Tree sap - anyone got tips on getting it off?

[bimini]

mine sits under some other sorts of trees...no sandpaper, it just looks like little drops of water all over the roof...until you try and wipe them and realise they are solid and the conistancy of dried epoxy.

anyone know of any cheap cloth car covers?

[Bilbo Baggins]

Quote: Originally Posted by bimini

mine sits under some other sorts of trees...no sandpaper, it just looks like little drops of water all over the roof...until you try and wipe them and realise they are solid and the conistancy of dried epoxy.

anyone know of any cheap cloth car covers?

Those clear spots are "honeydew" which is excreted by either scale insects or aphids. It is very high in sugar content. Tough to remove. Lots of soap and water.

Quite possibly it is a Lime tree, or sometimes called Linden tree (Tilia cordata). You could contact a local arborist to control the insects and the problem will go away.

[L13 Cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by leemini

My solid black mini one is parked under an oak tree for 24 hours a day every day

lee

you need to get out in your car more my man! no good leaving it under a tree all day every day! haha

[Wul]

Yeh but the mileage on the car must be soooooooooo looooooooooowwwwwwwwwww

[zyo]

Leemini,you definately need the Meguiars quick clay ...retails for £11.99 in Halfords.Its fantastic for getting stuff off the paint.I never thought it would work but it really does leave your paint feeling like glass to the touch.If it feels very abrasive and rough even after its been washed then when you polish it you are just putting the polish ontop of the cr@p thats on your paint rather than the paint itself.Get the clay bar .....i had a black MINI before i went to Pepper White and i wouldn't consider going back to black unless i had got some Meguiars scratch x (gets rid of swirl marks) and the clay bar first.

[REHW]

Tree sap must be cleaned off regularly as if left it will f**k the paint, but not just the paint the window seals and rubbers too. The answer is park elsewhere, while the tree is secreating sap or get a car cover. The problem with car covers is you need the car to be clean otherwise when the wind blows the car cover it can scratchthe paint through the action of the dirt on the surface of the car rubbing with the cover and this canl scratch the paint. I would suggest very hot soapy water and alcohol for the really stubborn bits. A good wax coating will also help to protect your car and aid regular cleaning.

I think worth parking away from the trees at the height of the problem.

Best of luck

Russell

Quote: Originally Posted by L13 Cooper

you need to get out in your car more my man! no good leaving it under a tree all day every day! haha

I cant get out in my car i am still learning to drive


LEE

[ayohell]

Quote: Originally Posted by REHW

Tree sap must be cleaned off regularly as if left it will f**k the paint, but not just the paint the window seals and rubbers too. The answer is park elsewhere, while the tree is secreating sap or get a car cover. The problem with car covers is you need the car to be clean otherwise when the wind blows the car cover it can scratchthe paint through the action of the dirt on the surface of the car rubbing with the cover and this canl scratch the paint. I would suggest very hot soapy water and alcohol for the really stubborn bits. A good wax coating will also help to protect your car and aid regular cleaning.



Russell

The regular washing mentioned earlier works for me but as you mentioned the windows glue up and smeer even when parking on my drive a few times for a few mins.....chainsaw, explosives and a few other measures were thought through, especially as the damn things screw up my sky signal too, but I was informed they are all protected, so I tried to avoid parking under them, but I am allergic to walking more than to my door! ......... SOLUTION,,,,, remote garage doors, look cool and no bother to put it away even for 5 minutes

[mtlove14]

i use googone for anything stuck to the car

http://www.googone.com/products_gg.shtml

it works great

[rakh1]

Try autoglymn tar remover - very good stuff! Just make sure you wax the car after as it removes that in the process...

R

[ktn]

Quote: Originally Posted by purpsicle

Thanks for your help guys - just read a thread from last year that recommended Meguiar's Clay so I've ordered that - hopefully it will do the trick!

i bet that did the trick!

[Pocketrocket]

Good old standard T-cut is perfect for removing tar spots / tree sap.

Its also brilliant to clean panels before waxing/polishing, and removes light scratch marks.

With all the fancy products around these days T-Cut is often forgotten about..but it still is one of the best products to keep in your garage.

[bimini]

Quote: Originally Posted by rakh1

Try autoglymn tar remover - very good stuff! Just make sure you wax the car after as it removes that in the process...

R

yep, this is awesome stuff...totally removes even hardened tree sap thats gone like epoxy

for the record, mine is tree sap, not aphid dung ...its 0 degrees here at the moment and the sap is still falling from broken branches on broken pine trees. No aphids around anymore (and if they were they must be huge!...one of them covered the mini logo! )

[TOGWT]

Tree Resin (Sap):
(Appears like a dark brown/ red coloured surface mark) some of the most common resinous tree sap types are: White Pine, Maple, Oak, Popular, and Blue Spruce, none of which are water soluble, the acidic content of the sap will etch the paint surface, causing a concave surface. A lot depends upon the type of sap, which is actually a resin emitted from the tree, the resin deposits can be removed by- Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), a solvent, or turpentine, which is made from tree resins, in severe cases it can be used to break down the resin in tree sap, use as a last resort only and use sparingly and do not rub hard and give it some time to work.

Or use detailer’s clay. Once you remove the sap deposits, the paint or clear may be cracked, which may entail some expensive refinishing. Factors as to the amount of time it takes to remove sap and what damage it has caused are dependent on temperature and time the sap has been on the paint surface. Be careful and take your time removing it, remember always let the products do the work for you.

Tree sap that is still soft can be removed by soaking with Isopropyl Alcohol (or Stoner’s Terminator) wet the area with the product and allows it to remain on the surface for 3-5 minutes, then wipe with soft dry towel. For tree sap that has hardened, carefully scrape the top of the spot off with a plastic razor blade to expose the softer sap inside.

Apply Zaino’s ZPC Fusion with a foam applicator and then remove residue or soak a towel with the solvent placing it over the sap and let soak for 10-minutes, repeat in order for the solvents to break down the sap, once it’s removed re-apply sealant / wax protection of your choice. If the paint has been etched the surface can be levelled with a suitable polish and then apply a paint protection

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