Seeing as how you brought it up, is it way worse this year, or is it just
me?  We even have shiny dark areas on the paved back roads where the trees
hang over.  I've never had my walnut out sap like it has this summer.

steve
eastern kansas

How to Remove Tree Sap

To remove the tree sap from your vehicle's surface, you can use finger
nail polish remover on a cotton ball. After the sap is removed, make a
paste of water and baking soda to wash the affected area, then apply
wax.
Another method to remove the sap is to use mineral sprits (it will also
remove tar). Use a soft, terry towel, or wash cloth dampened with
mineral sprits. After removal, wash the car and apply wax to the
affected area.
Tree sap can also be removed by using a water-soluble paint brush
cleaner. A common household solution is bacon grease or lard. Just rub
it on, and off comes the sap. To get tree sap off of your hands, simply
rub mayonnaise on them and wash it off. To remove tree sap and other
substances, you can use common solvents like lighter fluid, rubbing
alcohol, WD-40 or even Skin-So-Soft bath oil.
The way to use those materials is to let them do their work of
dissolving (in the case of alcohol) or softening (in the case of oils),
enough to rub off the remaining sap. If you use the oil, wash the car
afterwards to remove it.
You can also use commercial wax and grease-removing products available
at auto supply stores. Be sure to wash and dry the car before applying
the wax and grease remover. Then dampen a clean cloth with the solvent
and rub the affected area. It may require several attempts if the sap is
very thick or extremely hard. The surface may appear hazy after the
solvent evaporates, but a good wax application will eliminate the haze
and complete the job.
Removing tree sap from a car's finish is a bit more difficult than tar,
as hardened sap can scratch your paint. I've found that by hand-rubbing
the sap spots with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol, I'm able to
easily remove the sap without damaging the finish. Mineral spirits and
denatured alcohol acts as a solvent to break up and dissolve the sap.
If there is a large amount of sap on the car, or if the sap has been
left on the finish for an extended period of time, it can be a lot of
work to remove. For these cases, you can try hitting the affected areas
with a light-duty buffing compound to remove the hardened surface on the
sap spots. Then you can use mineral spirits or a similar solvent to
remove it. The light duty buffing compound softens the sap so the
solvent can do its job. The goal is to use the least pressure possible
to reduce the risk of scratching the paint. After removing heavy sap,
always buff the treated areas with a good polish to clean up any marks
created during hand-rubbing with solvent. The treated area must also be
re-waxed.
Another technique is to use orange based solvents and children's molding
clay. Apply a bit of the solvent and rub with the clay. It is abrasive
enough to scrub off the sap which has been broken down by the solvent.
The chemicals used to remove road stains can also remove your wax or
sealants. After removing tar, sap or bugs, plan to spot wax or re-wax
your vehicle. If you don't have time to wax right away, use a quick
detailing spray that contains wax. A quick spray wax is great for this
kind of spot waxing, too.
Old tar, tree sap, and paint over-spray can be easily removed with a
miraculous new product called automotive clay. As you rub it across any
type of surface (paint, glass, plastic, metal, rubber, vinyl) it
instantly sticks-to and pulls-off all contamination that is stuck to the
surface. Here's how to use an automotive clay bar:
To use the automotive clay, spray a water-based lubricant on a small
area of your car and rub the bar back and forth with light to medium
pressure. If the lubricant begins to dry, you'll need to spray more.
Clay bars are fairly sticky, and they cannot be used dry.
After a few passes with the clay bar, rub your hand over the area to
feel if the surface contamination was removed. Keep rubbing until all
contamination bumps are gone. Finally, wipe the clay residue off with a
soft terry cloth towel, and buff to a nice luster. Just like waxing,
work in small areas.
Check the clay bar frequently for hard particles. When found, pick them
off. Make it a habit to occasionally knead and reform the bar so that a
fresh portion of the bar contacts your car's paint.
When you're finished claying your car, you should go over it with a
pre-wax cleaner to finish cleaning the paint and restore essential oils.
Then, protect your newly cleaned finish with one or more coats of rich
Carnauba wax.

Bug & Tar Remover Sponge
Easily removes bug and tar stains from all surfaces. Works great on
windshields and headlights.

Click here for detailing tips! Find  resources here and  links here!

Home | BMW | Books | Cars | Downloads | Driving | Free | Media | Models

BMW World is a private enthusiast site not associated with BMW AG.
© BMW World 1999-2005. All Rights Reserved