Jmai22

hey guys i have 2 small spots on my car with tree sap. when i was washing my car i thought it was bird dudu to i took my hand and was trying to rub it off. it just smeared and got harder. how do i get rid of it?? will clay bar work?

Guitarman

I run into it all the time in my work as a detailer.

Simply use some denatured alcohol or Isopropyl alcohol with a soft cotton rag and it will melt it away pretty fast. Don't rub hard, and be sure to re-wax the area afterwards as the alcohol will remove the wax. You'll get a slight haze from the sap residue after the alcohol does it's work, you can either use some polish or car wash and water to remove it before you rewax, unless you use a "cleaner-wax" in which case that'll take care of it all at once.

Clay "might" remove it, but it's going to take MUCH longer and you'll risk scratching to a greater degree as you abrade the sap.

Be aware, if the sap has been there a while, you'll likely see a "ring" or outline where the sap was, and you'll either have to polish it out or, in severe cases where it's etched too deep, learn to live with it.

Cheers, Dan H

Jmai22

Thanks for the advise. i gotta try that.

Ira Senoff

Guitarman is right, stay away from the clay - if the hands of an amateur, you run a very good chance of a scratch. I like using the alcohol in a spray bottle for larger areas. Also, if it is old sap and leaves a ring, try a mild cutting cream and/or Zymol HD cleanse to remove the defect. If all else fails, try a little wetsanding of the area and then buff it back (but you had better know what you are doing)

Jmai22

when you wet sand the area, lets say with 2000 grit you remove a layer of clear coat, how do you replace it?

Ira Senoff

You don't (unless you reclear the entire area) that is why I said "If all else fails". Wetsanding is a last resort to remove blemishes