How to Get Rid of Bird Droppings on Your Car the Right Way

Birds tend to be more active during summer, and more activity means more opportunities for their droppings to land on your shiny, newly-buffed ride by chance. Unfortunately for you, bird droppings tend to be highly acidic, and the longer they stay on your car, the more damage your precious paint finish will receive. Indeed, bird droppings on your car paint can be worrisome, but what's more problematic is if you don’t know how to remove them properly. Use the wrong technique, and you could end up doing more damage. Here’s what you should do:

Use water to soften the substance

When you see bird poop on your vehicle, your first instinct would probably be to wipe it off immediately. This would be a mistake, because the substance can contain tiny bits of food that are abrasive enough to scratch your paintwork. If you're at home and you've got a garden hose nearby, turn on the tap just enough to soften the poop. Keep spraying water until the material liquefies. Then use a microfiber cloth to remove the rest. Make sure you're using a clean section of the cloth every time you wipe until the substance is completely removed to protect your car from scratches.

But what if you're out and about?

If you're away from home with no access to a faucet, you may be tempted to let the poop sit until you get to your garage, but don't. This is when it pays to be prepared, so this summer, make sure to always have a bottle of water sprayer in your trunk, along with a couple of microfiber cloths. Bring these along even if you know you'll be parking in the shade, because those droppings could still fall on your car when you're on the road. As you do with a hose, spray water onto the bird poop until it turns liquid, then remove it all with the microfiber cloth until it's spotless once again, spraying more water as necessary.