Many motorists prefer to park their cars in shady areas so that their shiny paint job won’t fade. Trees provide the best shade, naturally, but not without hazards. Falling sap, for example, is difficult to remove from your car’s finish, and bird droppings can do greater damage if not attended to as quickly as possible.
Bird waste is acidic, and the longer it is left lingering on the paint, the more damage it will do. Moreover, in warmer weather, when there are more birds around, the heat from the sun causes paint lacquers to soften and expand. This same heat will cause the bird droppings to dry on your paint in no time. At night, when temperatures are cooler, the lacquer will contract and harden, molding around the stain and forming microscopic temperatures. Because birds use gravel to digest their food, caution must be taken when removing such a stain. If you were to try to wipe it away, even with a wet towel, you might scratch your car’s finish.
For an instant remedy, carry a fresh bottle of seltzer water in the trunk of your car, just in case. The minute you discover a fresh bird poop stain on your car, remove the lid, place your thumb over the lip of the bottle and shake it well to create a blast of water to wash the mess away.
If you are not able to clean up the mess immediately, use a moist cloth to absorb the protein-based matter. Be careful not to rub, as the gravel in the bird droppings can scratch the paint. As soon as the mess is cleared away, touch up the area with a fine polishing compound or a scratch remover, and follow up with a good coat of wax.