How to Clean Pigeon Droppings off an Industrial Building

Pigeons thrive near food sources.

Industrial buildings provide pigeons with horizontal ridges for roosting and sheltered spaces for nesting. Like all birds, pigeons are known to leave their fecal droppings on buildings exteriors. Pigeon droppings cause building masonry to appear unattractive and overall improperly maintained. Inhaling the bacteria and funguses in pigeon droppings can also cause immune-compromised individuals to acquire diseases including Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis and Psittacosis. Regularly cleaning pigeon droppings off industrial building exteriors is vital for aesthetic and sanitary purposes.

Things You'll Need

• Protective coveralls
• Disposable gloves
• Boots
• Hat
• Disposable dust respirator
• Pump garden sprayer
• 1 tbsp. dish soap
• Stirring utensil
• Plastic scraper
• Heavy-duty trash bags
• Chlorine bleach
• Bucket
• Rag

Instructions

1. Put on protective coveralls, disposable gloves, boots, a hat, and a disposable dust respirator. These materials help prevent contact with the pigeon droppings.

2. Fill a pump garden sprayer with water. Add 1 tbsp. of dish soap to the garden sprayer, thoroughly mixing it into the water.

3. Spray the soapy water liberally over the pigeon droppings. Wet the droppings thoroughly to prevent inhaling airborne waste particles. Let the droppings soak for five minutes.

4. Scrape the softened pigeon dropping off the building's exterior using a plastic scraper. Gently scrape to prevent damaging the masonry. Collect the wet, detached droppings in heavy-duty trash bags.

5. Continue spraying and scraping the pigeon droppings until the masonry is thoroughly clean. Thoroughly remove all pigeon dropping dust and debris from the building's exterior.

6. Seal the trash bags and discard them with regular trash. Discard disposable materials (gloves and respirator) in the trash as well.

7. Mix a solution of 10-percent chlorine bleach and 90-percent water. Using a rag, wipe the bleach solution over the non-disposable materials (boots, scraper, etc.). Let the bleach solution dwell on the materials for five minutes.

8. Rinse the bleach solution off the non-disposable materials with clean water. Let the materials air-dry.

9. Wash your hands and exposed skin with soap and water to prevent contaminating surfaces.

Tips & Warnings

• Blast pigeon droppings off the building exterior using a garden hose with a spray nozzle. Make sure the droppings are already wet to prevent airborne dust.

• Do not clean pigeon droppings if you have a weak immune system.

References

• Virginia Department of Historic Resources; Pigeons; January 1991
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Facts About Pigeon-Related Diseases
• California State University Channel Islands Human Resource Programs: Clean Up Procedure For Bird Droppings

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish