[rpenhale]

Any suggestions on how to remove bird droppings from the paintwork without scratching it, particularly hardened droppings.

[monsta]

Hot soapy water

[dietcokeplease]

Soak some old used newspaper with water/car shampoo and place on the offending poop. The newspaper helps the water to penetrate the poop - thus allowing it to be removed without scratching.

You might need to leave the wet paper on the poop for about 15 minutes as some birds seem to **** concrete!

DC

[blade929]

Quote:

You might need to leave the wet paper on the poop for about 15 minutes as some birds seem to **** concrete!

LOL alot.

[Dshelton]

Watch out too cos not only do birds do concrete S£%t but they also seem to produce the most harmful substance to mankind which seems to be capable of stripin ur nice shiny laquer!!

[groovy_jr]

A jet wash but from a distance so's not to damage the paintwork!

...I got me new karcher I bought for me MINI in the garage....33% of the UK list price! French Import BARGAIN! LOL

[Blackdeath]

The clearcoat on my solid black ONE must be the least resistant paint in the world to bird dropping damage. Two days of exposure to two large dollops from above have played havoc with the paint finish. Polishing failied, so it was T-Cut (ARRGH!!!!!!!) time.

What worries me is that if I can ever afford to go on holidays and don't take the car and a bucket with me, I am likely to come back to no paint left on at all.

I hoped that the ****ing moggie from next door which leaves hair, foot-prints and scratches on my bonnet would scare the birds off, but they seem to go in for dive bombing practise instead.

[dietcokeplease]

For some reason Black and Red non-metallic paint seems to be particularly badly affected by bird droppings. A friends Black Peugeot 106 scored a direct hit on the centre of the bonnet. She left it for 2 days and when it came to washing it off, it also took off some paint and exposed the white primer. Maybe this is related somehow to the rapid fade properties of black/red paint which makes it bond weakly?

You could be nerdy like me and carry a small sandwich box filled with some water and car shampoo and a Halfords Insect/Bug Pad. I sometimes wash off the birds poop when miles from home but mainly to remove fly city from the windscreen in summer months!

[Dshelton]

Dont worry ur not the only one

[monsta]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietcokeplease

You could be nerdy like me and carry a small sandwich box filled with some water and car shampoo and a Halfords Insect/Bug Pad. I sometimes wash off the birds poop when miles from home but mainly to remove fly city from the windscreen in summer months!

Guilty, I often carry around windscreen cleaner in the summer so I can get the bugs off the screen without using the wipers (they crap at doing that and they water goes down the side of the car making the side windows dirty too)

This also doubles as poo remover but you have to catch it almost as soon as it's done otherwise you risk scratching the paint.

[forozco]

The car gets a visual inspection at the end of every day and I finally found a bird dropping hit. I don't know what birds eat out here to make their poop so acidic, but there's no way it could have been there more than 10 hours and it looks like ate into the clearcoat. Is the only way to avoid this to keep a spray bottle handy?!

What is T-Cut? Is that like a glaze?

[Blackdeath]

Quote:

Originally posted by forozco

What is T-Cut? Is that like a glaze?

No, its a cutting compound, which uses abrasives to get bact to undamaged paint. Obviously its best avoided if possible, but the only real remedy for seriosly matted finishes.

By the way, hope you are well away from those forest fires - it sounds pretty rough out in Colorado

[Wibbl]

Does anyone know if the paints being used now are worse for this sort of thing compared to say 10 years ago, as they are water based rather than organic solvent based in order to be environmentally friendly? Maybe this makes them more likely to be attacked by the acids in the "droppings"?

Wibbl

[emdionisi0]

Quote:

Originally posted by forozco
The car gets a visual inspection at the end of every day and I finally found a bird dropping hit. I don't know what birds eat out here to make their poop so acidic, but there's no way it could have been there more than 10 hours and it looks like ate into the clearcoat. Is the only way to avoid this to keep a spray bottle handy?!

What is T-Cut? Is that like a glaze?

You can ask your MINI dealer about "Paint Resistant" package.It's something that they will apply to the car that prevent's damage to droppings etc.Though it warrants the paint for 5 years but it cost you $466!

[flipper]

Soak the offending dump with loads of water, if its rock hard don't rub it - try lots of warm water and leave it for a few minutes, most should come off with a watery sponge but don't force it.
Any remaining marks try car polish with a clean soft cloth -avoid anything harsher.
Don't leave bird dropping on bodywork for too long.