Bird poop is challenging to deal with and clean, whether on a stone patio or the surface. Almost all homeowners have to deal with this problem now and again. For now, there’s no way you can stop birds from staining your brick surface. It’s frustrating, but that’s the harsh reality. You will wake up every day and find their droppings in various parts of the brick surface on the roof of your house or the ground.
Bird droppings will paint a bad picture of you as the owner, especially when the number of birds around your house is vast. The main problem is that many people don’t know the exact ways or methods they can use to clean their brick surface once the birds stain them. Many people don’t know that bird poop or dropping is acidic and so it tends to dry out quickly.
By any chance, have you gotten bird poop on your shirt or clothes? It dries within minutes if you don’t act quickly and clean it, and even if you clean it but don’t wash it thoroughly, it doesn’t quite come off as you would have wished it would. Therefore, you should respond to bird dropping as quickly as possible. Treating the spots swiftly is crucial; otherwise, it will force you to change your cleaning strategy.
If you are going through this kind of problem, this post is meant to help you find the solutions by providing you with ways to clean bird poop or drop off your brick surface effectively. Read on.
What is Bird Poop?
Before we get into the cleaning ways and process, it’s vital we know and understand bird poops. Many people say that bird droppings are only a combination of bird poop and pee, which is true. Unlike us humans, birds tend to peeing and pooping from a single opening, so it all happens at once.
The white part is mainly uric acid, and like many other animals, the poop is made up of bacteria and other undigested and digested foods. In most instances, this includes insects, pollen, berries, worms, etc.
Besides, bird poops are also known to carry disease, which means you need to take a few safety measures before deciding to remove the bird poop on your own. Equally, it’s important to note that it will leave a faint stain on the surface if the bird poops stay long on the surface. Now that you know what’s in the bird poop let’s focus on how you can do away with it.
7+ Simple Ways to Clean Bird Poop off of Brick
1. Act Quickly As You Can
You must act quickly when you notice a few bird droppings on the brick surfaces in any part of your property. It is highly recommended that you try to get them off the brick while still not dry. This is by far the easiest way you can remove them. You only need to use paper towels and remove the bird poop before it solidifies on the surface.
Usually, the fresh droppings get absorbed by the pores on the brick surface, so you have to act fast to avoid this. You should also know that when you are cleaning bird poops or droppings, you shouldn’t use sharp or metallic objects as you can end up destroying or damaging the brick surface. Using steel wool is also not recommended because it ultimately damages the whole surface.
These tools will only add more problems to you after making your brick surface look weird. However, you can buy stone-safe pads and use them to clean the harmful droppings. These stone-safe pads will guarantee you the safety of your brick surface and clean the bird droppings effectively.
2. Power Washing
Another suitable method many people use is power washing. Power washing services are usually offered by numerous home maintenance companies, and trust me, they provide high-quality services that you might not want to miss out on.
Let’s face it, this is the best option that one can use to solve the problem of bird droppings, but it’s only viable if and only a significant part of the ground or building is covered with bird droppings.
Generally, power washing includes cleaning stains that are on the surface using a high-pressure washer. The pressure generated by the water is adequate to remove all the stains and bird poop that might be stuck on the ground or the surface.
A power wash also eliminates grime and dirt on the surface that might have discolored the surface over the years. However, you will need to dig deeper into your pocket to get home maintenance services’ quality services. Even though it will be costly but what is guaranteed is that it will be worth every penny.
3. Use A Hose
This method will be beneficial if you have already picked up most of the bird poops or droppings. In case you don’t want to have the entire area power washed, then using a hose on your own will be ideal for you to remove as much debris as you can.
However, you should be aware that there is a risk that the bird poops or droppings can spread around other areas during this process which means you will need to be very careful while effectuating this method.
4. Use Liquid Washing Detergents
If you have a dishwashing detergent at home, you should know that it is entirely potent when there’s mention of stains. It helps you remove quite a few stains on different surfaces that one might find irritating. While its primary purpose is to clean plates, pans, and pots, you should also know that it’s very powerful on other surfaces too.
