I don’t want this plant sap

September 19, 2022 8:58 AM

I had a lovely trailing plant on a finished wooden bookcase for many years. The plant has died—and I’ve discovered that it was leaking sap onto the bookcase. Some of it is dried, some is still tacky. How do I remove the sap without damaging the finish?
posted by bookmammal to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

What kind of finish does the bookcase have, and is it real/solid wood or mdf/particle board?

Have you already tried dissolving it with water?

What happens to the bookcase if you leave water on it -- will it damage the finish?

A photo might help. If you do this, please include some angle or closeup that might give an idea of the construction of the bookcase.
posted by amtho at 9:16 AM on September 19, 2022

If the bookcase finish is shellac, anything with alcohol will dissolve and remove the shellac completely, leaving ugly blotches. So definitely steer clear of anything with alcohol until you know for sure.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:18 AM on September 19, 2022

It’s real, solid wood (I think cherry) and yes, water will leave a stain if allowed to sit. The sap is in spots across the top of the bookcase. It is stained, not shellacked.
Can’t take a pic now because I’m not home.
posted by bookmammal at 9:26 AM on September 19, 2022

Finishes were originally made of plant saps. So you might be asking "can I use something that can dissolve one thing which is the same as the other thing?" Then, no, you probably can't, and probably will end up having to sand and refinish.
posted by flimflam at 9:36 AM on September 19, 2022

Hand sanitizer (rubbing alcohol) will remove the sap. Maybe use a q-tip to keep from affecting the wood too much.
posted by hydra77 at 9:42 AM on September 19, 2022

A lot of sap also dissolves in cooking oil. So another option is to try rubbing a bit of oil on it to see if that dissolves/softens the sap, and then wiping off the oil with some water and soap. Though admittedly it is one that risks staining things depending on how well the wood is sealed. As with all things, test with small quantities in an unobtrusive place. I think the q-tip idea with small amount of whatever solvent you find to work and working carefully is a good plan.
posted by Zalzidrax at 12:03 PM on September 19, 2022

New(the last 25 years) finishes are usually polyurethane, and sap is mostly water. I'd lay a wrung out cloth on it, and every little while scrub, rinse, wring, repeat.
posted by theora55 at 12:12 PM on September 19, 2022

I'd try a small area with varsol. If that's too vicious, or you don't have any, lighter fluid. I don't think this will be a problem if you're careful.
posted by AugustusCrunch at 1:08 AM on September 21, 2022