Tree Sap: 1 - ONR: 0

**mds1001** · 08-30-2009, 10:56 PM

Hey guys,

Recently bought a new car....first new car in 10 years. Inspired to take care of it, and not spend too much dough, I started reading this site and others trying to get some tips on detailing procedures, etc....bought some ONR, OCW, MF towels, etc.

2 weeks into owning my new car I had it detailed by a professional. Just a good clean and carnuba wax. Car looked great...2 weeks later the car is a bit dirty and has some tree sap on the hood and bumper. Do some searching here and find several accounts of ONR being able to take on sap, even after hardening, caking on, etc. This stuff is a little hard, but not totally caked on.

The last 2 or 3 days I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get this junk off my car without using much muscle. Just soaking it with a rag soaked with QD strength ONR, spraying it, waiting, wiping it, waiting, wiping it again. Rinse and repeat...still hasn`t come off. I tried some vinegar tonight...still won`t come off...the only thing that will budge this stuff is a fingernail and some muscle...I worry I`m marring my brand new car already and am pretty defeated about the whole "I`ll keep my car clean myself" business...

Any advice? I guess I need to get into claying it or something, but I definitely am not super impressed with ONR. In addition to these problems it doesn`t really want to take up relatively fresh pollen spots or anything else that sticks to the car...as far as I can tell ONR pretty much is only good for taking up lose dirt and dust and not much else...

Just my two aggrivated cents...haha

Thanks for letting me vent,

Mike

**craigdt** · 08-30-2009, 11:12 PM

I personally wouldnt try to take off tree sap with ONR. Its good... but not quite that good in my

experience.

Try some clay.

**jopa489** · 08-30-2009, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by craigdt

I personally wouldnt try to take off tree sap with ONR. Its good... but not quite that good in my

experience.

Try some clay.

Agreed. You can also try something like Stoner`s Tarminator. You`ll definitely want to get it off of there ASAP before it does more permanent damage.

If that`s not available, some Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover would help. I`m not normally a fan of TW products, but this stuff works good. It`s also available OTC in any autoparts store (or even Walmart).

**mds1001** · 08-30-2009, 11:37 PM

Thanks guys, I`ll give it a whirl...I need to rewax that area after using that stuff, right? How likely am I to scratch paint with my fingernail? Sometimes that works great, but I wonder if I`m causing damage and not realizing it...

**Scottwax** · 08-30-2009, 11:41 PM

If any wash method doesn`t remove sap then you need to clay. ONR has no problem removing live oak sap but pine sap is tough for any wash method.

2 things I tell my customers:

1. Never, ever park under trees. NEVER.

2. Never park within 20 feet of grassy areas due to sprinklers

**Dan O** · 08-31-2009, 01:50 AM

I`ve had some dried tree sap that even clay wouldn`t budge. Ended up using straight 70% ipa and a microfiber. You would need to re-apply wax in these areas if you use this method.

**mds1001** · 08-31-2009, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by Dan O

I`ve had some dried tree sap that even clay wouldn`t budge. Ended up using straight 70% ipa and a microfiber. You would need to re-apply wax in these areas if you use this method.

How much friction did it take that way? I`ve been wary of really digging into it too much for fear of scratching the clearcoat...I`m assuming I`ll have to rewax since putting vinegar on it...

**asharma** · 08-31-2009, 03:34 AM

i used goo gone on tree sap on my car widow last night...scraped off as much as i could with a razor blade, then goo gone the guk away...worked like a charm on glass, not sure about paint...

**Tru_Shine** · 08-31-2009, 03:56 AM

So I asume that we are talking about the little black dots all over the vehicles right? because I have had some cars latley with it on there, and they were absolutely COVERED!

Sometimes clay doesn`t even want to effect it, I wish there were some kind of solvent that i could just spray that would desolve it?

**XyX** · 08-31-2009, 05:09 AM

The stuff from autozone, Bug and Tar remover (black spray bottle) works pretty good on getting new sap off.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 08-31-2009, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Tru_Shine

So I asume that we are talking about the little black dots all over the vehicles right? because I have had some cars latley with it on there, and they were absolutely COVERED!

Sometimes clay doesn`t even want to effect it, I wish there were some kind of solvent that i could just spray that would desolve it?

That isn`t tree sap that`s artiliery fungus and there`s nothing on the market yet that effectively gets rid of it that I`ve ever come across. Tree sap is either clear (actual sap) or amber (mostly bug poop mixed with sap)

**Greg Nichols** · 08-31-2009, 09:17 AM

Have you tired VINEGAR undiluted yet? If its on the fresher side it should help.

Cheers,

GREG

**gofastman** · 08-31-2009, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by mds1001

Hey guys,

Recently bought a new car....first new car in 10 years. Inspired to take care of it, and not spend too much dough, I started reading this site and others trying to get some tips on detailing procedures, etc....bought some ONR, OCW, MF towels, etc.

2 weeks into owning my new car I had it detailed by a professional. Just a good clean and carnuba wax. Car looked great...2 weeks later the car is a bit dirty and has some tree sap on the hood and bumper. Do some searching here and find several accounts of ONR being able to take on sap, even after hardening, caking on, etc. This stuff is a little hard, but not totally caked on.

The last 2 or 3 days I spent 10-15 minutes trying to get this junk off my car without using much muscle. Just soaking it with a rag soaked with QD strength ONR, spraying it, waiting, wiping it, waiting, wiping it again. Rinse and repeat...still hasn`t come off. I tried some vinegar tonight...still won`t come off...the only thing that will budge this stuff is a fingernail and some muscle...I worry I`m marring my brand new car already and am pretty defeated about the whole "I`ll keep my car clean myself" business...

Any advice? I guess I need to get into claying it or something, but I definitely am not super impressed with ONR. In addition to these problems it doesn`t really want to take up relatively fresh pollen spots or anything else that sticks to the car...as far as I can tell ONR pretty much is only good for taking up lose dirt and dust and not much else...

Just my two aggrivated cents...haha

Thanks for letting me vent,

Mike

Keep in mind, tree sap is designed by 10`s of thousands of years of evolution to *not* wash off, its tough stuff. you`re gonna need some hardcore cleaners/solvents to take that stuff off. Try some denatured alky, its cheep, readily avalable, and slightly safer than other solvents IMHO

**snowskate** · 08-31-2009, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Dan O

I`ve had some dried tree sap that even clay wouldn`t budge. Ended up using straight 70% ipa and a microfiber. You would need to re-apply wax in these areas if you use this method.

A few months ago I experimented with IPA and a MF and Meguiar`s APC+ and a MF. that worked but with marring. i`ve had some drops of sap on both my cars recently. Even though the sap was fresh, neither clay (ONR lube) nor vinegar made a dent.

So nowadays I`ve had success with Werkstatt Prime, PC, and a 5.5" flat black pad.