Installer of the Month August 2026 | Dirt Detox

Some bird proofing installations take a little while to prove themselves. Kurt’s winning installation was tested almost immediately, and by some particularly persistent pigeons!

Based in the East Midlands, Dirt Detox provides professional exterior cleaning, property maintenance and bird proofing services throughout Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and the surrounding areas.

Kurt’s winning installation combined careful workmanship with a neat finish and provided a rather entertaining real life demonstration of Defender Jaws® doing exactly what they were designed to do.

While Kurt was filming the completed installation, one determined pigeon returned to inspect his work. When it discovered that access beneath the solar panels had been blocked, it flew away, only to return with reinforcements. Despite their combined efforts, the pigeons were unable to get back underneath the panels.

As Kurt explained:

“When we had finished the install, the pigeons came back with reinforcements to try to break back in but they were unsuccessful.”

We spoke to Kurt about the winning job, the story behind Dirt Detox and why problem solving is such an important part of professional bird proofing.

The Installation the Pigeons Tested for Themselves

Kurt’s customer in Long Eaton had pigeons living beneath her solar panels. Aside from the noise and disturbance this can cause, pigeons beneath a solar array can potentially damage wiring, restrict airflow and fill the surrounding roof and gutters with nesting material and debris.

Birds sitting on top of the panels can also quickly cover them with droppings, leaving an unsightly mess that may affect the amount of light reaching the panels.

After assessing the property and making sure the area beneath the array was clear, Kurt fitted Defender Jaws® around the perimeter.

Defender Jaws® are designed to fit compatible 30 mm and 35 mm solar panel frames. The reversible strips lock directly onto the panel frame without the need for separate clips or silicone, allowing Kurt to create a secure and discreet barrier around the array.

The returning pigeons certainly gave the finished installation a thorough inspection. However, with their former access points now securely blocked, they were unable to get back underneath.

It was an immediate and very memorable demonstration that the installation had worked.

From Exterior Cleaning to Bird Proofing

Dirt Detox began in 2018 as an exterior cleaning business, with bird proofing becoming part of its services in 2024.

Kurt and his team were already cleaning solar panels and regularly seeing the problems pigeons could cause for their customers. They had also experienced pigeon problems themselves, so finding an effective and reliable solution became particularly important.

Kurt told us:

“We were already cleaning solar panels and having pigeon problems ourselves, like many of our customers. After trying a few different options we found that Defender Bird Spikes were the best on the market and started to offer it as a service.”

Bird proofing was a natural addition to the business. Dirt Detox already had the experience, equipment and access capabilities needed to work safely around roofs and the exterior of properties. What began as an extension of its cleaning services has continued to grow into an increasingly important part of the company.

A Business Built from Scratch

When Kurt started Dirt Detox, his aim was to provide a genuinely good service, take pride in every job and treat each customer’s property with care.

Building a successful independent business and earning the trust of local customers is something he is understandably proud of.

“I’m most proud of the business I’ve built from scratch and the reputation we have within the Nottingham community.”

That pride can be seen in the attention Kurt gives to the details of every job. As a self confessed perfectionist, he wants the finished work to be effective, tidy and something both he and the customer can be pleased with.

He also believes that running a professional business does not mean you cannot show some personality along the way.

Anyone who has watched Kurt’s videos will know that he is not the quietest person when there is a camera nearby! His videos offer an honest and entertaining look at the person behind the business while also showing customers how the work is completed.

As Kurt puts it:

“I also enjoy making videos and having fun with the work we do.”

His winning video was a perfect example. It showed the finished installation clearly, demonstrated the effectiveness of Defender Jaws® and captured the persistence of the pigeons attempting to reclaim their former home.

No Such Thing as a Normal Day

There is plenty of variety at Dirt Detox. The business undertakes roof cleaning, driveway and patio cleaning, soffit and fascia cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning, conservatory cleaning, commercial cleaning and specialist services such as bird proofing.

It means that no two working days are quite the same.

Kurt particularly enjoys jobs that need more than a standard approach. The most rewarding projects are often those involving a dramatic transformation or an awkward problem that requires careful thought to solve.

As a small independent business, Dirt Detox can offer customers a personal service from people who genuinely care about the finished result. Much of the company’s growth has come through recommendations, returning customers and people discovering Kurt’s work through social media.

More Problem Solving Than People Realise

A completed bird proofing installation may look straightforward, but there is often far more thought involved than people realise.

Before work can begin, an installer must consider safe access, the challenges of working at height, the construction of the property, the behaviour of the birds and how every possible access point can be blocked without damaging the building.

In many cases, reaching the problem safely is more difficult than completing the installation itself. Roofs, high ledges and awkward sections of a building all require the correct equipment, a good understanding of the surface and careful planning before any work begins.

The birds themselves can also be remarkably persistent. If even a small access point is left unprotected, they may find it and continue trying to return to a familiar nesting or roosting site.

The pigeons in Kurt’s winning video were only too happy to demonstrate that determination.

It Must Work, Last and Look Professional

When choosing a bird control product, Kurt looks for three important things. It must work, it must last and it must look professional once installed.

There is little value in fitting something that looks tidy but fails to stop the birds. Equally, solving the problem should not mean leaving the customer’s property looking bulky or untidy.

For this solar panel installation, Defender Jaws® gave Dirt Detox a secure and discreet way to protect the array. The black strips blended neatly with the panels while creating a strong barrier against returning pigeons.

For ledges, rooflines, signs and other common landing areas, Kurt also uses Defender® Bird Spikes. Rather than treating every bird problem in the same way, he assesses each property individually and selects the product best suited to the birds, the building and the area requiring protection.

This considered approach helps Dirt Detox provide customers with a solution that is effective, long lasting and professionally finished.

Congratulations to Dirt Detox

A huge congratulations once again to Kurt and everyone at Dirt Detox on becoming our August Installer of the Month.

The winning installation was neat, professional and extremely effective. We could not have asked for a better demonstration than watching the local pigeons return to inspect the work and discover that their former home beneath the solar panels was no longer available.

Thank you to Kurt for choosing Defender Jaws®, sharing the installation with us and bringing plenty of personality to the competition.

We suspect he may be right that the pigeons would not have voted for him. Fortunately, they were not on the judging panel!

If you need exterior cleaning, property maintenance or professional bird proofing in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester or the surrounding areas, you can find out more and contact Dirt Detox at www.dirtdetox.co.uk.