How to remove pigeon feces from concrete

Pigeons can be found in almost any city or town and tend to concentrate around areas where they have easy access to left-overs, garbage and food. They generally harmless, they will not attack humans and tend to feel comfortable around them enough to even beg for scraps.

But friendly and gentle as they may seem, most people do not like to have them around because they are considered unclean due to their tendency to scavenge for food in the trash and eat human food off the floor. Pigeon droppings are white and pasty and have a high content of uric acid. Through these droppings, you can catch deadly diseases like Histoplasmosis, that affects the respiratory and nervous system; or Cryptococcosis, that causes skin irritations and ulcers.

Aside from these health risks, pigeon droppings can also cause severe damage to property, thanks to their high uric acid content, it can be corrosive to metal and stone, produce mold in wood, stain walls and windows, and make cement slippery.

If you feel that the sidewalk in front of your house is becoming dangerously slippery due to pigeon droppings, there are simple steps you can take to cleaning and sanitizing the area to make it safe.

First, hose of the concrete to wash away any superficial droppings. This is only the beginning, it’s not enough to remove only the top layer of droppings, because since it’s a corrosive substance, it starts to seep into the concrete, leaving a stain.

Next pour some dishwashing detergent on the spots where the feces have fallen, take a natural bristled brush and scrub the areas to work the soap into the stain. Make sure the bristles aren’t too soft, as they won’t have any effect on the hard concrete. Avoid rinsing the soapy water into green areas like grass, flowers or trees as this isn’t very environmentally friendly; instead sprinkle some sawdust on to the soapy water and let it soak up the residue. Once it’s all soaked up, sweep it up and throw it in the trash.



Finally, mix 1 tbsp. of hydrogen peroxide with three drops of ammonia and pour it over the droppings stains. Let sit a few minutes and scrub again with the brush. Sprinkle some more sawdust over the scrubbed areas to absorb the chemical residues and once it’s all soaked up, sweep it away and dispose. This residue is not for compost heaps as it contains soap and strong chemicals.

Thankfully, concrete is relatively easy to clean from pigeon droppings, but make sure to check the rest of your house or office for signs of droppings on windows, rooftops, metal fixtures or wood. If you do find droppings, it is important that you clean them right away to avoid damage or infections.

Read the How to get rid of birds page for helpful information and to learn more about How to remove pigeon feces from concrete

How to remove pigeon feces from concrete

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