Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

[Murr1525]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Would it be advisable to use household or Meguiar's consumer glass cleaner in the time being?

Can try anything within reason on a small test spot.

The fact that the D120 can be diluted, and thus left stronger, might be the key.

[adrian0726]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Would it be advisable to use household or Meguiar's consumer glass cleaner in the time being?





That's what I would do as well to deal with relatively fresh tree sap.

I also store a couple brands of Bug & Tar Remover at home. Some are better than others in removing certain substance.

For example, Turtle Wax's Bug & Tar Remover works better than the competition at removing gummy asphalt like substance. While using products from non-Meguiar's brands may be against one's conscience, but desperate stains call for desperate measures.

Agree, fresh tree sap its easy to remove, I remove the sap the next day I noticed, by then, it seem more like candle wax.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

The d-line glass cleaner sounds like it would do the job. That stuff is pretty amazing. Thanks for the tip.

[KC's]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

how about tar remover

[RickyMartinZ28]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Steam?

Just a shot in the dark.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Hey Andy,

Sap removal of that magnitude will not be easy. There are many methods for removing sap:

1. Freeze each spot so it become brittle and pick the majority off

That choice is difficult for this time of year and the old ice cube trick would take hours to do with that amount of spots.

2. Use WD-40. It is surprising how well this will work. But this again is dependant on how long the sap has been on there. If it somewhat fresh, then WD40 may work just fine. Be sure to test the WD-40 on your paint in a hidden area first.

3. Use Meguiar's Glass Cleaner Concentrate at a 1:1 ratio.

4. You can use Paint Thinner or Mineral Spirits. Do not use lacquer thinner! I have seen "some" people suggesting lacquer thinner in touch-up/wet sanding threads and I always flinch and shake my head as lacquer thinner will soften and remove paint! You want to see paint damage, soften the surrounding paint and watch what happens.

5. a paint safe solvent (like WD40 but much stronger)

With any of the above, you will still have to pick the majority off with your finger nail. Follow with a cleaner like Meg's Glass Cleaner Conc. or WD40 to remove the last traces of sap. Do NOT clay as claying with that amount of sap, or if it is crystallized, it will get caught in the clay and scratch the paint all over the place! Claying is used more for sap mist, and not sap globs.

I hope that helps!

Tim

[hacker-pschorr]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

1. Freeze each spot so it become brittle and pick the majority off

That choice is difficult for this time of year and the old ice cube trick would take hours to do with that amount of spots.

Can of compressed air held upside down gets things really cold very fast.

[Andy M.]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Hey Andy,

Sap removal of that magnitude will not be easy. There are many methods for removing sap:

1. Freeze each spot so it become brittle and pick the majority off

That choice is difficult for this time of year and the old ice cube trick would take hours to do with that amount of spots.

2. Use WD-40. It is surprising how well this will work. But this again is dependant on how long the sap has been on there. If it somewhat fresh, then WD40 may work just fine. Be sure to test the WD-40 on your paint in a hidden area first.

3. Use Meguiar's Glass Cleaner Concentrate at a 1:1 ratio.

4. You can use Paint Thinner or Mineral Spirits. Do not use lacquer thinner! I have seen "some" people suggesting lacquer thinner in touch-up/wet sanding threads and I always flinch and shake my head as lacquer thinner will soften and remove paint! You want to see paint damage, soften the surrounding paint and watch what happens.

5. a paint safe solvent (like WD40 but much stronger)

With any of the above, you will still have to pick the majority off with your finger nail. Follow with a cleaner like Meg's Glass Cleaner Conc. or WD40 to remove the last traces of sap. Do NOT clay as claying with that amount of sap, or if it is crystallized, it will get caught in the clay and scratch the paint all over the place! Claying is used more for sap mist, and not sap globs.

I hope that helps!

Tim

Hey Tim,

Tried WD-40 to no avail.. Didn't even budge!

I think I'm gonna try the glass cleaner. Stronger than WD-40? Well I trust you guys so I'll give it a shot. This stuff has been left on there just to long. I told him to bring it over when it first got on there but he was busy working crazy hours. I'm gonna guess that it's been on there about 2 weeks!

Thanks for all the replies, I'll keep you updated.

Andy

[Underdawg736]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

I have a pine tree in my front yard so I routinely have to deal with sap.

How long was the sap on your friends car? They look pretty nasty!

I use bug and tar remover, I try to knock them out when I see them.
It takes alot of patience and it doesn't do my cleaning towels any justice but after several passes with a hot damp towel, they're usually gone.
It really ***** leaving the house on a nice clear morning and seeing your car looking like it was just through a light rain shower!

Good luck on it and let us know how the concentrated glass cleaner works!

[Lasthope05]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Hey Andy go grab a gallon of kerosene or mineral spirits and a towel or rag. Soak the rag in it and lay it over the sap for a few minutes. It will help to soften and break down the sap. Use a terry cloth to remove. I have never seen any damage or paint softening when ever I have stubborn sap or tar stuck on the cars im working on.

As long as the car is a modern 2 stage paint then you will be perfectly fine. As not much solvents will even touch the factory catalyzed polyurethane paint.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Can of compressed air held upside down gets things really cold very fast.

Been there, done that! But you must be careful using something like Dust Off upside down etc as it gets the paint too cold. So use caution



Tim

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Hey Andy go grab a gallon of kerosene or mineral spirits and a towel or rag. Soak the rag in it and lay it over the sap for a few minutes. It will help to soften and break down the sap. Use a terry cloth to remove. I have never seen any damage or paint softening when ever I have stubborn sap or tar stuck on the cars im working on.

As long as the car is a modern 2 stage paint then you will be perfectly fine. As not much solvents will even touch the factory catalyzed polyurethane paint.

As I said, mineral spirits or regular paint thinner is just fine, but not lacquer thinner as it will soften and remove any paint. As for solvents, you must be careful as some I have used were not safe on paint. So use caution and test in a hidden area first.

Tim

[ColonelCash]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

What about Meg's Body Solvent?

[ZoranC]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

I have dealt with a car that was covered in thousands of sap spots from front to back. Body solvent did a thorough and quick job of it, but not Meguiar's one, Meguiar's one was not helping, I used something else, can't remember name from the top of my head, remind me to look it up when I get home.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Need Help! Worst case of Tree Sap I ever seen!!!

Andy, I feel your pain. However, I may have a solution. During a detail on an 05 Corolla, I stubbled upon an easy way to remove tree sap. There is a degreaser you can buy at the auto parts store or Wal-Mart. Its in the purple bottle. It use to be Castrol Super Degreaser, now I think its just Super Degreaser. Its about $8 for a gallon.

Wet the hood. Put some in a spray bottle (use full strength) and squirt a little on each spot. Do one at a time. Use a damp terry cloth towel and gently rub each spot. The sap just melts away. Rinse it down and continue on to the next spot. I did 5 spots like this on the Corolla. Two were on the headlights and three on the painted surfaces. It only took seconds per spot and there were no negative effects to the panels. These spots were also not fresh. They were baked on in the Florida sun for months. They were rock hard, just like what you were describing. Give it a shot. I really think you'll be surprised and it will avoid some really aggressive measures.

Colin

I don't know about here......but that is very good stuff!