Hello Gents, 

 

What do you use for bird stains? Some say they are bad for the paint so it's good to be cleaned sooner than later. But how to do it, when I have 1-2 new poops on my car every week and there is no jet washer available around me all the time.

 

I'm wondering is there a product out there which doesn't require washing after usage? Or at least easy washing with a bottle of water would be great

 

Cheers!

First thing i do when i see bird poo on paintwork is put a wet tea bag on it. 

(You may well ask why, but because it softens it for removal with water.)

It needs more than a bottle to wash off poo, like a bucket full. 

4 hours ago, fr1nklyn said:

What do you use for bird stains?

Well, there's this chemical called "DiHydrogen Oxide"...  

I generally leave a microfibre wrapped sponge full of warm water over the offending poo for a good while, to allow stuff to soften and some to float away.  If it's on a level-ish area (e.g. bonnet or roof) I use an old silicone ring (from an old tupperware type lid) around it to help keep it as wet as possible while soaking.  I've found a hand held garden sprayer useful for a localised jet of water on the area.  I keep any 'wiping' to a bare minimum as the poo sediment will have grit in it.

 

 

 

Yes, the poops also have small rocks in them.. maybe it helps birds’ digestion 🤣

 

I’ll try to soak the poo first as you guys suggest, but none of you use some product like tar/insects cleaner?

As above, put a wet cloth on top to soften it to save before rinsing. Paint is quite resiliant to bird poo but if you let it bake in the sun the paint softens underneath it which forms to the texture of said turd which is why it can sometimes leave a mark. That't what I read somewhere anyway 😁

On 09/07/2024 at 11:58, fr1nklyn said:

Hello Gents, 

 

What do you use for bird stains? Some say they are bad for the paint so it's good to be cleaned sooner than later. But how to do it, when I have 1-2 new poops on my car every week and there is no jet washer available around me all the time.

 

I'm wondering is there a product out there which doesn't require washing after usage? Or at least easy washing with a bottle of water would be great

 

Cheers!

I have a dedicated product for removing bird poo / insect mess on my car, but I find waterless car wash more convenient, so I keep a bottle of that in my car. Just spray on, wipe off with damp cloth, polish with a dry cloth.

@EnterName Ahh this is what I was looking for! Waterless cleaning seems very convenient. I didn’t know there is something like that.

 

Have you tried other Waterless products like Meguier’s of Turtle’s?

Waterless products were developed in places like California where there are hosepipe bans often. It’s a solution looking for a problem and also a bit of a compromise. They work by having increased levels of surfactants and lubricants to lift dirt away from the paint so you can wipe it away but essentially you are still risking rubbing dirt against the clear coat and scratching it. Save your money on that in this country. 
There are specific products which help dissolve but generally getting it wet is a good start. But tbh it’s a biological matter, most things involving an alcohol (panel wipe), organic carbon solvent (tar remover) will do the job as will wheel cleaners which are safe for clear coated wheels [and therefore clear coated paint). Spray on, let dwell, rinse off. 
As always with paint, avoid as much mechanical removal as possible. 
 

No “some say” about it, the acids in the poo can eat into clear coat over time but what is a more common issue is when there is direct sunlight and the paint gets hot, the bonds of the outer molecules of the clear coat break and the poo is allowed to be absorbed.