Comments on: How to Remove Tree Sap From Your Car

on 12/22/2008 Thank God there is a way to do this. This stuff has been stuck on my car for a little over a month. It is freezing outside so its hard to get out there and get it off. I will try this method as soon as it warms up a but outside. Thanks!

on 10/28/2008 Can you use the same method for getting pine cone sap off your car seats?

on 8/30/2008 I only had a small amount of sap on my car, the ice theory seemed logical. I'm a little leary of chemicals on my car that remove paint. I got an ice cube and rubbed it over the sap and used my finger nail to scrape it off, it worked like a charm!!!!

on 11/12/2007 Save your money and elbow grease. All pine tars and saps are water soluble but need help. Boil a pan of water on the stove and pour it on the sap. Fresh sap should wash away almost instantly. A drop or two of dishwasher detergent in the water also helps. Older, hardened sap may take couple of rinses and some rubbing with damp rag or leave the damp rag over the spot(s) for a while. Remember, dirt, dust and pollen can stick to the sap, so rub gently on the hardened spots to avoid scratching while constantly flushing with a hose. Any stains in the finish can be removed with white rubbing compound or a good paste auto wax. If you must try a chemical remover, then use charcoal grill starting fluid...same as bug and tar remover but a lot cheaper. Lastly, best long term insurance is always keep a good coat of wax on the finish. Good Luck

on 11/10/2007 I used nail polish remover on a couple of paper towels,came off the paint immediately!! No need to rub hard,wax the spot right after and your done!

on 10/15/2007 I tried several of the methods mentioned. I started out using the ice method which did in fact work. Just a little time consuming. I tried using the WD-40 method and it works on the smaller drops but I had difficulity removing the larger drops of sap. I finally used the rubbing alcohol and I was done in no time. Alcohol does evaporate in small amounts but it also leaves a slight film of residue. I wiped the area after removing the sap but I could still see the area that I applied the alcohol. I also believe that this method removes wax as well. With a little of elbow grease and applying more wax the car should look good as new.

on 1/29/2007 I use, "LA'S TOTALLY AWESOME" all purpose concentrated cleaner, degreaser, and spot remover. I purchase this at either Dollar General or Dollar Tree (Which means it's CHEAP!) This product has no acid, no ammonia, no bleach, and is non-flammable. You simply just spray some of this product on your car, start rubbung in about 30 seconds, and the pine sap comes right off!!! This product has also been used to remove dead ladybugs dried to my bumper. Just follow the same steps!And I assure you that this product has not damaged the paint to my Nissan or Ford vehicles! You can also use this product to remove blood stains, grease, wine, liquor, gum, oil, glue, coffee, pet stains, SOME inks, FRESH paint, varnish, hair dye, food stains, grape juice, berry juice, and many more! THIS STUFF REALLY WORKS AND IS CHEAP!

on 11/5/2006 1. put ice in a paper towel 2. put the flattest and biggest part of the ice down on the car. 3. wipe the ice back and forth around hood
(ice will freeze sap off and rag will pick it up, you will hear a ticking noise to know the ice is coming off)

on 8/27/2006 I live in the DC area, and I don't know what it is about our pine trees, but no amount of mayonnaise, salad dressing, or peanut butter was working. Rubbing alcohol worked like a charm, though. Took the sap (that had been on my car all summer) off in 2 seconds.

on 8/22/2006 I tried the nail polish remover method, and I will say it works like a charm. It dissolved the tree sap on my car on contact. My white car had tree sap on it for months and I tried the Turtle wax tar and bug remover; don't waste your money.

I recommend having a bucket full of water and a rag nearby to wash off the nail polish remover when you're done with a section of the car, to make sure nothing happens to your paint. I also recommend fully washing your car after you're done. This method also works wonders on removing bugs.

on 8/20/2006 The ice cube trick worked! I placed the ice in a soft cloth on hundreds of these areas and the substance which I believe was some sort of tar came off without damaging the paint!

on 8/8/2006 I had a spray can of OFF, a bug spray. I tried this and it works. Spray a little on a towel and rub it on the sap. Amazing, it immediately comes off. Wipe clean. I used this on 2006 Lexus. Just use a little and don't spray it directly on the car.

on 8/8/2006 People at our campground suggested using denatured alcohol found at the hardware store near the paints and varnishes I believe. I've used it and it took off sap that was dried on for a year! No need to rub hard either. Came off immediately using a soft cloth dipped in the denatured alcohol. And as far as I can tell it didn't harm the finish of my car. It does leave a film of some sort on windows. If you use it there be wary and clean your window really well after using it.

on 8/5/2006 I have been living under pines for five years and me and my wife both have black vehicles. The sap is terrible, however I have the answer! First buy some Turtle wax brand sap and tar remover, it is thick and won't run off your car. Put healthy drops of it on the sap spots and let it sit for as long as you can wait (twenty to thirty minutes). Then soak an old sock in mineral spirits, and use rubbing alcohol dripped onto the sap remover. Rub away! Doesn't hurt the paint and removes sun dried hard sap pretty quick!

on 7/30/2006 I tried everything from mayonnaise to bacon grease to tar remover, bug and tar remover, sap and tar remover, you name it I've tried it. And nothing worked. I even went to a detail place and they wanted to charge me $500 to "try" to remove it. Well, one day my girlfriend and I were washing the car inside and out, and I was detailing the inside of my car with Armorall cleaning wipes. I don't know why, but I decided to try the wipes on the passenger door where a lot of tree sap had built up. I couldn't remove the grime off my truck for a little over a year, so it was very tough. It almost looked like the paint was chipping, but it was the tree sap. I applied the cleaning wipe with a little pressure and the sap was gone! I did the whole truck with 2 XL cans of the wipes and I got my beautiful truck back!