The Professional Guide to Neutralising and Removing Bird Dropping Damage

Never attempt to remove dried droppings from a hot panel. Move the vehicle into a shaded garage or under a carport and allow the metal temperature to drop below 30°C. If the panel is hot to the touch, you risk 'flash-drying' your cleaning chemicals, which creates a secondary chemical stain that is often harder to remove than the dropping itself.

Inspect the dropping to determine its type. Large, purple/black droppings from Flying Foxes (Bats) are extremely acidic and contain fruit seeds that act like sandpaper. Small, white/grey bird droppings often contain uric acid crystals and grit. Knowing what you are dealing with dictates the volume of lubricant required—bats require significantly more saturation.

Prepare your neutralising solution. If using a concentrated Rinseless Wash (like Optimum No Rinse), mix at a ratio of 1:256 (roughly 4ml per litre). If the dropping is large and dried hard, prepare a stronger 1:64 'pre-soak' solution in a handheld trigger sprayer to ensure maximum encapsulation of the abrasive particles.

Wear nitrile gloves. Bird and bat droppings in many regions can carry zoonotic diseases (such as Histoplasmosis or Lyssavirus in bats). While the risk is low during car cleaning, professional car detailers always treat biological waste as a biohazard. Avoid aerosolising dry droppings with high-pressure air.

Generously spray the dropping with your lubricant or neutralising solution from a distance of 10cm. Do not use a high-pressure jet yet. The goal is to rehydrate the matter. Let the solution dwell for 3-5 minutes. If it begins to dry due to ambient heat, mist more solution over it to keep it wet.

Fold a clean, plush microfibre towel into quarters. Saturate the towel in your cleaning solution and lay it directly over the dropping. This 'poultice' method keeps the moisture locked against the contaminant, softening the uric acid crystals without them running down the paintwork.

After 5 minutes of soaking, do not wipe. Instead, use the microfibre towel to gently 'pinch' the dropping upwards and away from the paint. Wiping horizontally across the paint is the primary cause of 'cat-scratch' swirl marks, as the grit in the dropping is dragged across the clear coat.

Once the bulk of the matter is removed, flush the area with 500ml of distilled water. This removes any microscopic acidic residue that may have seeped into the pores of the paint. Visual cue: The water should sheet off cleanly without leaving a 'slimy' trail.

Spray the area with your baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) solution. This is a critical professional step that many DIYers skip. It ensures that the pH level of the surface returns to 7.0 (neutral), stopping any ongoing chemical reaction with the clear coat resins.

If a faint outline (a 'ghost') remains, use a fine-grade clay bar with plenty of lubricant. Rub gently in a back-and-forth motion (never circular) with zero downward pressure. The clay will 'shave' off any remaining organic matter bonded to the surface.

Spray the area with a 15% Isopropyl Alcohol solution and wipe with a fresh microfibre. This removes all lubricants and soaps, allowing you to see the true state of the paint. Check for 'etching' (a dullness or texture in the clear coat).

Under a strong LED light or direct sun, look for a wrinkled texture. If the paint looks like 'dried river mud', the acid has caused the clear coat to swell. If it is minor, a light hand-polish with a fine finishing compound may be required.

The area you just cleaned is now 'naked' paint with no wax or sealant. Apply a high-quality SiO2 spray sealant. This creates a sacrificial layer that will take the brunt of the next dropping, giving you a wider window of time to clean it before it reaches the paint.

Place the used microfibre towels in a separate bucket. Do not wash them with your regular drying towels. Wash them at 60°C with a dedicated microfibre detergent to kill any bacteria and ensure all abrasive grit is flushed from the fibres.