Getting sap off of cars

[GoinAllTheWay]

I have an evergreen that seems hell bent on ruining the paint job on our cars this year. It's been dropping way more sap that I've ever seen before (been there for almost 13 yrs now). Big globs of the stuff all over the roof, windshield and hood of my car. It's unreal how bad it's getting. On top of the sap, each and every morning it looks like someone was a spraying hair spray from 10 ft up during the night and it covers the entire car after just a few days. It got so bad the sunroof on my car jammed and wouldn't open.

Do any of you have any effective ways to safely remove tree sap from the paint? I'm tempted to start cutting back branches but the way it is now, it's really good at sheltering whatever car is parked on the drive way from snow and ice during the winter.

Any suggestions?

[Hevishot]

Methyl Hydrate on a microfibre cloth. Its what we use to take sap off vehicles. Also if you can get your hands on some Autobody Surface Cleaner (Dupont 4105s wash and wipe or Prep Sol) works well. Also works if you get some road paint on your vehicle sometimes!

[fundmark19]

I have heard good things about googone works well with paper towel. Also if you have 3m film on your car use some pledge on it and then going forward those sap things won't stick to it

[sun]

Cut down the tree.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Hevishot

Methyl Hydrate on a microfibre cloth. Its what we use to take sap off vehicles. Also if you can get your hands on some Autobody Surface Cleaner (Dupont 4105s wash and wipe or Prep Sol) works well. Also works if you get some road paint on your vehicle sometimes!

Yup, methyl Hydrate is magic, and you can by it by the litre at home depot for cheap. A 1 litre jug is usually 6-10 bucks.

Lightly soak your rag, and just lightly dust it over the sap and watch it vanish before your eyes. Rubber gloves are a good idea, as the stuff dries your skin and evaporates extremely fast. Also, It is a good idea to give your car a nice coat of wax after you use Methyl. But the stuff works incredible.

[Erick Estrada]

Autosmart Tardis. End of thread.

[Dion]

Don't park under the tree.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Dion

Don't park under the tree.

Can't be avoided. I live in a townhouse so the only parking available is the garage or the parking pad right outside it. So there is always one car on the pad every night.

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll try them out. The Methyl Hydrage and Tardis look promising.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Can't be avoided. I live in a townhouse so the only parking available is the garage or the parking pad right outside it. So there is always one car on the pad every night.

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll try them out. The Methyl Hydrage and Tardis look promising.

Can you trim back the branches that over hang on your vehicles?

[meanmachine13]

I am having the same issue this year as well. The sap is just brutal.

I even went to Canadian Tire and bought a few different brands of sap/tar removal and none of them have worked.

I will try the Methyl Hydrate as well and hope for better luck!

[Jake]

I think ethanol would also work. It may be more convenient to find if you have a drugstore nearby. Pretty much every drugstore would sell 70% ethanol in the first aid section.

[CASe333]

Originally Posted by Jake

I think ethanol would also work. It may be more convenient to find if you have a drugstore nearby. Pretty much every drugstore would sell 70% ethanol in the first aid section.

I think your thinking of iso-propanol (aka rubbing alcohol). We drink ethanol and it shouldn't be wasted removing sap

as a former lot boy my vote is for methyl hydrate (aka methanol). definitely wear gloves and don't drink it. iso-propanol would work too but the more watered down it gets the less effective it will be so use 100% rubbing alcohol. Iso-propanol has a higher boiling point than methanol so it probably would be a better choice for removing huge globs since it won't evaporate quite as fast. Also if your getting so much sap would it be worth getting a cheap car tarp? I get that it's not convenient but might be better than having to clean your car every week.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Dion

Can you trim back the branches that over hang on your vehicles?

Possibly one of the lower ones (assuming the condo board would allow it) but this tree is massive. Plenty of others branches above it to take its place.

[zamler]

70% isopropyl alcohol works best in my experience. Wash the car, wipe down with alcohol then wax.

[rbochan]

[pylon]

Originally Posted by rbochan

ummmmm....

[burn_this_city]

With Brake clean you get that dull, cloudy finish everyone is looking for.

[Ducay]

Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover



http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

/thread

I'll pay a few extra bucks for something designed for auto finishes and smells great, versus killing myself/car with methyl-hydrate or gasoline.