How To Easily Get Rid Of Bird Poop On A Pool Deck Without Leaving A Stain

Bird droppings are among the worst messes that can stick on your pool deck. Apart from being unpleasant to look at, these deposits contain highly corrosive uric acid. Left untouched on the surface, the mess will eat through the sealant and leave nasty stains on the stone tiles. Plus, the dark spots will remain as permanent reminders of the unwanted incident. Learning what you can do about bird droppings in your yard is essential for protecting your outdoor living areas. 

Pressure washing offers a rapid, chemical-free way to blast stubborn droppings while preventing unsightly marks. However, rushing into it without a proper strategy can actually ruin your pool deck. High-pressure water can remove sealers or even gouge a wood deck. In fact, these are common mistakes everyone makes when pressure washing. Improper blasting can also force the acidic water runoff deeper into porous concrete or, worse, shoot dirty water into your pool introduce unwanted bacteria to the water.

To safely wash away bird droppings without damaging deck sealants and stone coatings, always start by putting on some safety goggles. You also need to set the washer's pressure between 1,200 and 1,800 PSI for paver or stone surfaces. Anything more than 1,800 PSI is capable of stripping the sealants on your deck or even etching the fragile surface with the pressure. However, concrete can handle 2,000 PSI. Also, make sure to attach a wide-angle 40-degree white nozzle to the sprayer, which will help produce a fan-shaped jet of water that will have enough power to remove the mess but not cause damage.

Once you have the pressure washer ready, you'll want to pre-treat the mess with warm water and a little bit of dish soap to help loosen any hardened bird poop. After soaking for about 10 to 15 minutes, keep the pressure washer wand 12 to 18 inches away and sweep the fan jet across the spot to blast the debris away. The fan jet will help force the mess into the deck drains or your yard's grass, removing it. However, depending on the material of your pool deck, the removal process might be different. For example, if you have a composite or wooden pool deck that requires a more delicate approach, you'll want to reduce the pressure to around 500 PSI and remember to keep the washer a full 18 inches away from the surface to avoid damaging the board.

If you still see a yellow or brownish shadow where the bird dropping had been after pressure washing, don't attempt to blast that away with a higher PSI. Higher pressure will not always remove organic stains and can instead permanently etch the surface. Instead, try using oxygen bleach or a baking soda-water paste to help gently draw out the deep-set stain and restore the surface. Once you've applied your chosen cleaning mixture, use a light-bristled nylon brush to scrub the lingering spot to lift the pigment. Finish up by going over the entire deck with your low-pressure soap nozzle to rinse away all the slurry solution. Dry the spot to make sure the stain is gone, leaving your poolside spotless and sanitized.