Tree sap removal solutions!!

[frapjap]

For those who care, I spent a good deal of my day trying various ways and suggestions to get the film of tree sap off my car from the night before. I parked under a tree that literally sprayed a film of sap ALL over my car. I read a ton of posts that said to use either WD40, Alcohol, Turtle Wax Bug,and Tar Remover, etc. Finally, I read a post based on vinegar. I tried a ton of the solutions, but here is are my trials and errors and what finally worked for me.

No. 7 Bug and Tar Remover- Sucked. Didn't do ANYTHING. Getting my money back.Alcohol- very difficult to use, had a very tough time dissolving the sap.WD40- worked okay, but removed wax, and I was worried about what else it'd do.Concentrated car wash- I didn't like the idea, but I did it anyway. As always, it removed wax, spread the sap, but eventually got it out. Water and vinegar- This was my ultimate solution. The diluted vinegar cut the sap like you wouldn't believe, and left the wax intact!

I took it one step further and made a cocktail that worked EXTREMELY well. 1 cup of vinegar, diluted into your usual car wash. I couldn't have asked for anything better. Where there was still wax, the wax remained, and all of the sap and the dirt accumulated washed off with ease!

I hope this helps others later!
Modified by frapjap at 9:00 PM 6/25/2007

[Jiggyfry]

I heard peanut butter worked well for tar, sap and caked on bugs.

[bone_stock_240]

Cmon frenchy, you should know all about maple syrup.

[Jiggyfry]

tabarnaque.

[onosqv]

Couldn't have posted @ a better time! My friend and I just got some more tree sap on our cars, hahahahahahaha.

I did a lil research on Google, and turns out vinegar is also great for removing hard water spots!

However, something to ponder:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pain ... linic.html

By the way, vinegar will remove your wax, so be prepared to re-wax your car after the vinegar treatment.

[Bwana]

Another thing that works very well is basemaker (the mild solvent used in base/clear paint). Be prepared to re wax though.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I used Orange clean or Orange glow... one of those citruis thingies... it worked OK.

[centralcoaster33]

I've been using Goo Gone to get off all the sap that our beautiful Monterey Pines leave everywhere. Even their pollen has sap, which mixes with the fog and makes yellow polka dots on my red car. Most annoying. But I'll try the vinegar next because the goo gone takes a lot of work to get all the sap and seems to smear and smudge as it disolves.

[centralcoaster33]

Oh, and Frapjap, you have the best user picture thingy (avitar?) ever! I can even make out the screw ball flag!

[frapjap]

Couldn't have posted @ a better time! My friend and I just got some more tree sap on our cars, hahahahahahaha.

I did a lil research on Google, and turns out vinegar is also great for removing hard water spots!

However, something to ponder:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pain ... linic.html

My cocktail didn't take my wax off at all. I'd show you, but I already washed it. Maybe STRAIGHT vinegar will remove it, but I diluted it. Oh and I used Apple Cider Vinegar because I didn't have white, lol.

[frapjap]

Oh, and Frapjap, you have the best user picture thingy (avitar?) ever! I can even make out the screw ball flag!

Thanks, you're honestly the first person to EVER mention it. I'm guessing a lot of the younger crowd has no idea what it is.