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Does bird poo really damage paintwork?


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So my car parking space is unfortunately right under a very large tree, and birds constantly crap all over it. Was wondering if bird crap actually really does damage paint? I clean my car once a week anyway, but don't want to have to clean it every day! Thinking about hiring a company to lob some of the over hanging branches off. 

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Yes.

It damages the lacquer because it is corrosive and will leave ghost marks of where it was, if left on the paintwork for too long.

I always get it off my car on the same day if I can.

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13 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

Yes.

It damages the lacquer because it is corrosive and will leave ghost marks of where it was, if left on the paintwork for too long.

I always get it off my car on the same day if I can.

Yeah ill go give it a quick jet wash today. Looks like cutting the tress is the best idea then! 

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I was just reading and there are a few theories of what actually does the damage, but the important thing is yes it will damage it, so get it off ASAP.

If you can't cut the tress your only other option is a cover, but that'd be a right faff every day.

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1 hour ago, fraserrg said:

Yeah ill go give it a quick jet wash today. Looks like cutting the tress is the best idea then! 

Be careful jet washing it, the poo can often have grit and pips in it and the jet wash may scratch it. Better off spray the poo with some APC first to break it down a bit.

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14 minutes ago, chrisroberson99 said:

Be careful jet washing it, the poo can often have grit and pips in it and the jet wash may scratch it. Better off spray the poo with some APC first to break it down a bit.

THAT EXPLAINS THE SCRATCHES ON MY CAR!! I had bird crap all over it yesterday, went to jet wash and have these awkward scratches on spoiler and near fuel cap (right where the bird poo was!)

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How big is the tree ? Has it been there years ? It may well be protected!! So enquire with local Council or Forestry Commission before anyone cuts any branches off it! My brother cut a big tree down which was lifting up the kerb and was damaging his house! Turns out the old tree had a 'Tree Preservation Order' on it and my brother was took to court and was found guilty and fined, he also had to buy a new oak sapling and replant.

Is the tree close by ? Buy a bird scarer! The sonic kind and aim it at the tree.

A cover is a good idea but that causes problems in itself as said previously but the cover can also damage the car :mellow:  When the cover flaps & waves in the wind, it brushes the paintwork and over time it will cause matt spots in the paint where it moves in the wind, doesn't happen over night but gradually over a few month's, especially at the wing edges. 

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4 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

How big is the tree ? Has it been there years ? It may well be protected!! So enquire with local Council or Forestry Commission before anyone cuts any branches off it! My brother cut a big tree down which was lifting up the kerb and was damaging his house! Turns out the old tree had a 'Tree Preservation Order' on it and my brother was took to court and was found guilty and fined, he also had to buy a new oak sapling and replant.

Is the tree close by ? Buy a bird scarer! The sonic kind and aim it at the tree.

A cover is a good idea but that causes problems in itself as said previously but the cover can also damage the car :mellow:  When the cover flaps & waves in the wind, it brushes the paintwork and over time it will cause matt spots in the paint where it moves in the wind, doesn't happen over night but gradually over a few month's, especially at the wing edges. 

Its not that big, I wouldn't be cutting the whole tree down just cutting some of the overhanging branches, it is owned by the council, but even though we pay people to keep the place tidy and neat they don't do anything with the trees!  I am going to drop them an email because its a pain in the a$$

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If the tree has no preservation order and is overhanging private land, you (the landowner) should be able to cut it up to the boundary.

You need to offer the bits cut off back to the council though as it is their property.

Either way you need to notify the council, ask them to cut it and if they don't you'll cut it up to the boundary and ask them where they'd like the off cuts left.

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Oh! Bird poo is a right killer for a new car which has been painted in water based paints! most if not all cars are painted this way! the old days of a hard lacquer have long gone, so any bird poo should be removed ASAP. I have a small bottle of water & pack of baby wipes in the glove-box for such emergency's :wallbash:

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15 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

If the tree has no preservation order and is overhanging private land, you (the landowner) should be able to cut it up to the boundary.

You need to offer the bits cut off back to the council though as it is their property.

 

True but the Council won't pick up the branches that day, so to be on the safe side don't leave them on the kerb or laying by the tree, tell the Council where the cut branches are.

Last thing someone needs is a knock on the door saying I've just tripped over these F'ing branches and you get sued.

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Probably too late...  Although it's corrosive, the bigger problem is the lacquer getting soft on hot days (like we're having now), the bird 'dirt' then moulds it and it cools and hardens with an imperfection of the mess.  Happened on my Golf, huge !Removed! down the wing on a hot day, I cleaned it that evening but left a huge mark. :sad: 

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Reckon we'd have to buy a few pellet guns or a dozen cats to rid most birds from around here......

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So the scratches i have from jet washing the bird poo are really artificial but show up white on the red paint work, but when its wet i cant see them? Could they just be polished out? Anyone have any ideas?

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5 hours ago, fraserrg said:

So the scratches i have from jet washing the bird poo are really artificial but show up white on the red paint work, but when its wet i cant see them? Could they just be polished out? Anyone have any ideas?

All depends how deep the marks are! if you want to try and remove the marks use 1500 grade wet & dry paper and gently cleaned up the effected area only, then T-Cut & polish up....But be very careful with this method as you don't want to remove the top layer of lacquer, if you do, then the paint will have to be re-lacquered in that area.

Some years ago I was given a metallic green Vauxhall to work on, it was covered in minor scratches, luckily they was only on the top of the lacquer, I made the car look brand new.

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5 hours ago, fraserrg said:

I have heard tooth paste works wonders....myth?

Not a myth on plastic headlamps & rear lights! brings them up to crystal clear, never tried it on paintwork though.

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To get 'plippety plop' off your car you soak a cloth or tissue in water and sit it on the offending splurge to soften it then you gently pat the area with a moist cloth or tissue which will lift the grunge from the bodywork/windscreen, dry the area and polish with a microfibre cloth, stand back admiring your work then realise you might as well just carry on and polish the rest of the car. 

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Yep, it can damage the paint work - quite badly as I discovered after neglecting to wash a couple of "spots" off our old Rover for a long time.  The result was rather faded red paint under the excrement.

I find washing once a week prevents any lasting damage, but do it more often if you can.  I would but as it happens every effing day to the 405, it is impossible to constantly clean it off within 24 hours.

If I had a gun I'd shoot the damn things.

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I've found the best thing to do with a mark left after cleaning it up is just a quick polish. Obviously making sure there's no grit or dirt around the area first

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12 May 2016 at 1:58 PM, fraserrg said:

I have heard tooth paste works wonders....myth?

Toothpaste has a mild cutting action so yep it will work, just make sure the toothpaste is not the gritty kind!

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