How to get dried tree sap off car (disability-friendly)

October 26, 2023 9:40 PM

My Toyota Prius still has really stubborn sap spots that's been on there for months, and I am trying to get them off before they eat the paint more. I am also disabled with limited time and funds, what is the most energy and cost-friendly way to get these off?

I am tired, scattered, and job hunting, but I also care a lot about my car and want to clean off the sap myself. Even after it's been through a car wash at the body shop, there is still pretty substantial brown spots and residue. Can someone walk me through exactly the steps I need to do and what to buy, and what to expect time wise and energy wise?

And in the future, how soon am I supposed to deal with seeing sap spots the next time, and what should I do? I can't really avoid it, because the trees in our area exude so much sap.

I have autism and ADHD and chronic fatigue, and get tired so easily, plus I have to be careful about my hands, back, and knees so I don't re-injure them. Thanks!

posted by yueliang to Travel & Transportation (14 answers total)

Go to Autozone or Amazon and look for pro-level Goo Gone or other like products - specifically search for 'tree sap remover' and _definitely_ follow the directions
posted by TimHare at 9:50 PM on October 26, 2023 [2 favorites]

Acetone works for me! You can get a quart or smaller can of it at Home Depot, Lowes,Walmart,... and probably other places that sell paint. Acetone evaporates quickly, but also acted quickly, with no problem for my car's finish or window. I didn't try the rubber seals around windows. I applied it with a dish cloth and bare hands, no problem, and the cloth subsequently washed fine with soap and water.
posted by gregoreo at 12:05 AM on October 27, 2023 [1 favorite]

Alcohol should also do a reasonable job of dissolving tree resin, is even less likely to damage clearcoat than acetone, and much less likely to damage random plastic parts that it might dribble onto. Acetone eats polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic and similar polymers quite aggressively. I would personally not apply it to my paintwork unless or until alcohol had proved itself inadequate.
posted by flabdablet at 12:24 AM on October 27, 2023 [7 favorites]

Try a dab of toothpaste and use a soft cloth.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:02 AM on October 27, 2023

Yeah I have successfully removed tree sap (pine) with hand sanitizer, i.e. mostly alcohol but it doesn't stays where you put it so you can let it soak in. Dab of hand sanitizer, put some plastic wrap or something on top of it so it doesn't evaporate, let it sit for a bit to soften up, then it will likely come up if you rub with a soft cloth. You may need to repeat a few times.

For the future, it's easiest if you remove the sap same-day; it just gets harder to remove the longer you let it sit. It might come off in a car wash if you go the day the sap drops before it's had time to set up. Maybe you could get one of those unlimited car wash memberships so you can go as soon as you notice sap? Or a car cover might be easier, at least during the sappiest times of year.
posted by mskyle at 5:23 AM on October 27, 2023 [2 favorites]

99% isopropyl alcohol will make short work of it; the diluted stuff not so much. This is what stoners use to clean stubborn weed resin off bongs; it'll clean sap off your car.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:33 AM on October 27, 2023 [4 favorites]

I used hand sanitizer to get pine sap off my car. Works great. If you have some old hand sanitizer around try it.
posted by Slinga at 5:45 AM on October 27, 2023

Take it to a detailing shop?
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 6:17 AM on October 27, 2023

For the future, get a car cover?
posted by Julnyes at 7:56 AM on October 27, 2023

WD40 works well for me, to get cypress resin off.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 2:00 PM on October 27, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks for the answers but I have to admit I'm skeptical, wouldn't hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol damage the paint finish of my car? I have a 2017 Toyota Prius if that matters. I'm looking for something that causes as little damage to the paint as possible.
posted by yueliang at 3:11 PM on October 27, 2023

Try a thick slice of potato, it my do nothing, but potatoes have enzyme that is reactive , the catalase may reduce any oxygen in the sap, breaking it down.
posted by hortense at 3:36 PM on October 27, 2023

Best answer: I would not, ever, put acetone, toothpaste, or rubbing alcohol on car paint if i could avoid it. That just sounds like a recipe for messing up your clear coat or in the case of toothpaste creating fine scratches, especially if the clear is already a little tired from the sun etc. I deal with this a lot in the pacific nw on two cars with very different types of finish on them.(one quite old, one 10~ years newer than the other)

What you really want is a waterless detail spray designed for removing sap or just "gunk". It looks like a lot of these are around $15 a bottle of concentrate or pre mixed that will last you quite a while if you're just hitting specific spots. My usual workflow is rinse, wash, work on problem areas with something like that, rinse again. If i'm doing a waterless clean, same thing without the rinse steps.

>And in the future, how soon am I supposed to deal with seeing sap spots the next time, and what should I do?

get a small spray bottle to keep under your sink, that you can mix or fill with a single serving amount of the solution in when you need it. when you wash the car, you run in and grab it after or bring it along. You're also gonna want a pack of microfiber rags from like, harbor freight or the dollar store. If they're dirty, wash them and use them for other stuff and buy another cheap pack when you run out. i keep some in the car and on top of my fridge.
posted by emptythought at 4:29 PM on October 27, 2023

I use canola oil (or any other neutral cooking oil) to get fresh sap off of my hands. You can probably use the same on your car, though it might require a little elbow grease since the sap is dried. Still, the physical effort might be worth it if you feel worried about using alcohol or acetone on your car.

(I have no idea if acetone/alcohol is bad for car paint, but I understand your concern.)
posted by homodachi at 4:44 PM on October 27, 2023 [1 favorite]