Sap, Sap Everywhere!!

[KonaChick]

We have enough sap on our decks to start a glue factory. Does anyone know why there's so much sap dropping this year? I remember several years ago when we first bough our lake home there seemed to be tons everywhere that year, but it got much better after that. I would LOVE any info from anyone who's educated on this subject and also what are the different ways people keep the horrid stuff out of their houses?? My wood floors are all spotted with the stuff. The one thing we do do is keep a bottle of GERM-X hand sanitizer by the door. The high alchohol conent seems to get most of it off your hands and feet, now if i could only find a way to get if off my wood floors!!

[Orion]

Probably due to the 3 weeks of rain we had last month. If you have white pines, you have sap for sure. This year we have been taking shoes off at the door. Goo-Gone does a good job of taking sap off (it even smells like sap). Best to do it before it really hardens after sitting there for a few weeks.

[livingonwinni]

Does anyone know how to get it off the paint on a car ?? Some thing that won't damage the paint. Iv'e tried a few thinggs , but it always leaves a dull spot on my paint.

[TomC]

it will strip the wax, but does not hurt the paint.

[AC2717]

I know it is expensive right now, but believe it or not Gasoline works well on the cars and the finished floors, just have to wash down everything after you use it. Gas also takes bug and tar right off your car as well, minimal scrubing.
Good Luck - it has always worked for me

[SAMIAM]

Witch Hazel rubbing alcohol does the trick

[livingonwinni]

Thanks guys I'll give those a try:)

[chipj29]

When I was a teenager, we went on a cross-country trip with a bunch of other kids my age. We were in Lake Tahoe, CA at our campground, which was situated under some gigantic pine trees. A big gob of pine sap dripped off one of the trees, and landed right on the top of my head. We tried everything you can think of to get it out. My sister was just about to just cut the sap out (along with my hair), when someone made a suggestion that we hadn't yet tried.

Peanut butter.

We had our doubts, but gave it a shot. Sure enough, the sap came out of my hair. Of course I had to shampoo two more times to get the oil out, but it sure beat cutting all that hair out.

[Gatto Nero]

A friend of mine runs a cleaning company and he suggested WD-40 on my vinyl boat seats and it worked great.

[LSBA Joker]

My F-I-L uses a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and lestoil in a spray bottle for the cars.
I swear by it. spray on liberally, give it a minute to soak in, then re-wet and rub gently. As previously noted, it does remove the wax also.

I was going to suggest that my wife use it on our floors last wknd, but she looked like she was having a great time scrubbing on her hands and knees, so I didn't bother her. :D

[dpg]

I know it is expensive right now, but believe it or not Gasoline works well on the cars and the finished floors, just have to wash down everything after you use it. Gas also takes bug and tar right off your car as well, minimal scrubing.
Good Luck - it has always worked for me


I wouldn't put gas on paint. There's alot milder than that too use.

[AC2717]

I wouldn't put gas on paint. There's alot milder than that too use.

It will work well if you put it on a rag and do it that way, I would not cover the car in gas either, but for spot treatment it is perfectly fine. Do nto forget all thos cars that have gas spill on them while filling up, it does not wreck the paint, but it could break down the wax.

Another good treatment is to use straight simple green. Problem there is it does pull the wax off so you have to re-wax the car right after using it, but for those that do not wax it would be no big deal. To be honest for years I washed the car with simple green and then waxed it, it neevr looked so good and then with a constant new coat of wax, without the old layers bing there, she really looked good!

[dpg]

It will work well if you put it on a rag and do it that way, I would not cover the car in gas either, but for spot treatment it is perfectly fine. Do nto forget all thos cars that have gas spill on them while filling up, it does not wreck the paint, but it could break down the wax.

Another good treatment is to use straight simple green. Problem there is it does pull the wax off so you have to re-wax the car right after using it, but for those that do not wax it would be no big deal. To be honest for years I washed the car with simple green and then waxed it, it neevr looked so good and then with a constant new coat of wax, without the old layers bing there, she really looked good!

You can continue to use gas, I still wouldn't. :D

[Meredith lady]

I have the pleasure of parking under a big old tree at work and got sap on my car. Before trying a series of home remedies, I called my local dealership. They suggest using windshield washer fluid-what's your opinion on that? I have also heard of witch hazel-where do you buy that?

[Argie's Wife]

Witch hazel is an astringent that you can buy at any grocery store or drug store. It's usually sold in the same aisle where you'd find rubbing alcohol, etc.

Try fabric softener - no kidding. I've found that really cheap fabric softener will unstick just about anything. (I use it to remove old wall paper! If you can get past the cloying perfumes it does a great job!)

[John A. Birdsall]

Avon has a product that uses ALOA or it is aLOE we have tried with success that product.. like it for the paint, bad for the body...:laugh:

[ApS]

"...My wood floors are all spotted with the stuff...now if i could only find a way to get if off my wood floors!!
For a large area, there's nothing like old-fashioned turpentine, available in quarts and gallons at hardware stores. It is a close relative of pine sap, and erases spots promptly. I wouldn't use it on pets, and definitely don't put a rag soaked in turpentine in your back pocket! :eek:

Gasoline would work, but not for indoors due to the extreme explosion hazard. :(

For the hands, I've heard that mayonaisse will work.

For the pets, I've sprinkled talcum powder on their feet. The powder absorbs the sap, dries it, and the sap gradually wears off. It's possible any powder will work. I've heard that cats don't manage that treatment so well.

Dogs don't seem to mind (My Favorite Thing!!!). :laugh:

[Aside the Point]

Having the same problem. Our daughter Googled and found several suggestions. The Purell® Hand Sanitizer does work with a little rubbing.
Everything will dull the finish. Purell is primarily alcolol, but, easier to use and to keep in the car as it is a gel. The sooner you get the sap off the easier the job.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

We rented a cottage on Lake Winnisquam back in 2002 that was under pine trees. They used Pine Sol on the wood and vinyl floors to get rid of the pine gum. Washing the floors was not included in our rental agreement, so I do not know just how well it does work, but they did have many bottles of Pine Sol. Perhaps Murphy’s Oil Soap would work as well?

Some say that Deep Woods Off or Cutter insect repellent works well. Apply to a soft cloth and rub it onto the area. Be sure to clean the area afterwards. I wonder if Skin So Soft would work too?

Good luck! Let us know what works.

[Misty Blue]

I Yam, what's I Yam and that's all that I Yam.....

I have a buddy that is in the tree cutting buisness and he gets sap off of his glasses. saws, equipment and body with Olive oil. He says that it works geat but his better half (not Olive) thinks that it is too expensive.

Just a thought. And although I may not be Popeye I am still...

Misty Blue.

[ironhorsetim]

This might be just an old Italian thing, but my Mom always used hot tea to clean up sap, I've used it on the truck, it works and leaves no mess at all and for those really tuff spots, leave the tea bag on for a few minutes...alot cheaper than most cleaners too ;)