However, for you to use it ideally, you will have to find a soft-bristled brush. In some instances, you might just require a good amount of elbow grease to loosen the stains before you start effectuating the method. You only need to apply a bit of liquid dishwashing detergent on the surface or the bird droppings and then use a bristle brush to remove the stains effectively.
In most instances, this method will ideally help you loosen out all the bird droppings and stains so that you then clean them with water. However, most people don’t want to see the bird poops or droppings falling or spreading to other areas. If that is the case, you might have to alternate between various cleaning methods in this article to get your brick surface to its original form.
5. Use Something Absorbent
Before you start effectuating this method, you should keep in mind that it’s only valid when the bird poops or droppings are still wet and easy to remove. Take a paper towel and then gently place it on the surface or ground where the bird droppings are. The paper towel will absorb the uric acid and then lighten the stain from the bricks.
You can spray water on top or clean gently to remove the stain effectively. In case the amount of bird dropping is too high, you need to use sawdust or even cat litter because they are both absorbent and will automatically get rid of the moisture for you.
Give the cat litter and the sawdust a couple of minutes to work their magic, and then use a broom to perfectly sweep off the bird poops or droppings. This you would have managed to deal with the problem quite quickly.
6. Use All-Purpose Household Cleaners
Household cleaners are generally meant to get rid of stubborn stains from all kinds of surfaces. For you to identify the most suitable one, it’s highly recommended that you get hold of an all-purpose carpet cleaner that you can use ideally with the brick surface. You will have to apply the cleaner on the stained surface and then effectively rub the stain off.
The household cleaner is very effective because it makes the surface sparkling clean by removing the bird droppings or poops. Moreover, you must know that there’s another alternative which involves organic solutions, especially if you don’t have a house cleaner which you can use.
It would help if you created a mixture with vinegar, laundry detergent and the addition of a bit of warm water to it. It’s a mild solution, but it will be enough to get the job done for you. You should be careful and apply the cleaner carefully and generously on the surface and give it a couple of minutes to sit on the spot.
The cleaner’s chemical compound will start to break down the chemicals found in the bird poops, which will eventually make it very easy for you to wipe the bird’s droppings later on. The force you will apply and the cleaning power will be enough to do away with the bird droppings. You can also use a bristle brush if you don’t have a damp washcloth.
7. Club Soda
This technique is one of the best because the carbonation of seltzer water or club soda breaks down the natural acid qualities of bird droppings. You need to pour a cup full of soda on the fresh or dried up poop droppings, give it a couple of minutes to bubble then use a soft cloth or sponge to wipe off the bird dropping on the surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Do You Get Bird Poops Off Pavers?
It’s simple to clean the surface’s affected area with an outdoor stone cleaner to loosen the bird poops quickly. Next, use a lint-free cloth or towel to wipe the surface and seal it. This will effectively help you remove bird droppings off pavers without breaking any sweat.
2. Does Vinegar Clean Bird Poop?
Yes, vinegar cleans bird poop perfectly. Notably, white vinegar works well as a cleaner for all sorts of excrement. It would be best if you sprayed it then let it soak in the later you can rinse it off.
3. Does Bird Poop Come Out Of Clothes?
While we cannot necessarily blame birds for pooping, it’s always miserable when they poop on your best clothes. The only positive is that you can remove bird poop from clothes, mainly when you act immediately.
4. How Harmful Is Bird Poop?
Bird poops are usually a breeding ground, mainly for diseases causing parasites. Not only do they attack the substrata of a building, but they also spread diseases to humans. However, it’s impossible to control birds from pooping, so the best you can do is to clean it as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Many people enjoy having birds around their house; however, no one likes dealing with bird poops or droppings on their brick surface. While nature can work magic by cleaning it off when it rains, it’s equally vital that you have ways you can use to save the situation. The methods above will give you control to clean bird poops and make the surface a more attractive place.