Removing Bird Droppings

[Charles_Harding]

Originally Posted by allan40alt

Don't be silly, Charles; the bird will be well away before you even get the glovebox open...

Allan40alt:

You dont get it do you?

The idea is to throw the whole packet at the feathered thing!

"After just six years of marriage I've worked out two things.
Never, never decorate together.
And always have two bathrooms.
Both for her!"

Charles H.

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by Charles_Harding

Allan40alt:

You dont get it do you?

The idea is to throw the whole packet at the feathered thing!

Charles H.

Tied to a brick, no doubt.....

[Charles_Harding]

Originally Posted by allan40alt

Tied to a brick, no doubt.....

No.

A bit of string.

I'd be ready for the next one then.

Have you seen the price of those wipes.

Money doesn't grow on trees you know!

"Lady H. was in labour for over 24 hours.
And I was faithfull all that time as well!"

Charles H.

[R-2]

I live near a large colony of crows/rooks and my car is unfortunately under their flight path. My whole car is covered in white splatter marks. Looks like someone has chucked white paint at it There is so much of it that i have to rinse the whole car only to find that it is in the same state just a few hours later I have noticed that the paint is marked where the b****rs have crapped on it. Infact its got so bad that i'm going to have to park my car well away from the house . Probably for at least 2 months until they have finished nesting

So i have 3 questions

1. Am i allowed to shoot the buggers.

2. Whats the best way to get rid of the marks - not the actual poo but where the paint has been damaged. There are hundreds of tiny marks as well as the large splodges. Some sort of polish?

3. Is there anything i can apply to my paintwork to help protect it from future damage by corrosive s**t. My car has been treated with Supagard but it doesn't seem to give any protection

[Speedy471]

I find that a decent sealant ie Carlack, followed by a couple of coats of wax ie. Collinite, will help the BP rinse off really easily, without using any cloths. Just noticed a huge dump on the bonnet earlier. I will be out there 1st thing tomorrow with the foam lance!

[AndyC]

@ R-2 something like the Meguiars 3 step might be good for you if you dont want to get into the professional detailers with their fancy compounds. I have done this process on a few friends cars recently:

1. Wash well with shampoo and rinse
2. Clay carefully with Meguiars Quick Clay - this removes any surface contaminents bonded to your paint/clearcoat surface and leaves it feeling like glass. Obviously though it is now unprotected. You will be surprised at the "muck" this takes off, and yes it is safe and easy to use. Then shampoo and rinse again.
3. The Meguiars 3 step has 3 bottles - the first is a paint cleaner to remove any trace dirt. Step 2 is a polish that prepares the surface for waxing. Step 3 is Carnuba wax for lustre, shine and protection.

I have done this both by hand and by orbital polisher and while it may take a while it something that you really only have to do maybe once a year and then just top up with wax as needed.

In fact I just did my other halfs Beetle on Fri night and it hadnt been polished in any way in 3 years. Whole car looks and brighter shade of silver now and loads of tar spots and even paint japs from when my house was done have now gone.

Oh and a Sonus Wunder towel is a must for drying. You can dry the whole car without even needing to wring it out!!!

[robbo51]

Originally Posted by Speedy471

I find that a decent sealant ie Carlack, followed by a couple of coats of wax ie. Collinite.................

Spot on advise.

[PJS]

Let's clear up some myths about waxes and sealants, shall we?
First, it's not a magical coat of armour. It's softer than the clearcoat it bonds to/sits on, and is only around 20 Angstroms thick.
Now, if bird crap can attack the much harder clearcoat within a matter of hours, what do you think it'll do to the wax/sealant?

Not all bird poo is the same - some is much more acidic than others.
So, as advised over on page 1, the only thing you can do, is make sure you have a MF cloth or two in the car, and a QD, and get it off the first opportunity you can.

If you've been unfortunate to have the crap stain/etch on your paintwork, then either by hand or with your machine, use a light polish to remove it. Sadly in some cases, the etching is too deep, the only solution is to wet sand the area and touch in with paint and/or clearcoat, and polish up.

[robbo51]

Originally Posted by PJS

Let's clear up some myths about waxes and sealants, shall we?
First, it's not a magical coat of armour. It's softer than the clearcoat it bonds to/sits on, and is only around 20 Angstroms thick.
Now, if bird crap can attack the much harder clearcoat within a matter of hours, what do you think it'll do to the wax/sealant?

Not all bird poo is the same - some is much more acidic than others.
So, as advised over on page 1, the only thing you can do, is make sure you have a MF cloth or two in the car, and a QD, and get it off the first opportunity you can.

If you've been unfortunate to have the crap stain/etch on your paintwork, then either by hand or with your machine, use a light polish to remove it. Sadly in some cases, the etching is too deep, the only solution is to wet sand the area and touch in with paint and/or clearcoat, and polish up.

Myths?
There is not the suggestion that it is a coat of armour.
If you can wipe it off as soon as possible, as you rightly say, then a coat of sealer and wax will aid in that process.

[Munro]

My car is often parked on the approach path to a pigeons nest, the pigeons have a habit of unloading on approach . I think they poo acidic concrete

Best advice is to remove the poo as soon as you can before it does any damage. Hot soapy water is all you need to soak it off.

I Dont know what is best to protect the paint otherwise...........

[Dimplyred]

Originally Posted by Munro

I Dont know what is best to protect the paint otherwise...........

A garage

[Munro]

Originally Posted by Dimplyred

A garage

Doh.....you are right

However the garage is full of bikes and other stuff.

[Dimplyred]

Originally Posted by Munro

Doh.....you are right

However the garage is full of bikes and other stuff.

Have you ever tried to get it in, mine is a tight squeeze, with the Civic being so wide.

[Jack The Lad.]

I reckon, down here we must have the only Wandering Albatros for 3000 miles.
He drops his load about once a week, but only on my car it seems.
Or maybe its a gang of 100 sparrows, doing a hit in unison.

[Munro]

Originally Posted by Dimplyred

Have you ever tried to get it in, mine is a tight squeeze, with the Civic being so wide.

Not tried it, but it will be a tight squeeze. Cars have got a lot wider over the years. The long doors on a 3 door won't make it any easier either...

[R-2]

Thanks guys for the advice. It really is a case of prevention is better than cure as i can't always remove the acidic concrete c**p straight away. I do amazingly have a life

So for the next few months i will be parking away from the flight path or buying a gun

The garage option would be the best but like others my car won't fit in. Its not really a garage anyway just a farm outbuilding built about 300 years before the car was even invented.

I will try out some of the suggestions though to try and rectify the damage and try to get a better protective layer.

@ PJS Whats a QD?

[robbo51]

Originally Posted by R-2

.......................

@ PJS Whats a QD?

Perhaps its Irish for 'do it quick'?
ie PDQ? (pretty damn quick)

[R-2]

[ADE Type S]

Originally Posted by Kremmen

Good tip

I remember one 'expert' reckoning that you soak a cloth with warm water to place over the area once it has been soaked.

The idea being that it will partially disolve it and prevent scratching.

Thats what i do but with a few pieces of kitchen roll folded up in a square shape soack with warm water and leave on the area to soak then just lift it off and most if not all of the bird muck will come way on the paper towel.


QD = QUICK DETAILER

[Jack The Lad.]

Quick dilution maybe. Keep a bottle of distilled water in the boot.
Or in my case, with the bl--dy Albatros, about two dozen.