We often pay attention to only taking care of the insides of our cars. We prioritize things like oil changes, alignments, and other basic maintenance are easy things to remember. But, if you can believe this, bird poop can easily damage car paint in just 1 day. Worse yet, repairing it may cost thousands if not immediately addressed.
How Long Does Bird Poop Take to Damage Car Paint?
From the moment bird poop lands on your paint, it can cause lasting damage in about 12 hours. Hot and sunny conditions increase the effects of bird poop on car paint, causing visible damage. But the last damage comes after about 36 hours, even on cold days.
Why Does Bird Poop Cause Damage?
Bird poop is so damaging to car paint because it contains acid. When this acidic substance lands on your car’s clear coat, it begins fading away. Similar to how battery acid is a caustic substance, bird droppings break down finishes and can even cause rust on bare metal. While the severity is less than that of battery acid, the ultimate effects are the same.
The problem is even worse with birds that eat fruits. Not only do you have the normal acidity of bird poop to deal with, but the added acidity of undigested fruit juice increases the rusting effect their poop leaves on your car’s exterior. How do you know? If the bird droppings on your car are not white and brown, it’s cause for immediate concern.
How Can You Fix Car Paint After Bird Poop?
If you can get to it quickly enough, just washing your vehicle can clean off the long-term effects of bird droppings. However, if you’ve already washed your car and bird poop stains remain, you have much more work to do. Take a look at this guide by Ammo NYC, as it will be of great help.
There are also cases where a water spot remover can remove stubborn bird poop stains. It works by breaking down the minerals and leftover contamination, much like it does with hard water deposits.
However, if there is still a visible line of the damaged clear coat, you’re looking at a costly paint correction, and you’ll need to take your vehicle back to a professional car detailer’s shop for repainting or correction.
Paint correction Is The Only Way to Repair Your Car’s Paint
Even if the initial stain is gone, you may notice a permanent dark spot in your car’s clear coat from bird poop. This means that the droppings have caused the top layer of the clear coat to start deteriorating. The damaged finish can’t be washed away.
It’s time to get out your paint polisher or contact a detailer to do the job for you. The process of paint “correction” removes the damaged layer of the clear coat at a microscopic level. By using a combination of abrasive pads and polishing liquids, the damaged layer is peeled away, and the surface below is buffed to a like-new shine.
How to Prevent Bird Poop from Damaging Your Car
Bird poop can cause damage quickly; avoiding letting it sit on your car for a long time is critical. However, products like ceramic coatings and paint protection film can help clean off lasting damage with an added layer of defence against bird droppings.
Conclusion
Not many people know that bird poop is damaging to a car’s painting. So, the moment you realize there’s bird poop on your car, clean it off immediately to avoid lasting damage.
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