How To Stop Birds From Pooping On Kids' Playsets for More Summer Fun and Fewer Fowl Messes
Keep your playsets clean and ready to use by implementing some of these simple, preventive measures to keep birds at bay.
Lovely summer weather is the perfect time for kids to enjoy the outdoors and let their imaginations run wild. I still look back fondly on the days I'd spend in my local park as a kid, making up pretend games with my brothers and seeing how high we could get from the ground on the swing set.
However, it would always be a shame when the play area was covered in bird poop. I used to bring kitchen towels along with me to put onto the seats of the swings to avoid sitting on it, or I'd just play somewhere else and accept defeat.
Attracting birds to your backyard is a worthy endeavor but sometimes they seem to poop in all the worst places! (If they have already done their business, check out our guide to cleaning bird poop). And if you're wondering why that seems to be, you've come to the right place. I talked to Bob Mulvihill from the National Aviary to learn why kids playsets are a magnet for bird poop as well as how it can be prevented. Here's what he had to share.
Why Do Birds Poop on Kids' Playsets?
If a bird needs to poop, they are going to poop anywhere, but there's a particular reason why the likes of kids' playsets end up pooped on more often than open spaces: they offer birds the perfect spot to perch.
As Bob explains: "Birds of all kinds naturally like to perch up off the ground to get a better view of their surroundings, and if there isn’t a rock, tree, bush, or fence post close by, but there is a swing set or scattered lawn toys, they will use those as perches instead."
Even if garden birds aren't perching there specifically to poop, after enjoying their time admiring the view from on top of your kids' playsets they might need to go before flying away.
There are a number of kid-friendly ways to make the likes of swing sets less appealing to perch on. However preventative measures such as bird spikes, which are commonly used in cities to stop pigeons from landing on buildings, are a rather dangerous option.
Child-Friendly Ways to Prevent Birds From Pooping on Playsets
You can't entirely prevent birds from ever being able to poop on your kids' playsets unless you put them away or fully cover them up when they're not in use. However, there are many methods out there to make kids' playsets less appealing to land on, which will significantly decrease the chance of birds perching on them while they do their business.
Bob recommends using a mixture of "plastic owls, reflective strips and wind spinners" to deter birds from the area. Seeing objects that are shiny or moving, as well as birds of prey, will make feathery friends think twice about where they land. You can find mylar reflective ribbon on Amazon. Though Bob also noted it's important to switch up what you're using as over time the bird visiting your yard will get used to the deterrents and ignore them.
Two other options Bob recommended are using bird repellent sprays like the Nature Stop Bird Repellent Spray from Amazon as well as ultrasonic bird repellers like this Solar Ultrasonic Repellent Device from Amazon.
The sprays contain natural essential oils that are harmless to humans but irritating to birds. Meanwhile the ultrasonic repellers emit a frequency of noise that birds don't enjoy hearing that humans won't be able to notice.
How to Clean Bird Poop Off of Your Playsets
It's best to remove any bird poop from your playsets before applying repellents so they can best adhere to the surface.
If the bird poop is still wet you can simply wipe it off using a cloth and a mixture of warm water and soap. But if you're dealing with stubborn dried patches of bird poop, laying a damp cloth on top of it to soften it can be really helpful in making it easier to wipe away.
You can also add some white vinegar into your cleaning water to sterilize the surface too if you wish. Don't forget to give metal surfaces like swing poles a wipe down with a dry cloth after you're finished cleaning to help prevent the development of rust!
Shop Bird Deterrents
Sunlight will reflect off of the surface of this tape, becoming dazzling to birds and encouraging them to keep their distance.
This faux owl sits outside and has a moving head to startle birds away from the area.
This clear gel makes the surface of playsets such as the top of a swing where a bird may land slightly tacky. Birds won't like how it feels under their feet and would rather fly away than hang around! Lasts for 6 months.
