You park your vehicle under the same tree every day and have never had a problem with bird droppings. You head to your automobile after a long day at work and discover a bird has recently moved into the tree and turned your convertible top into its toilet. Don’t hate the bird; it doesn’t have a toilet. Rather, act quickly to remove the bird droppings before they stain your leather or faux-leather top, and don’t panic if they do. Banister’s Upholstery can help if needed.
Assess the Droppings First
We don’t mean study the droppings as if you were an avian specialist. Rather, grab a tissue and dab the droppings gently to see if they are still fresh or if they have dried in the afternoon warmth. If they are fresh, you run the risk of smearing them across your convertible top in your efforts to wipe them away. If they’ve dried, you’ll need to account for that when you clean them off once you get home.
If they are fresh, don’t head home just yet. Head back into your place of employment to grab a damp cloth. If it has to be a paper towel, so be it. Gently – gently – wipe away the fresh bird droppings with the damp cloth or paper towel without applying too much pressure. You don’t want to squish the bird doo into the crevices of your convertible top. If the droppings are dry, head home to clean them there.
Once You Get Home
Whether fresh or dry, apply an ample amount of convertible top or leather cleaner to the areas on your top where the bird went to the bathroom. If the droppings were fresh, you can continue to clean them away with a soft, lint-free cloth. If the droppings were dry, let the cleaner sit for 30 to 60 minutes to soften the doo so you can wipe it away easily. You want to remove the droppings without spreading them or pushing them into the convertible top material.
If the bird droppings are particularly stubborn, you can use a soft-bristled brush, such as an old toothbrush, to scrape away at the droppings. If you need to use hot water to help loosen them, that is fine if your convertible top is faux-leather. If it is real leather, water isn’t necessarily a good idea unless you have been faithful about treating the leather. Repeat the brushing and cleaning process until all the bird droppings are gone and your convertible top looks clean.
Treat the Top
Since you have just cleaned your convertible’s top it’s best to treat the areas with protectant. You want to ensure cleaning the bird doo off the top didn’t open your top up to weather damage. If you haven’t cleaned and treated your top for a long time, now is the time to do so. Clean the entire top with your cleaner and treat it to waterproof and protect it. This will help prevent future bird doo from sticking to your top, as well as protect the top from the elements.
If the bird droppings have damaged your convertible top, call Banister’s Upholstery in East Point, GA, today. We’re happy to help!
