car.
So if your car door or window gets splashed by bird poop, you can remove it with WD-40 instead of any other more complicated substance. Sprinkle a few WD-40 on the area where the bird poop etching is located and leave it in the meantime. After some minutes, try cleaning the etching and it would come off easily.
Does WD-40 Ruin a Clear Coat?
WD-40 does not ruin clear coats either. It just adjusts the coat to achieve a perfect fix and texture. Its uses for trucks and cars include the following:
- Cleaning oil without any trace.
- Lubricating spark plugs during humid or cold weather.
- It helps to restore the corroding car license plates.
- It also keeps off bugs, tree saps, and so on.
Does Vinegar Clean Bird Poop Etching?
Yes, vinegar is a good cleaning agent since it contains chemicals regarded as drying agents. However, a common question is if it can clean bird poop etching without destroying the car paint itself. Vinegar in the right proportion is enough to clean bird poop in a car or on any surface.
Vinegar can be mixed with dishwashing liquid proportionally to remove bird dropping. However, it is not advisable to use vinegar solution in your car's body.
What Will Keep Birds Away From Cars?
Here are a few things that can keep the bed away from your car:
- A car cover can help physically shield your car against birds and other foreign particles that might want to settle in the car.
- Cars where scarecrows of owls or eagles are put up keep birds away since they would be scared of being attached.
- You can also install sound emitters that would produce irritating sounds when birds even come near your car.
To Wrap Up
Bird poop etching on cars, though it might seem to be very easy to manage, can be very harmful to cars.
Your car isn't always safe when packed in the open as birds can poop on it at any time. It would be best to always pack under an overhead shield.
Whether you're dealing with fresh or already dry, the methods stated above are enough to save your car from acidic bird poop.
For articles on cleaning bird waste from your car, we recommend reading these engaging articles.