First Aid for pine sap

Billy Jack

Billy Jack

Member
One of my coworkers came to me, asking for the best product to remove pine sap form his hood and roof. Our recent hot weather had left him with several globs of sap on his dark blue Ridgeline, some up to a full inch long. Vaguely remembering something from one of the forums I visit, I grabbed a pump bottle of hand sanitizer from my desk along with a mf towel. Pump a drop on the spot, agitate with light finger pressure until you can`t feel the spot, then wipe dry with the mf. Sap totally dissolved. Any minor streaking remaining came off with a fog of waterless wash from my trunk bag.

Just thought I`d pass it along to those who hadn`t heard of it before.

Bill
 
The active ingredient is 62% IPA, which we commonly use in lesser concentrations to strip wax or polishing oils. I`d guess that being designed for skin contact, there`s nothing in it that would be too nasty for your paint. What I really like is the gel consistency. You can put a drop on a blob of sap and the gel gives some dwell time for the IPA to dissolve the sap, as well as some lubrication when you`re rubbing. I don`t have a problem with my own cars, but I have a friend who lives in a city neighborhood and his only choice is to park under some large pines.
I used the term "first aid" in my title, since the ability to spot treat on a daily basis during the hot, sunny weather makes life much easier than doing full panel treatments with every washing.

Bill
 
You can`t miss them in Georgia. Even if you park away from them the wind can blow it onto your paint. I usually notice it on my windshield first. If you catch it fast a good wash will remove it unless it is a large blob, then you`ve got some work. I`m definitely going to try the hand sanitizer. Got to be cheaper than Tar-X.
 
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