Tree Sap? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

camry244 · 07-20-2009, 05:53 PM

Searched around but I think I have tree sap on my car. It is little specs that are basically undetectable unless you run your hand on the paint. If you run your nail on them it comes off, so my question is what is this stuff and will Goo Gone work on it and best way of applying it over the whole vehicle? It is all over the car, winshield, roof, doors, hood etc.

gameguru1360 · 07-20-2009, 06:33 PM

I think any good car wash concentrate will work. I noticed that nasty tree sap on my 7th generation rolla when I parked in a certain area and it came off after I washed it using just standard turtle wax car wash. Actually it must've settled on my car for about 2 days...only noticed it when I had a friend install a kenwood car stereo and he had placed his hands on the fenders of the car and gotten mad that his hands were all nasty!

***humanoid*** · 07-20-2009, 06:44 PM

Try to clay bar the whole car and see if that gets most of the stuff off. I'm pretty sure most auto parts stores sell some sort of bug/tar remover too. I've heard that WD-40 works well to get that kind of stuff off too. Make sure to follow up with a good wash and wax.

touringcamry · 07-22-2009, 02:41 AM

If it's still fresh and sticky, I've used WD-40 to dissolve it. If it hardens, I dunno if it works or not.

***judge34411*** · 07-23-2009, 02:37 PM

The biggest thing you can do after you have gotten it off.

Start with a good wash then go up to the goo if needed as will any bug removal (but will remove any finish over the clear coat, ie: the wax), is wax, wax, wax, or the false wax like Klasse ( I Klasse and wax). Your living under trees just like me. I have to keep it silky smooth or its hell. I will get big gobs of the stuff at times and keep it washed. Try even a good mechanical car wash to start. A soft scrub one. They can work real well.

Never leave it sit and harden if you can avoid it.

Beverly Stayart · 07-23-2009, 03:20 PM

I agree that WD-40 works pretty well on this problem. Regularly washing and waxing your car is also a good preventative.

***judge34411*** · 07-23-2009, 08:52 PM

I agree with the wd-40 trouble is you said it is all over the car. So that is not spot removal.