Tree Sap.... UGH!

[Verio]

So... I found out that I had tree sap on my car this afternoon, as I'm leaving work. I had taken my 3 detailing towels out of the car the night before to get washed, so I wasn't able to immediately removed it. Looks like it had been there for a few hours at least.

Well, when I got home, I used some bug/tar/goo remover to get the sap off... and now there's a nasty indentation in the paint. It's right in the middle of my hood and it's really noticeable from a certain angle. I can't tell if it's taken the clear off off of if it's just a mark from where the sap was. When I rub my finger across it, it doesn't feel like there's any sap there... so I dunno what the mark is.

Is there any way to make this mark go away? I'm not going to go out and purchase 80 dollars of Zaino items that I can't even use on a regular basis (I live in an Apt complex).

[patriotpa]

You probably just took the wax off.
Just wash and wax and see how it looks.

[PTPhilip]

Post a pic. I put myself through several years of college by working at a detail shop and have cleaning countless cars of all sorts of contamination. My suggestion would be using a light polishing compound, just a small drop on a micro fiber towel and rub it onto the spot, then put some fresh wax over the spot. And for future reference, for sap that is really stuck on, rubbing alcohol works well with a credit card or other smooth soft plastic card (just don’t rub too hard, let it soften up before scrapping to avoid scratches). Also, a light polishing compound is the best thing for removing any scrapes/scratches/scuffs from shopping carts, car doors...

[rolnslo]

I definitely recommend using rubbing alcohol to remove tree sap. I detailed my truck a few weeks ago so I could sell it and I had dried on tree sap in multiple places from years of parking under a pine tree. Took a washcloth and a $.99 bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol and just wiped the sap off - no scraping with plastic cards needed. A shot of quick detailer over the area made the spots disappear.

[Andro]

Wash, clay, wash, and re-wax

[tribone]

When i get tree sap on my car i use MeGuiar's Ultimate Detailer

[Skyblu]

The best thing to use by far is either vaseline or go-jo soap without pumice. I have used these for years and it works great. If it's still wet/gooey put either fix on liberaly rub in until you don't feel the sap anymore wipe off with a very soft cloth. If it's already hard and set up you may have to leave on over night and maybe reapply to get it all off but it will come off. Does not damage paint at all and leaves your paint shiny. Actually any thing that is petroleum based should work because it desolves the sap on contact.

[GrnMchin]

mineral spirits!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Verio]

Originally Posted by Skyblu

The best thing to use by far is either vaseline or go-jo soap without pumice. I have used these for years and it works great. If it's still wet/gooey put either fix on liberaly rub in until you don't feel the sap anymore wipe off with a very soft cloth. If it's already hard and set up you may have to leave on over night and maybe reapply to get it all off but it will come off. Does not damage paint at all and leaves your paint shiny. Actually any thing that is petroleum based should work because it desolves the sap on contact.

I've scrubbed it a few times... and I still have the mark. I cant feel any residue on the hood or anything. I tried to take a picture of it, but you can only see it from a certain angle... and when I try to take a picture I just get glare :(

[Skyblu]

Maybe the damage is from the tar remover and it damaged the clear already. I think I would go to a body shop and get their opinion, maybe use a little light cleaner wax to see if it's just a "haze" left from the tar remover or if it did actually permeate the clear. But PROFESSIONAL" now would be the answer since nothing else seems to make it go away.

[ffrcobra_65]

Invest in dual action polisher and pads to use with quality paint care products of your choice and you will rid of minor stuff like this in no time. A minute with a DA polisher, white pad (orange pad if necessary), and swirl/scratch remove will buff that right off. Then you can polish/wax the entire car to a mirror shine!
Warning: once you start detailing your car this way, it becomes an obssession to keep it looking nice and shiny all the time.

[Verio]

Originally Posted by Skyblu

Maybe the damage is from the tar remover and it damaged the clear already. I think I would go to a body shop and get their opinion, maybe use a little light cleaner wax to see if it's just a "haze" left from the tar remover or if it did actually permeate the clear. But PROFESSIONAL" now would be the answer since nothing else seems to make it go away.

Can the tree sap take away the clear coat? I know the tar remover didn't... I use it quite often for the bugs on my front fascia.... and it works wonders. I didn't let the stuff sit at all... I sprayed it and then scrubbed it.

[Skyblu]

I don't know for sure but I see on some other threads people are saying bird poop certain bugs or acid rain is leaving etched spots on the car so I guess maybe depends on what kind of tree it was from maybe some have more corosives than others.

[Skyblu]

By the way mine was pine tree sap, they are everywhere here!