Birds have adapted to survive in the urban environment, but not only this. Some species, such as pigeons, have managed to thrive in cities like nowhere else. However, although harmless, they can be a real nuisance when you have just taken your car from the car wash and, as if by magic, a whitish stain appears on the windshield. Do not be alarmed, you can still remove the bird droppings without major consequencesbut it is important that you follow the steps correctly.
In the summer this problem can increase. In addition to having more birds than in the other seasons, the heat puts your car in a vulnerable situation. Due to high temperatures, the paint and sheet metal of the vehicle expand. So, remains of excrement and dirt enter the pores of the material. Then, as night falls, the cold shrinks the particles again, making it difficult to kill the invader without leaving a mark.
However, this goes beyond being an aesthetic problem. The truth is compounds found in bird droppings can harm your car. Bird fecal material contains acids, which can affect the varnish or paint color of the vehicle. For this reason, it is important to clean it on time and know how to do it correctly.
Tips to remove bird droppings from your car
Now that you know the dangers of not cleaning up bird droppings, you probably want to remove it as a matter of urgency. However, it is not worth any way of doing it, and it is that, if you were to do it wrong, you could end up killing the paint on your car for trying to remove the bird droppings in a hurry.
For this, these are some tips that we recommend following to avoid exacerbating the problems.
soap and water. The classic of a lifetime and the one that you have probably already used to clean your car before. However, not just any soap is good when it comes to removing bird droppings. It is essential that it is one with a neutral pH, applying water before starting the cleaning process. Finally, remember to wipe softly and slowly so as not to damage the bodywork with the excrement particles.
To remove bird droppings in time, it is advisable to bring a bottle of water inside the vehicle. Later, pour the liquid on the stool to reduce its acidity and dilute it. If you don’t have one handy, you can also put a rag over the wiper nozzle (without letting the brushes sweep the surface) to moisten it and wring it out over the stain.
What to do if it has dried. Although it is advisable to clean it as soon as possible, we do not always have materials on hand to clean it. For this reason, if the excrement has solidified over the course of the day, we recommend applying warm water for a few minutes before continuing with the process.
Chemicals to remove bird droppings from your car
Although today there are several products to remove bird droppings from the vehicle body, there is one that is very easy to find. It is the multipurpose oil (3 in 1) of a lifetime. This type of oil has descaling agents, which will allow you to soften the stool before cleaning it up. Likewise, its oily quality will cover the bodywork, protecting it from scratches during the process.
How is it used? Just apply it to the area covered in poop and wipe gently. Don’t try to clean it in one go, as you could scratch the paint. When you get home, remember to clean the remains of the oil with neutral pH soap and water, to prevent its components from damaging the paint in the long term.
another caveat: never apply 3-in-1 oils on materials such as rubber, plastic or glass.
Finally, on sites like Amazon you can find a good variety of products to remove bird droppings. From packages of wipes made for this purpose, to spray chemicals to clean insect remains, tar or bird droppings. They are not too expensive, around between 10 and 18 euros, so you can always carry one in the car to be prepared at all times.
How to protect your car in the future
Of course, being protected against bird attacks is just as important as knowing how to remove the droppings from the car. There are some recommendations you can follow to prevent this from becoming a bigger problem.
The cleaner your car is, the harder it is for bird droppings to stick permanently. In addition, to protect the body from its harmful chemicals, you can choose to wax the vehicle at least twice a year. In this way, your paint layer will have much more resistance to any attack.
However, if the bird droppings you forgot to remove have already left their mark, you will have to go to the soft polish of the area. In this way, it will be able to recover its former shine, although it is not certain that it will be completely free of particles again. After all, the acid and heat have agreed to adhere to the paint on a molecular level.