How to remove tree sap?

D

Denis54

New member
My daugter's car has several tree sap spots. These have probably been sitting on the car for one month or more. So far they have proven to be very difficult to remove.



What should I use to remove them?
 
dennis54- Welcome to Autopia!



If all the stuff Alexshimshimhae suggested fails to get 'em off, you might try the alkaline step of a decontamination system. Either FK1119 (available at AutoGeek) or AutoInt/ValuGard's "A" (their site: http://www.autoint.com ). These products are sorta like "super shampoos" and they can really work well on tenacious stuff.
 
The best and quickest way I have found to remove the gummy sticky glue like tree sap off the paint is laquer thinner or zylene. Do not use a rag! put on a rubber or plastic throw away glove. lightly rub the tree sap with a small amount of thinner. It will break down and disappear pretty quick. Afterwards put some wax on the spot to restore the shine!
 
I use a single edge razor blade with a small piece of masking tape wrapped around each corner of the blade. This keeps the corners of the blade from scrathing the surface, and leaves about an inch of the blade exposed. Press enough on the center of the blade to make contact with the surface and lightly scrape most of the sap off. Then it's much easier to remove the rest with your chemical cleaner. It works best on dried sap, but helps on the gooey stuf too.
 
It is risky - that's why I emphasized "lightly", but it's fast and it works. The corners of the blade are most likely to scratch, that's why the masking tape. Press very lightly, you can feel as you go. At first you are cutting only shavings of the sap. The point is just to get the sap thin enough for the liquid solutions to work.
 
Iso alcohol, mineral spirits, Prep Sol all will work eventually most of the time. I read on another forum to compound the sap-spotted area first. This will allow the solvents to work better. Makes sense to me. Oh, make sure you allow the solvents time to work.
 
50/50 IPA and Water has almost always worked for me. Then I'd go to Tarminator. Get it off sooner than later or it can etch your paint (if it hasn't already)
 
WD40

No clue if it's completely safe on paint, but it's fine for windows at least. I think it should be okay on paint. Ice is good if it's dry.
 
lee@glosshaus said:
50/50 IPA and Water has almost always worked for me. Then I'd go to Tarminator. Get it off sooner than later or it can etch your paint (if it hasn't already)
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^^^This. Start with gentle, then move up.
 
I did a Grand Prix that had sat under a tree for 3 years - every night. The owner ( a lady) didn't seem to notice till most of the car had a good layer of sap. I washed, sprayed Goo Gone, said a prayer, and it bubbled it up. It's nasty stuff to wash off so plan on another wash to remove the crud off, but it did the job.
 
Before using solvents, wet the affected area with very hot water (ie: on a rag).

Helps soften it first. Then use the solvents.



My 10yr favourite has been acetone (nail polish remover). Harmless and gets the job done.

I always have one small bottle NPM inside my glove compartment.
 
gigondaz said:
Before using solvents, wet the affected area with very hot water (ie: on a rag).

Helps soften it first. Then use the solvents.



My 10yr favourite has been acetone (nail polish remover). Harmless and gets the job done.

I always have one small bottle NPM inside my glove compartment.
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I've used the hot water and solvent method. Nail polish remover? I'll have to try that.
 
Take a dry cotton pad and rub with wood spoon on tree sap. Try to remove it as much as you can without scratching on hood. Apply some hand sanitizer on tree sap and again rub the cotton pad with wood spoon untill it is removed.
 
sparklingdetail said:
Take a dry cotton pad and rub with wood spoon on tree sap. Try to remove it as much as you can without scratching on hood. Apply some hand sanitizer on tree sap and again rub the cotton pad with wood spoon untill it is removed.
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wow, that's a unique one! Where'd you come up with that?
 
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