MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring

goomba87 · #1 06-22-2009, 12:47 AM

I park my car under a huge tree and small droplets of sap drop onto it daily, but i have no problem removing them with a quick wash.

However, there are a few spots on the car where the tree dropped a huge glob of sap (on the roof and on the window).

I can't get them off with warm soapy water during a car wash and when i try to scrape it off with my finger, it wont budge.

What can i use on my car that would remove this tough, sticky sap?

JeffreyC · #2 06-22-2009, 02:14 AM

You'd have better luck posting this in the detailing forum..where there are a dozen or so diehard OCD's standing by with answers.

sequence · #3 06-22-2009, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goomba87

What can i use on my car that would remove this tough, sticky sap?

I agree with the previous poster, so I flagged yr message to have it moved to the detail forum.

U might try Klasse All-in-one acrylic cleaning polish. it pretty much can eradicate anything nature throws at yr. car. However, it is pricey and available only on-line at Autopia, Detailer's Paradise, etc. I use it exclusively because while expensive, U only need to apply it a couple times a year, and it protects like a shield. good luck.

mordecai · #4 06-22-2009, 06:50 AM

There is a guy named OctaneGuy who will tell you how to clean anything of of anything. You might want to PM him or post in the detailing section and I'm sure you'll hear from him.

You may have some luck using a claybar.

Fly'n Brick · #5 06-22-2009, 07:35 AM

To remove the tree sap from your vehicle's surface, you can use finger nail polish remover on a cotton ball. After the sap is removed, make a paste of water and baking soda to wash the affected area, then apply wax. Another method to remove the sap is to use mineral sprits (it will also remove tar). Use a soft, terry towel, or wash cloth dampened with mineral sprits. After removal, wash the car and apply wax to the affected area. Tree sap can also be removed by using a water-soluble paint brush cleaner. A common household solution is bacon grease or lard. Just rub it on, and off comes the sap. To get tree sap off of your hands, simply rub mayonnaise on them and wash it off. To remove tree sap and other substances, you can use common solvents like lighter fluid, rubbing alcohol, WD-40 or even Skin-So-Soft bath oil. The way to use those materials is to let them do their work of dissolving (in the case of alcohol) or softening (in the case of oils), enough to rub off the remaining sap. If you use the oil, wash the car afterwards to remove it. You can also use commercial wax and grease-removing products available at auto supply stores. Be sure to wash and dry the car before applying the wax and grease remover. Then dampen a clean cloth with the solvent and rub the affected area. It may require several attempts if the sap is very thick or extremely hard. The surface may appear hazy after the solvent evaporates, but a good wax application will eliminate the haze and complete the job. Removing tree sap from a car's finish is a bit more difficult than tar, as hardened sap can scratch your paint. I've found that by hand-rubbing the sap spots with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol, I'm able to easily remove the sap without damaging the finish. Mineral spirits and denatured alcohol acts as a solvent to break up and dissolve the sap. If there is a large amount of sap on the car, or if the sap has been left on the finish for an extended period of time, it can be a lot of work to remove. For these cases, you can try hitting the affected areas with a light-duty buffing compound to remove the hardened surface on the sap spots. Then you can use mineral spirits or a similar solvent to remove it. The light duty buffing compound softens the sap so the solvent can do its job. The goal is to use the least pressure possible to reduce the risk of scratching the paint. After removing heavy sap, always buff the treated areas with a good polish to clean up any marks created during hand-rubbing with solvent. The treated area must also be re-waxed.

Bigshot · #6 06-22-2009, 08:28 AM

Or use Goop-off, even WD-40 works good.

kenchan · #7 06-22-2009, 10:59 AM

yep, my recommendation is 70% or higher alcohol, RC car motor spray and the above 2 bigshot mentioned.

tgs91 · #8 06-22-2009, 03:32 PM

Claybar works! My wife had some rock hard, near amber tree sap. Nothin' touched it (granted I did not try Klasse') Claybar took it right up in 12 or so passes.

I'd try that and on the off chance you have some nuclear brand of sap the alchohol

**rwwilsonjr** · #9 06-22-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goomba87

I park my car under a huge tree and small droplets of sap drop onto it daily, but i have no problem removing them with a quick wash.

However, there are a few spots on the car where the tree dropped a huge glob of sap (on the roof and on the window).

I can't get them off with warm soapy water during a car wash and when i try to scrape it off with my finger, it wont budge.

What can i use on my car that would remove this tough, sticky sap?

Goof Off will remove most sap including pine tar/sap. With a little work, it will even remove it after it has hardened. Once you get the sap off make sure you clean and rewax the finish where you used the Goof Off.