How To: Remove bird bomb stains using Blackfire Polishes and a Random Orbital Dual-Action Polisher



As the old saying going, "Bird bombs happen."

Bird bombs and insect residue is extremely acidic. Given enough time to dwell on your car`s surface they will begin to eat through your protective wax barrier and begin to attack the outer surfaces of your paint. If they are caught soon after attacking the paint you may be left with a light cloudy stain. Wait too long and they can damage the paint permanently.

Once staining has occurred, the only way to remove the damage by machine poilshing. This is why it is imperative to catch the damage early; if the stain runs too deep it will not be repairable.
For a refresher course on removing paint defects please read this thread: What Are Paint Defects (and how to remove them) .

The paint on this Audi S4 was in really good shape, except for the cloudy stain caused by a bird bomb on the center of the hood.



To fix this problem we will be using Blackfire`s SRC (Scratch Resistant Clear Coat) polishing system in conjunction with matched 5.5 inch low-profile Lake Country pads and a Meguiar`s G100v2 Dual-Action polisher.

Blackfire`s line up of SRC polishes consists of:

SRC Compound: This is a medium aggressive compound that can remove up to 2000 grit sanding scratches on fresh, high-solid paints. It is well suited to use with either a Dual-Action Polisher or a rotary polisher. The Blackfire SRC Compound works extremely well with moderate to aggressive polishing pads on a Dual-Action Polisher. We will be teaming it up with a 5.5 inch, low-profile Orange Light Cutting pad from Lake Country.

SRC Finishing Polish: This is a very fine polish which uses ultra refined aluminum oxide abrasives to polish the paint to a very high gloss. It has minimal dusting and a long work time and is ideal for use with either a Dual-Action Polisher or a rotary polisher. The Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish creates a flawless finish when used with a light polishing to finishing foam pad. We will be teaming the SRC Finishing Polish up with a 5.5 inch, low-profile White Polishing pad from Lake Country.

To see how each polish stacks up, please visit the Autopia-CarCare Polish Comparison Chart.

Before Polishing- Prior to any machine correction wash and dry the surface thoroughly. Inspect the paint by touch for any contamination; If any is felt use detailing clay to clean the paint before polishing- How To: Use Blackfire PolyClay II to clean and decontaminate your paint.

Since it is impossible to determine the depth of the stain by looking at it, we recommend starting with the least aggressive method first. We will start by using Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish with the Lake Country White polishing pad. The bird bomb staining is in an isolated spot that we will focus our machine polishing on. Since we are polishing a small section three small drops of Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish is all that is needed.





Work a small section, about 1 foot by 1 foot, with the bird bomb stain etching in the center. Use speed 5 and make overlapping passes with firm pressure and moderate (1 inch per second) arm speed. Continue to work the polish until it is clear and lightly visible on the surface.



Remove the residue with a soft microfiber cloth that will not scratch and dull your hard work such as a Cobra Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towel.




It is impossible to determine the depth of a stain by looking at it. In this case the stain was too deep to be removed by the gentle polishing action Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish.




Switching to Blackfire SRC Compound and a Lake Country Orange Light-Cutting pad will increase the polishing power dramatically. Even with this increased cutting action some stains may be too deep to safely remove with out thinning the clear-coat too much.

NOTE: When moving up to a more aggressive application it is important to remember that some cars, particularly daily drivers, may have paint defects that are too deep to remove with our compromising the paint`s integrity. It is often best to a set a safe limit and stick with it. I decided, prior to polishing with the Blackfire SRC Compound, that if I did not notice a significant reduction in the appearance of the stain after two applications that I would stop polishing and live with the stain. Setting a realistic cut-off prior to polishing and sticking to it is key to avoid overly thinning the paint and creating long-term damage. It is too easy to chase perfection.



Apply Blackfire SRC Compound in a manner similar to the application of SCR Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish when doing spot repair. 2 to 3 drops of product will provide an ample amount of ultra-refined abrasives to do the job correctly. Polish on speed 5 or 6 using firm pressure and overlapping passes over the working section until the polish begins to clear.




Wipe away the polish residue and inspect the paint. The increased polishing action of Blackfire SCR Compound removed the majority of the defect quickly, while the ultra-refined abrasives left the paint with a marr-free, high gloss finish.




Since over-polishing the paint can thin it out, I elected to make one more application over the damaged area to see if any more damage could be removed. The result was a flawless finish.




With the damage removed, a follow up application of Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish will further micro-fine the finish to a blinding shine. While the paint looks amazing, machine polishing removes any waxes, sealants, or protective coatings quickly. A final coat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Surface Paint Protection will ensure that his Audi`s paint continues to look great and will provide valuable protection against future damage.