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Parking under the wrong tree during the workday or at a friend’s house can result in your car receiving a splattering of sticky residue across its hood and roof. Whether they’re sap from pine trees or secretions of insect honeydew, these drops can stain your car’s paint and be difficult to remove with just soap and water. To effectively remove tree sap and other sticky substances off car paint, try this.
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The longer you wait to clean the scum off your car, the harder it will be to remove it. Letting it sit and bake will adhere it to the clear coat and even stain the paint underneath. If possible, wash your car the same day that it receives its sap droppings.
Remove what sap you can off the surface with some warm water, car-safe soap, and a large sponge. Don’t just focus on the obvious sap spots, though. This is a good opportunity to wash your entire car of unnoticed blemishes and lingering grime.
Unfortunately, a simple soap scrub won’t be enough to remove all traces of tar and gunk — especially if it’s been baked into the surface. You’ll need something caustic that will break down the gummy substance so you can wipe it away. The best solution is a commercial product — like a Goo Gone or Turtle Wax product — specifically designed to remove gum and sap without harming the rest of your car.
If you can’t procure a removal product from the store, you can try a home remedy like rubbing alcohol, WD-40, or a gentle fingernail polish remover. Just realize that these solutions might not be as safe on your car as commercial products are.
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Blot a cloth with the remover and hold it against the sap spot for 30 seconds. Then, wipe it off and rub the area with a dry portion of the cloth. You may need to repeat this step a couple times.
If you have a clay bar or still can’t get lingering stains out of the paint, a clay bar is an excellent tool to rub impurities out. Purchase one at your local car parts store and follow the directions to safely buff out blemishes.
Now that your car is free of dirt and grime, give it some extra protection with a thick coat of wax. Buff layers of fresh wax and polish onto the surface to shield the clear coat and paint from future sap bombings.
Removing sticky residue from your car’s paint is usually effective if you follow these steps and continue to wash and wax your car regularly.
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.
