Expert: Jamie Yocono - 7/28/2011

Question
Please help!  Do you know the best way for me to remove mulberry stains (from bird droppings) from my brand new, expensive unfinished windows?!?   The wood is very light, and unfinished.  The windows were just installed in our new home, and have not been stained and varnished yet.  Some crazy birds got in the house while contractors were there working, and before we could get them out, they left droppings on the window sills.  Unfortunately, they have been dining at the nearby mulberry tree.  By the time I found the stains, they were dried.  Baked in really, because the house is closed up (execept for the doorway the birds went in and out) and the weather here has been in the 90's - with heat indexes in the 100's....so it has been HOT in the house.  Any way to remove the stains without wrecking the window or spreading the stains worse??

Answer
Hi Cheryl,

The only thing I can think of to recommend is wood bleach, better known as oxalic acid. I've removed some really nasty stains on wood using it. Read about it here:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19462  

or here:

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oxalic-acid-bleach.html

It comes in a powder/crystal form, you mix it with hot water and apply to the affected wood. The good news is - you can find it just about anywhere - like your local Sherwin Williams stores, or even the big box hardware stores.

I think time is of the essence, you want to get this stuff on those stains ASAP. After the wood dries, I would try sanding it or scraping/shaving it with a sharp chisel, which really works well.

Good luck, hope this helps.

Jamie in Vegas

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Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com