Bird poop

[Gib83]

Hi, my allocated parking space at work is right beneath a load of trees. Needless to say at this time of year the birds all group together and use my car for target practise. Think they can sense a freshly cleaned car.

Anyway, obviously it isn't possible to clean the car every night so was wondering if anyone knows of a quick, effective way of cleaning bird poop from the car without damaging the paintwork.

I hate to see it on the car and need to find a quick way of getting it off when I get home at night.

Thanks

 

[matthewbentham]

If the bird poop is 'fresh on' , then what I've found is pretty effective is to wash it off using a 500ml trigger spray (you can get them for a £ or 2 from garden centres, B+Q etc) with clean water inside it. just trun the nozzle so you have a jet of water coming out. by doing it this way you avoid rubing the bird poop into paintwork and/or scratching it. just keep squirting until its all dissolved

 

[Tam]

I'd be looking to park somewhere else ... or accidentally finding the tree cut down one weekend

 

[Bainie]

Bird poo is nasty stuff, I would park elswhere as well !! It will damage your paint, but as said above try not to rub at it, an outside hose would do the trick, and a hose down every night ..

 

[Gib83]

I really do wish i could park somewhere else. the spaces are allocated and its a nightmare to park around the office, plus you have to pay a small fortune to the local council.

 

[beachboy]

General Melchett : "Well ... I knew a Major, who got pooh-poohed, made the mistake of ignoring the pooh-pooh. ..."

So don't go ignoring the bird-poo!
Look here for some excellent guides on car detailing, washing, polishing waxing etc:

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/guides_protect.html

 

[Ni Cupra]

i would be getting the lend of a chainsaw, then you would hae no more bother! lol!

 

[Husbandofstinky]

I use water-but rain water and a watering can (no metals in the water = hardly any water marks).

Give it a good soak - several times if required - so it loosens up without the need to rub off.

Make sure you get it off ASAP so it doesn't mark the lacquer.

During the autumn, the bird crap can be quite acidic and mark the lacquer within an hour or two. This happened last year on a fleeting visit to mother's - it rippled the lacquer.

Against my better judgement I tried very,very lightly to T-cut the offending marks. It worked a treat.

I would only do this once in a blue moon (just in case) If the problem was that regular -

Nail a toy cat on the branch above your car. (if it were me, I'd shoot the buggers with an air rifle as long as you were within the law - own land away from public roads)

 

[Syphon]

Thread moved from the MK2 Leon section as birds target other models of car too.

Scott

 

[peter61]

I use water-but rain water and a watering can (no metals in the water = hardly any water marks).

Give it a good soak - several times if required - so it loosens up without the need to rub off.

Make sure you get it off ASAP so it doesn't mark the lacquer.

During the autumn, the bird crap can be quite acidic and mark the lacquer within an hour or two. This happened last year on a fleeting visit to mother's - it rippled the lacquer.

Against my better judgement I tried very,very lightly to T-cut the offending marks. It worked a treat.

I would only do this once in a blue moon (just in case) If the problem was that regular -

Nail a toy cat on the branch above your car. (if it were me, I'd shoot the buggers with an air rifle as long as you were within the law - own land away from public roads)

Its a bit extreme to shoot a bird just because it crapped on your car, after all they were here before cars.

Anyway all wild birds excluding game birds are protected by law so its illegal to harm them in any way whether it is your land or not unless you fancy a hefty fine or prison.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Shooting is very serious - and those that shoot seriously abide by the law.

I thought that I'd better check which birds are deemed as vermin (i.e. can shoot all year round under WCA 1981). Just to clarify the following wild birds that can be legally be legally shot are:

Canada Geese
Crow
Collared Dove
Great Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Jackdaw
Jay
Magpie
Feral Pigeon
Rook
Wood Pigeon

This list is updated every two years by the Secretary State for the Environment.

The last changes was 28 February 2005 which included the removal of the House Sparrow and Starling together with the inclusion of Canada Geese (this surprised me).

Just wondered where you thought the pigeons came from to make the pie Peter? It is illegal to shoot domestic pigeons.

 

[AndrewJB]

i would demand a carparking space move as you are paying for the service

 

[peter61]

Yes H.O.S I do know wood pigeons make up pigeon pie, however I realize your comment was tongue in cheek, but the majority of birds sat on wires tend to be sparrows, starlings, house martens etc...and there's always some halfwit who gets there kicks blowing them away, so just saying it's not the nicest thing to be doing that's all, no offence

 

[Jonny]

Damn seagulls around here eat battery acid & toxic waste... the crap was only on my car a few hours while parked at work, tried to wash it off and the laquer on my boot spoiler & roof was already burned / stained

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Yes H.O.S I do know wood pigeons make up pigeon pie, however I realize your comment was tongue in cheek, but the majority of birds sat on wires tend to be sparrows, starlings, house martens etc...and there's always some halfwit who gets there kicks blowing them away, so just saying it's not the nicest thing to be doing that's all, no offence

No offence taken - I shoot regularly - and with the air rifle I shoot mainly wood pigeon. This rifle is very good for pigeon and rabbit as its a compressed air rifle with silencer (Air Arms). These rifles do not make much noise and this does not tend to frighten them away - if you're lucky. I tend to eat just the breast or if I have a successful shoot - give the birds away to neighbours. I don't tend to shoot at night - i.e. rabbits - this btw is illegal in Northern Ireland - night shooting and on Sundays.

My comments were not really tongue in cheek as if they were on my land, I would shoot them (within the law). You just have to be really careful and understand the law - WCA (1981) plus amendments. The BASC is always a good starting point for the layman though.

I understand where you are coming from as it is always the bad apples that spoil it for the rest of us - be it shooting or Chavs in modded SEATS!

I do not have any moral or social issues in shooting vermin. If they were rats, then just about 100% of the public would be happy with the cull. Most people are aware that Feral pigeons (in particular) carry more disease than rats.

 

[Rob66]

If all else fails get yourself a bed sheet an pop it over the car when you leave it long as your gentle is wont scratch the paint... mmm perhaps not so good if its windy

I keep a bottle of Megs QD in teh car at all times and check the car at lunchtime anything on it i soak it for 10mins than wipe carefully off.

Rob

 

[wayncast]

I have a problem with those pesky, flapping vermin too!!
Not long bought a lovely bengal yellow cupra sport and gave it the clean of it's life to day.
In conclusion, i found out that the laquer has bubbled in places on the roof and has peeled just above the driver side door!! How do I tackle this problem?

 

[seat_dude]

if the bird poop does take out the lacquer, can you put on some lacquer, followed by wax shine (i guess the absence of lacquer would be visible through lack of shine)

 

[wayncast]

I enquired locally to polished bliss to see what they thought. the guy said that if you keep trying to cover the exposed areas it would still peel off especially this time of year with the frost.
I'm now forking out 350 smackers to have the whole roof panel stripped of laquer coat and paint and new coats put back on.
It's a cracking little car so I'm treating it right

thanks for help anyway mate

 

[westoncraig]

damm birds have taken the biggest dump all over my wing and bonnett!!
im buying an air rifle!!!