Leave your car outside long enough, and eventually some bird is going to take a dump on it. But more than just an unlucky nuisance, bird droppings – small as they may be – will quickly become a permanent stain if left untouched.
If you want to preserve the value of your car and its coat of paint, experts say you’re better off getting the stain off as quickly as possible. The same goes for tree resin and insect remains.
But be careful: Don’t just wipe off quickly with a dry cloth, say the body specialists from Europe’s largest car club, the ADAC.
To avoid damage to the paintwork, you’ll want to first soften it up a bit with a bit of moisture. A little washing-up liquid and water should be enough.
If this doesn’t help, don’t be tempted to scrub harder. There might be a hidden grain of sand or bit of dirt that will only make things worse by scratching off paint.
Instead, you might try some special cleaning agent designed for cars. If using a sponge, go for one that’s as soft as possible in order to clean without damaging the paintwork.
All this advice doesn’t just go for paint: The covers of your car’s headlights and rear lights are also often sensitive to scratches.
If you’re fed up with constantly removing such blemishes from your car, try coating the paint with hard wax after washing, which will make it more resistant to environmental wear and tear. – dpa
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