driving a clean car, bird craps, now what?

roadk · 10-12-01, 08:15

here's my problem:
i've just washed my car. it's now dry and i've started my road trip.
an hour or so into my trip, a bird craps on my car.
or, perhaps i stop for lunch, and come back out to my car to find a bird has done his business on my black finish.
what do i do? i don't have the ability to wash it nearby and i'd rather not let it bake on my finish.
is a QD with a MT the answer?
thanks!
--thomas

waxman · 10-12-01, 08:19

Read this post below and remove the poop immediately with the QD or your car will look like the picture in the post.
http://216.147.22.29/forum/showthrea...?threadid=3995

Brad B. · 10-12-01, 08:26

ALWAYS keep QD in your car. It's a lifesaver!

Ripsnort · 10-12-01, 08:30

I carry alittle finish saver kit, complete with alittle bottle of distilled water, Griots Speed Shine, and a couple rags.

TortoiseAWD · 10-12-01, 08:33

Quote:

Originally posted by roadk
here's my problem:
i've just washed my car. it's now dry and i've started my road trip.
an hour or so into my trip, a bird craps on my car.
or, perhaps i stop for lunch, and come back out to my car to find a bird has done his business on my black finish.
what do i do? i don't have the ability to wash it nearby and i'd rather not let it bake on my finish.
is a QD with a MT the answer?
thanks!
--thomas

Thomas,

IMO, you're right on track with QD and a MF or soft cotton towel. I keep some Final Inspection and a MF towel in the car at all times for just such evil presents from above. I hate it when the car is truly dirty (such as after a rain) and a bird drops one, because then it's a lesser of two evils sort of thing: possibly scratch the paint from all the dust and road grime that you have to wipe over to remove the bird bomb, or allow the offending poo to chew through the clearcoat. I opt for #1; at least scratches I can typically repair without much drama (thank you, 3M).

Ron Ketcham · 10-12-01, 08:43

In the many professional trade journal articles I have written, I have addressed the acids on paint concern several times.

For the last 15 of my many years in the business of vehicle paint, trim etc, I have studied, consulted, etc on this issue

Bird droppings are acid!

The paint, non clear or clear is porus!

It is a resin system and the system may be eaten apart by acids when H2O and heat are present.

The dark metallic basecoat colors are the first to experience etching, then the dark non metallic basecoat colors.

The use of QD's is not recommended by this writer!

You must get the acids out of the clear!

For this, you need a quick way to dry and draw them out.

Have a glass cleaner with a high Isopropal Alcohol content in the trunk!

There is a more certain way to get it out, but that is to involved for when you come out and find the dropping.

Even doing as I am about to write will not guareentee that you will not experience some etching!

As soon as you see the dropping, wet it throughly with the alcohol based glass cleaner, no ammonia, no butyls in it. Both will accelerate the reaction of the acids.

No waxes, no dimethal silicones, etc when you clean and attempt to draw out the acids, they will only serve to lock them into the porusity and allow them to concentrate, waiting for some heat and H2O to activate them.

You may even take a spray bottle and mix rubbing alcohol and water, at a 50/50 or even a 70% IPA and 30% water.

Soak the area!! Let it set for at least 2 to 3 minutes so it may penetrate and since the alcohol is a drying agent, it will pull the acids up and out , the water in the mix is not an issue!

Once it has liquified the dropping totally, wipe off with a soft cloth and respray and let set again for a couple of minutes, then wipe dry.

Will it stop it everytime, NO, but then the damage to the clear may already be in place, will it remove all the acids, that depends of so many factors that it is impossible to determine.

Nothing in the world is perfect, including this, but based upon my 15 years of working with vehicle manufacturers, the paint manufacturers, the port operations, the dealerships, detailers etc, it is has been found to be the most effective method.

Ketch

roadk · 10-12-01, 08:49

ron,
is the EF Clear Vision a good choice for this sort of job or is it better to have a bottle of 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water?
i very much appreciate the replies. these birds are killing me!!!!
--thomas

Ripsnort · 10-12-01, 09:36

Cool, looks like my kit just needs alcohol added to the distilled water I have. Wonder if Vinegar would be good too since it is known as a neutralizer when involving certain acid types?

Ripsnort · 10-12-01, 09:41

Click this link to see mans worse enemy in the air!

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...405&p=53886289

debaser330ci · 10-12-01, 09:46

Ron, what do you think about using a spray bottle with a baking soda/water solution to neutralize bird crap? A rudimentary chemical analysis would seem to indicate the best way to counter an acid is with a base.

I seem to remember one chemical rule as being:

Acid + Base = Salt + H20

Would the rubbing alcohol really neutralize the acid in the bird crap? Would the chemically "basic" solution I propose cause it's own problems with the paint, especially if the particular load I'm attacking is not very acidic (to counter the basic solution you are applying?)

Ron Ketcham · 10-12-01, 10:22

The baking soda mixture would be excellent as the follow up to the alcohol/water treatement!

But, as I said, was just giving a quick way based upon how so many want things simple.

Anyway, let's go on here.

After the use of both or one, don't go putting any wax or sealant on the area for a little while.

Let the water, etc have a chance to evaporate completely from the pores of the paint, (see highly magnified clearcoat paint system www.autoint.com under Tech Tips Section) and then you can reseal the area.

Ketch

Ng Luder · 10-12-01, 02:15

since im still relatively new here... can someone plese explain what consists in that baking soda mixture?

ive had a bird poop stain from years ago and its basically permanant now...

so i should use a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and fresh water first. then for the second time i use the backing soda mixture. is this correct also?