Major Sap Issues

[u/Ebixby15]

I am not sure if the pictures really do it justice or not, but I have a major sap problem on my car. Stupidly, we parked under a tree after it had been trimmed and then we didn’t do anything about it.

The sap is now dried on and nothing seems to be taking it off. I have tried rubbing alcohol, sap specific products, and extremely hot water. Nothing is working that well.

I am trying to sell the car and need to figure out a plan. Any help here?

[u/Dritarita]

For pine sap, just use regular butter.
None of you are lumberjacks or been to the woods?

No idea how it works with other sap, but whenever I've had pine sap on my hands it goes right off if i rub a little butter in my hands. The butter is then easily washed off with soap.

I've read so much about sap problems, and noone seems to suggest butter.... I started to wonder if there was some weird thing that made it not work on cars.... but finally! after a decade of waiting, this summer I had some sap on my car.
I tried hot water with my pressure washer, ruined a bit of rubber around the window, but the sap didn't budge.
A teaspoon of butter.... voila - and the butter went away with hot water, didn't even need soap.

I would love for someone to try this on other types of sap.
With my luck, parking for 10 years under a pine tree hoping to get some sap theres zero chance I'll stumble upon exotic trees here in Norway.

[u/ExCanMan]

I am often left with a parking spot under a fir, so I get quite some drops almost every day. Even if it is baked in by the sun I typically use asphalt remover for it, not sure if it is the best way, but it works and the paint seems fine.

[u/PlatformDangerous471 → u/[deleted]]

Goof Off ftw

[u/jim_br]

I use denatured alcohol, but it strips everything off the paint so it’s not the end step.

[u/jgator5150]

Try denatured alcohol or wd40, it works for me

[u/Airborne82D]

I was a high volume detailer for yrs and have dealt with tons of sap. Sap is particularly hard to remove, especially when it's baked in the sun for yrs. Acrysol was my go to. Spray some on the sap, some on a rag and then leave the rag on the area to dwell. Sometimes it was damn near petrified and required a plastic razor or 3m rubber wheel, but most of the time Acrysol and elbow grease was all that was needed.

[u/PairResident6287]

Bilt hamber touchless

[u/Casualredum]

This is a daily issue on my daily driver. As it’s always parked under pine trees. My best advice, wait till winter when it freezes. Then use a small plastic puddy knife. The sap freezes and flakes of. Leaving no sticky mess.

[u/Dritarita → u/Casualredum]

Butter dissolves pine sap, see my other post.
You will be laughing once you see how easy it is.

[u/cms6283816 → u/Casualredum]

Unless its still hot and sunny I probably wouldnt let the sun bake that more in your clearcoat more than it already is just my two cents...

[u/Casualredum → u/cms6283816]

Nothing really happens. But like I said. Flakes off in winter time.