Having birds spend time on your balcony could be exciting if you love birds or have them as pets. Sometimes, you could go as far as providing food and water for them right on the balcony. However, this could come with some downsides, which may include having to deal with poop or bird droppings on your balcony.
While the balcony is one of the areas in the home where you can spend time alone and enjoy the evening breeze, all of these become difficult with droppings on the balcony. Apart from the poop staining the balcony, its smell is a turn-off for most people and causes some health hazards.
Therefore, finding a way to rid your balcony of the stain and stench of bird poop is important, which is where this article comes in. We will discuss the safe and effective cleaning of the bird poop off the balcony. These cleaning methods will factor in the different finishes and floors used on the balcony.
Let’s dive right in.
What is Bird Poop?
While bird poop seems fairly easy to notice and decipher, you should understand that it differs from other animals’ droppings. This difference is brought about by their lack of separate outlets for urine and poop. They release these waste products simultaneously through the same outlet.
This results in a distinct odor and health risk associated with bird poop, giving you even more reason to ensure that the bird poop does not remain on your balcony for too long.
Materials Needed for Cleaning Bird Poop Off Your Balcony
The following items are needed to effectively clean off bird poop from your balcony;
- Protective gears
- Plastic scrapers
- Broom and dustpan
- Gentle liquid detergent
- Scrub brush
- Baking soda
- Water
- Disinfectant Spray
- White Vinegar
- Hose, tube or power washer
How to Clean Bird Poop Off Your Balcony
The following are the steps to cleaning your balcony when it’s stained with bird poop.
- Wear Protective Gears
The first and most important step in cleaning bird poop off your balcony is ensuring you are well-protected from droppings. You need to wear protective gear to clean bird poop for many reasons, and they all center around your health.
To begin with, bird poop can be a source of infection as it is often toxic to humans. Because bird poop is a waste product generated from organic materials ingested by birds, it could contain chemical compounds that your body reacts adversely to. For instance, if, during the process of cleaning the poop, you touch the poop and it finds its way into your body, you may have to treat certain health conditions.
People with immune problems are often advised to avoid bird poop and droppings. This helps you understand how dangerous bird poop is to human health. As a result, you must protect yourself while cleaning by wearing protective gear to prevent an adverse reaction.
The ideal protective gear, in this case, should be thin and plastic. It should include face coverings, gloves, toe-covered shoes, long sleeves, and goggles. The goal is to avoid coming into contact with bird poop on any part of your body.
- Scrape Off The Poop
After you’ve protected yourself, begin cleaning by scraping the bird poop off. This step is important for two reasons: one, it reduces the amount of poop you have to clean, and two, it makes cleaning easier.
Because the bird droppings will most likely be dry by the time you decide to clean them off, scraping them off is easier. You can use a plastic scraper to get the best result. However, depending on the size of the poop, you may have to throw the plastic scraper away once you are done scrapping.
- Flush Out the Debris
For this step, you’ll need a hose because it will most definitely come in handy. After scraping the dried poop, it’s not uncommon to find poop particles littering the balcony, and this is where the hose comes in. All you have to do is use the hose to flush and wash out the debris from the scraped poop.
A tube may also work in this case, but the hose is still the best option. It helps if the hose comes with different power settings. This allows you to use the hose at high pressure, ensuring that the poop debris gets cleaned out completely.
- Spot Cleaning
Next, you focus on the different spots where the bird poop stained your balcony and start cleaning them with the help of a liquid detergent. This is where you need to worry about the finish on the balcony or the construction material used for it. It is important that the detergent cleans the poop and is gentle and safe for the balcony itself.
This consideration is important, so you do not use a detergent that is too harsh for the balcony finish. You should choose a gentle detergent that does not affect the balcony. If you cannot ascertain the safety of the detergent for the balcony, do a spot test or use baking soda instead of the detergent.
- Scrub with Brush
After applying the detergent to the spot stained by the poop, you can start scrubbing. The ideal brush type for this step is one with stiff bristles. The goal is to scrub the poop stain until it comes off the balcony floor.
Again, the type of material used for the balcony floor matters. If your balcony floor is made of concrete, you can scrub as hard as you want to. However, if it is made of wood, you may have to scrub gently and go over the process several times to get the poop stain completely off.
- Wash off the Residue or Absorb it
Once you have completely scrubbed the poop stains off the balcony, you can flush the residue using the hose or tube. However, if you live in an area where this action is against community rules, you can absorb the stain with absorbent paper.
Again, you may have to repeat the absorbing process several times to get it done, as it is less effective than washing off the residue.
- Sanitize and Allow the Area to Dry
Remember when we mentioned that bird poop carries diseases? You do not want to leave any contagions from the poop around your balcony, as some may be resistant to soap and water. Thus, you should use sanitizers to disinfect your balcony, killing off the contagions.
Once this is done, you should exit the balcony and allow the balcony to dry completely before you start using it again.
Removing the Smell of Bird Poop
We have mentioned that the smell of bird poop is one of the irritating things about bird poop. While cleaning the poop usually works, the smell of the bird poop may linger even after the cleaning process. If this is the case with your balcony, there is another way to eradicate the awful smell of bird poop. It involves using vinegar and water or baking soda.
To use vinegar, mix equal portions of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray the balcony with this mixture. Allow the sprayed mixture to air dry, and watch the smell fade away until it is gone. If you decide to opt for the option that involves using baking soda, all you have to do is sprinkle it on the balcony after cleaning. Let it sit for a few minutes before washing it off.
Conclusion
While the sight of birds on your balcony may feel pleasing and exciting, the same cannot be said for the effect of bird poop on your balcony. From staining the balcony and robbing it of its visual appeal to posing a health hazard risk, you do not want bird poop lying around for long on your balcony.
The cleaning tips and processes outlined in this guide help you achieve a well-cleaned balcony that is safe to use, regardless of the amount of bird poop.