Okay I carry this along with some MFs in my trunk to clean off bird/bug crap off my TL.

1) The bottle doesn't mention about using it to remove the bird/bug crap. Is it safe for this purpose?

I'm asking this because my experience with bird/bug crap is when ever I find bird/bug crap on my car theres always loose dirt/dust around as well (the kind of loose dust that when you glide your finger across the paint it leaves a trail). So is it safe to use this product to remove the bird/bug stuff even though theres loose dirt/dust around?

Or does the car have to be clean to use this, which defeats my purpose of storing it in my car to clean off bird/bug crap?

Thanks.

 

i only use that stuff as a lube for my claybar. but im sure you can use it to remove crap off your panels.

 

You CAN use it for bird droppings!!..... this is a quote from Meguiar's Product Booklet
"Many enthusiasts keep a bottle in their car so they are prepared for any emergency, such as bird droppings, inspect splatter and dust. Unlike all other spray products on the market, Meguiar's Quik Detailer contains no wax. This means you can use it as often as you like without the fear of wax build-up."

 

Okay thanks. What about my concerns about the loose dirt/dust? Is it safe to use the mothers showtime instant detailer on the dust and dirt? Thanks.

 

There is the Meguiars Bug & Tar Remover which meets your need. As long as you use the MF towels you should be fine. Try asking "Exeldetail", he's a member on this forum, with your question.

 

There are some arguements against using it on bird crap, mainly you are adding thin layer of caranuba to what ever is not wiped away.. The quick detailer, Mothers and Meguiars, both contain a small ammount of caranuba wax and can potentially seal in some dirt..

Poorboy's World actually makes a product called " Bird Sh#t Remover", it contains cleaners in it, which help breakdown the hardened sh#t and nezutrlize the acids in the bird sh#t. I keep a bottle of this in my glove box for those perticular events.. Poorboy's also makes a "spray and wipe" which is closer to a waterless wash than a quick detail spray. You can wash your entire car with the "spray and wipe" and a couple of microfiber towels. Another reason I use the "spray and wipe" when the car is dirty/dusty, is basically because the "spray and wipe" will cleran the surface and allow the wax below the dirt to come through, it doesn't add any wax and doeesn't strip any wax.

 

Consider the options. Wait to get home (Or car wash) and let the acids etch the paint, or hit it with "any" qd, let soak for a moment to soften, and wipe away. I had a rather large "burritto" on the roof of my pickup, unfortunatley, i didnt see it due to it being up so high. Guess what, well, now i have a stain! I dont hesitate to remove bird crud off surfaces, i dont care what im currently carrying in my bag, just get it off of there !! Any carnauba based products are very light in content, and shouldnt really be a concern. Not to disagree with RF, just my $.02. If your not at ease in that regards, carry a small mister with some car wash soap and water for bs removal....

 

Just be careful, Tatewaki's mom, innocently thinking she was helping, cleaned some "bird-dirt" off his roof with a papertowel.. Well, there was a nice little skating rink where the mess was.. Make sure the area is well miosturized prior to wiping it off, and don't use a rough towel it will make it much worse..


And I do agree with exceldetail, QD sprays won't harm the surface and they do not contain tons of caranuba, so in a pinch they will do fine.. I was just mentioning that there are specific products designed specifically for bird crap. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it the first time....

 

I have a can of the Gunk foaming glass cleaner ($3.99) in the trunk for use whenever I need to clean up the windows on the go. I used this foaming cleaner on bird crap and let it soak, then put a paper towel (normal soft household quilted type) on top of it. After a minute, remove the paper towel and the crap goes along with it, nor rubbing, no scratching. Then I touch up with QD when I get home.

I tried this in the sun and it seems to work as long as you don't let it dry. If the surface is too hot, I just spray more foamy stuff on top of the paper towel.

 

I am not a big fan of letting bird droppings sit on the car for very long, but my concern with using QDs at times like this would be that you might be scratching the car. Bird droppings are usually pretty thick or dried up and I like to spray it down with water/the hose as much as possible to get as much of it off as I can before I drag any sort of MF towel (or anything) across the surface to get it loose. I know 99% of people here would disagree, but that's just my worry. So yeah - I just wait til I get home that day and spray it with the hose before cleaning and then worry about whatever is left. I never want to run anything across the paint unless the area is pretty wet and as clean as possible.

 

I learned a sad lesson about this. When my Acura EL was brand new, I saw dried-up droppings on the glass. Anxious to take it off, I went to a gas station and used one of their brown shop towels. Thinking that it would not harm the glass as it it would paint, I rubbed the damp towel on it. I did eventually get it off, but the rear window was scratched to sh*t and scored like hell.

Whatever high fiber diet that bird had sure did a number on the glass, I could just imagine that on paint and clearcoat. Those droppings are VERY acidic and have seen what it does to some auto finishes. It's almost as if the bird has some natural form of HCl (muriatic acid) that can melt anything.

So we're caught in between getting it off ASAP or waiting to get home, but having it do it's nasty work chemically. Bottom line is as long as we do not RUB, in order not to scratch the finish would be detrimental.

 

Residual,
If you read my post fully you would see that Meguiars contains NO WAX so it IS safe to use anytime or all the time.

I also use it sometimes to clean that thin layer of dust off of my freshly washed/waxed car. Remember to use a clean microfiber towel and work in one direction. Works wonderfully w/ no scratches or swirls!!

 

I don't want to sound rude but you are wrong, You are taking a marketing phrase too literally......the Quik Detailer is not "Bodyshop Safe"..So you cannot use it "any time or all the time"....that's specifically why Meguiars has their Final Inspection, which IS "Bodyshop Safe", works just as well as the Quik Detailer, but gives off less shine. Leading most to think it has some additives in it. I have heard directly from Meguiars that it does not contain "silicone", however it does add something onto the surface, making it unsafe for bodyshop use.