• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Bird droppings on paint

Messages
409
Reactions
113
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
#1
Hey all hoping someone can help!! I parked under a tree today and came back to the ST completely covered in bird poop and pee. I washed the car twice but some of the green poop/pee looks to be embedded into the paint/clear coat and wont come out. Any suggestions as to how to remove this? Tks.
 

Autoworker

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,086
Reactions
1,251
Points
262
Location
Ohio
#3
Did you give it a good bucket wash with car wash and a cloth? that should take anything with the exception of rail dust and tar off your paint. Factory paint is usually resilient to bird poop.
 

OP
F
Messages
409
Reactions
113
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Thread Starter #4
Took it through car wash twice.
Hand washed with synthetic detailer.
Used some scratch remover which took about 60% of it off.
It looks like its bird pee. Has a green tinge that looks to be in the clear coat now.
I read that WD 40 works? Anyone try WD 40?
 

OP
F
Messages
409
Reactions
113
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Thread Starter #6
Going to try clay bar. Ordered Chemical Guys clay bar with their clay lubricant. Looks like that is the solution.
Thanks for the suggestion.
 

GearHead_1

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,557
Reactions
1,300
Points
262
Location
Utah
Vehicle
Exploder
#7
Do you own a polisher/buffer?
 

Messages
237
Reactions
94
Points
27
Location
Dallas, TX, USA
#9
Do you own a polisher/buffer?
That wont take contaminates out of the paint IMO.

Now obviously we dont have a picture or anything else to go by, but a machine isnt IMO the way to go based on his description.

NOW if the bird shit etched the paint, yea, a machine is the right call, but in this case, the first step is to attempt to get the contaminates out of the paint with clay. Im a big fan of least to most aggressive. Hell in this case I would probably first try to hit it with a 2:1 or maybe even straight Super Clean and let it set a minute then wash it off. If that didnt work, then hit it with clay which SHOULD pull it out.
 

OP
F
Messages
409
Reactions
113
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Thread Starter #10
That wont take contaminates out of the paint IMO.

Now obviously we dont have a picture or anything else to go by, but a machine isnt IMO the way to go based on his description.

NOW if the bird shit etched the paint, yea, a machine is the right call, but in this case, the first step is to attempt to get the contaminates out of the paint with clay. Im a big fan of least to most aggressive. Hell in this case I would probably first try to hit it with a 2:1 or maybe even straight Super Clean and let it set a minute then wash it off. If that didnt work, then hit it with clay which SHOULD pull it out.
Just waiting on the clay bar to come in. I do have some super clean at home which I should try as well. That stuff works wonders on tires/rims.
I know some will save acid based cleaner is a no no but I haven`t had issues.
Tks.
 

Messages
237
Reactions
94
Points
27
Location
Dallas, TX, USA
#11
I generally wont spray super clean on paint unless its cut at least 2:1, some people will say 3:1.

Ive sprayed it at full strength on lower rocker panels to get road tar and stuff off.

There is one pro-detailer who has a youtube channel that uses it 3:1 on the entire car prior to washing it before he details it.

Im not saying it will work on your spot, but worth a try. The clay bar should pull the other crap(literally) out of the paint.
 

OP
F
Messages
409
Reactions
113
Points
37
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Thread Starter #12
I generally wont spray super clean on paint unless its cut at least 2:1, some people will say 3:1.

Ive sprayed it at full strength on lower rocker panels to get road tar and stuff off.

There is one pro-detailer who has a youtube channel that uses it 3:1 on the entire car prior to washing it before he details it.

Im not saying it will work on your spot, but worth a try. The clay bar should pull the other crap(literally) out of the paint.
Yeah I dilute to 3:1 / 4:1 when I use it just to be safe as it`s pretty strong stuff!
 

Messages
388
Reactions
338
Points
67
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
#13
I agree with the above, no way I would use Super Clean straight. 4:1 is max I would go on any paint.

Just a heads up, Since you are Canadian, I would say head to Canadian Tire, grab some Autoglym Bird Dropping wipes. They work really well, make sure you have the car in a shaded area and you can even let the wipe sit on the paint a little bit to "soften" the dropping.

For future, I suggest Poor Boy's Bird Sh*t Remover. Really good stuff.
 

Messages
326
Reactions
156
Points
37
Location
NC
Vehicle
Black 2020 ST
#14
I suggest Poor Boy's Bird Sh*t Remover. Really good stuff.
Really? I am seeing some bad reviews.
 

GearHead_1

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,557
Reactions
1,300
Points
262
Location
Utah
Vehicle
Exploder
#15
I've had good results with the Poorboy's product too.

That said, if the droppings have sat on the finish too long and the paint is etched it's an entirely different process if one is lucky and it is correctable.

All too often this type of etching can be a permanent event. Poorboy's product will remove the droppings, but it will not correct the etching.
 

Last edited:


Top