How To Clean Bird Poop Off Wood – Best Methods!

As a bird lover who constantly welcomes pigeons into my garden, it is important that I know how to clean bird poop off wood.

Birds are lovely and free animals. They remind me of what we lack the most, freedom.

This is probably why we enjoy watching them. But What we don’t enjoy about birds is their free nature of dropping excrement on our surfaces including wood.

Like so many others, knowing the right way of cleaning a bird poop off wood, has seemed to be much of a challenge. 

Well, it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we shall be discussing the steps by which we can clean bird droppings off wood and how we can prevent the birds from doing so.

One of the best ways to clean bird poop is to do so when it is still wet. But in a situation when it is dry a good practice is to soften them with a reasonable amount of water for easy cleaning.

Why We Need To Clean Bird Poop

As ironic as it may sound, we all enjoy watching the birds in the sky, watching them from our gardens and balconies.

But we dislike the sight of bird poop on our furniture, decks, fences, and other surfaces. Mostly due to the damage and risk it poses.

The free nature of birds is an admirable feature but also can be annoying.

No one likes to see excrement all over their furniture in the garden or on their wooden decks or on their fences. But far beyond that, bird excrement isn’t only unappealing to the eye.

It also poses certain risks and damages that if not taken care of in due time could lead to us having to treat a form of infection or changing our furniture.

Does Bird Poop Stain Wood?

A common question a lot of people ask is does bird poop really stain wood? Well, the answer is YES.

Aside from the unappealing stain of the poop itself on our wooden surfaces, bird poop can leave a lasting stain on our furniture and decks. And even damage it in the long run.

Bird poop is acidic in nature, which means it contains a certain level of acid. Although Not enough to burn our skin or surfaces.

But it can react and if left for a long period of time, leaves a yellowish residue that doesn’t clean easily.

This yellowish stain might take a while to clean off and could even cause certain damage to the wooden surface.

Is Bird Poop Infectious on Wood?

Another risk of bird droppings and a major one at that is the infectious and contamination effect of bird poop on ourselves when they’re dropped on wood.

Bird dropping like every other dropping is infectious in nature.

As they contain certain harmful organisms which can pose certain risks to our health should we come in contact with them.

Also if left uncleaned for a long period of time, they serve as a breeding ground for certain bacterial and fungi growth. 

The growth of these organisms possess a risk of contamination.

Thereby causing us to fall ill should we or our loved ones come in contact with it or inhale residue from the poop.

Therefore it is important that we properly clean up these excrements in due time as soon as possible and not leave any trace or residue on our wooden surfaces.

How To Clean Bird Poop Off Wood

Bird poop is known to harden and dry up. Making it difficult to clean up once it is dry.

It should be noted that it is best to clean bird poop when it is still wet or moist. When the dropping is moist it is not only easier but also safer.

This reduces the risk of wood damage and contamination.

Knowing how to clean bird poop off wood siding shouldn’t be much of a fuzz.

Needless to say, there are easy steps we can follow to clean up both wet and dry bird poop.

But first, let’s discuss safety precautions we must practice to protect ourselves and our wood;

• Ensure to wear protective gear such as gloves, mask, goggles, and long covering outfits when cleaning bird poop.
• If the cleaning would require the use of chemicals and cleaning agents, ensure to first test the chemicals on inconspicuous areas to watch for adverse reactions.
• Don’t mix cleaning agents or chemicals that you are not aware of, in fact, it’s best not to mix them at all. As this could permanently damage your wood.
• Ensure to work in well-ventilated areas.

The cleaning process for wet poop differs a little bit from that of dried poop. Below are the steps for cleaning wet poop and dried poop.

For Wet Poop

This is probably the easiest to do. The steps are much and are a lot quicker.

Things you will be needing

• Paper towel
• Water
• Scrub brush
• Liquid soap or cleaning agent
• Disinfectant.
• Rag

Step #1: Clean the Surface of the Wood

Rinse away the poop from the wooden surface with water and a disposable paper towel, ensuring to dispose of it properly.

Using either the liquid soap or any other cleaning agents and a scrub, clean the surface of the wood for any residue.

Step #2: Disinfect the Food

Disinfect the area the poop might have touched and all surrounding areas.

Using a clean and dry rag, ensure to dry up the surface of every form of moisture.

For Dried Poop

When the poop is dry it requires a much longer procedure for removing the poop.

Also for long overdried poop, that has dried up for more days or even months. This would require the use of strong surface cleaners.

Things you’ll need:

• Water
• Plastic scraper
• Scrub brush
• Vinegar
• Club soda
• Surface cleaner
• Disinfectant

Step #1: Wet the Dry Poop

Using a water hose, wet the dry poop but make sure to do so at low pressure.

This will prevent the back splashing of the water that could bring along the poop with it.

When the poop is damp enough, scrap the poop and pack it in a pile. Ensure to dispose of it properly.

Step #2: Apply Soda or Vinegar & Scrub the Wood

Apply a club soda or vinegar to the affected area to work on any major residue, this also helps to neutralize the acidic residue of the poop.

Scrub the affected area to remove any excess residue. Try to go in circles.

Step #3: Disinfect the Wood

If the poop is long over-dried, then you can use surface cleaners designed for the removal of dried poop.

After that, disinfect every affected surface and area, to avoid the risk of contamination.

Dry off any excess moisture from the surfaces with a clean dry rag.

Tip: You can also use toothpaste in place of club soda. But make sure it is dye-free.

How To Prevent Birds From Pooping On Your Outdoor Furniture and Deck

While it is practically almost impossible to prevent birds from pooping on your fences and deck there are few things that can be done to prevent them from pooping on your outdoor furniture.

1. Use protective covers such as polyester to cover your furniture when not in use.
2. Use bird deterrent spray. This repels them from the surroundings where the spray is located.
3. Use reflective moving devices such as mirrors.
4. Install a bird netting system.

Tip: Some of these techniques can be applied to prevent birds from pooping on your deck.

Final Thought

You’ve reached until here so I assume that you now already know how to clean bird poop off wood properly.

We can’t do much as regards preventing birds from dropping poop on our wooden surfaces, as they are a crucial part of the vast ecosystem.

What we can do is learn properly how to clean bird poop off wood. This way we reduce the number of stains and the risk of infection they may pose.

So next time you find bird poop on your deck or furniture, you sure know the right steps to take in ensuring it is kept clean without making a mess or causing further damage.

A final tip if you are a bird lover who loves to see birds in your garden but wants to avoid the mess of bird poop is to put grains in a section of your garden.

That way they are drawn to that section of the garden and would do most of their pooping there.