Alright, so this tree dripped a bunch of sap all over the hood of my wife's car... How do I get it off without ripping off the clear coat? Washing hasn't worked, soap/hot water/soaking hasn't worked... It's not like it's one small spot, it looks like the tree basically puked all over the hood. Any ideas?

 

WD40

 

try a clay bar man
joel

 

That won't work.

As mentioned above, try WD40 or 3M (or any other brand) Bug & Tar Remover. Use LIBERAL amounts. Pour or spray it on, let it sit for a minute, wipe as much of the it off, repeat.

 

...and re-wax afterward.

 

worked on my jeep

 

A clay bar will work on removing very mild sap droppings but re-read the first post - he's got it on there pretty good. WD40 and Bug & Tar Remover will dissolve the sap better than the spray-on detailer used with a clay bar ever will.

 

Bug & Tar remover will definately do the trick. Remember that stuff is strong however. Liberal amounts might be needed to get the gunk off but remember to wash your hands throughly afterwards too. Or just wear some latex gloves while you're cleaning it off.

I try not to park under trees or powerlines (birds..) for this very reason. If I do, on goes the car cover.

x2

Rinse the area where the sap was on off throughly to get the WD40 or Remover off, then wash it off gently real quick and re-wax the area. Good as new

-Michael

 

clay bar did it for me when I first got my first FD. It sat under the tree for a while so when I got it it had like a year of sap on it. Clay bar took it right off but a little elbow grease was needed. I also used my nails with wax.

 

will the wd40 or clay bar work on egg? someone must either not like my car (no one knows me, i dont have any enemies) or went around and egged a few. its sat there while. it happened when i was at school 40 miles from home, so i couldnt act quickly.

 

your fucked if your car got egged, it leaves tiny chips in the paint in circles, taking the egg off the car is the least of the problems with eggs.

if you use a clay bar for sap, you will have to polish the area up a bit, plus the purchase of the clay bar. The WD40 requires no polishing after and everyone pretty much has a can laying around.

Wash the car, let the hood dry or just wd40 the spots, then wash the area again and you will be done

 

I've had great success removing both egg and large gobs of tree sap with Bug & Tar Remover that I got at Kragen. Can't remember the brand. It's a gel with petroleum distillates, so you will want to rewax once you are done. It just requires liberal use and lots of elbow grease. Worth the money!

 

my car didn't get "egged," just one on my driver side door. its just a second gen with factory paint job, so i'm not too bent out of shape. as for the paint under where the egg was, it looks fine, really. may never "be the same," but its 13.5 year old paint. i've never even waxed my car. may try the bug & tar and then wax the door. thanks.

 

casio: Sounds like the egg only ruined some of the clearcoat. Take your car to a professional detailer; they can machine polish that out.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. You rock!

 

after you get the stuff off, get a car cover, they're not very expensive and will save your interior as well as the out side of your car
I have to park under a tree at my house too
it amazing how much crap trees will drop overnight on your car

 

I had the same problem with my mom's car. I was outside all day trying everything possible to get it off, but nothing could get all of it off.

Then my mom comes outside with a bottle of "Awesome", which she got from the dollar store. I laughed at her and told her that it would never work, but gave it a try anyway

Well I'll be damned! It took the sap right off with barely any struggling at all.

You might wanna give that a try before you start cleaning out the car care section of Pep Boys

lata

 

WD40 or 3M general adhesive cleaner are the **** for bugs, tar, etc! Clay bar wont do **** unless its a mild surface mark. And yes, wash the section and definitely re-wax.

 

I would have thought WD40 would jack up the paint.

 

Gasoline

 

just washed the 350z and it had a huge spot of sap. broke it up with my nail and then used the clay bar and show time spray worked like a carm .

also: car is black and the sap was baked on and it still came off.
joel

 

Have you tried just using SOAP & WARM water?

I had the same problem last yr.....went out and bought one of thise spray type bug/tar remover and damned nearly ripped my arms out of there sockets trying to get it off with that crap. I finally gave up and just tried soap and warm water and voila came right off!

 

aggggg. i have sap on my car too. I tried GOOGONE. Its crap. im gonna use suomething else now

 

Ok i did detailing for 3 years. the best thing to take off tree sap is DNA, denaturalized alchol (sp) i cant spell for ****. but just apply a little bit to a rag. and lightly dab it first then buff it out. i gaurentee it will work. if it dosent ill give ya $100 :-) ok maybe not. but it dose work better then all those other (remidies)

TurboSmoke