[SeaDooHHI]

No, I do not own a MDX, but I know that many of you are detailing fanatics.

My vehicle was parked under an oak and pine tree for a week and I just washed it today. The amount of tree sap on the car is sickening. I used goo-gone on the hood to remove the sap because the bug and tar remover I had was not working. The goo-gone bottle does not list paint or metal as materials to not use the product on. Is it safe to use goo-gone on a vehicle?

Since I have only used goo-gone on the hood (then I waxed the hood with Zymol wax), I want to know if it is safe to use on paint before I continue using it to remove the rest of the sap. I will wax vehicle after the sap is removed.

Please give me your opinions.

 

[jpettit1]

Remove pitch

Doesn't look like anyone ever replied to this post. I have the same problem, although not as bad as you, it seems. Big glob of pitch on the front hood. Did the goo-gone work OK? Any problems? Anyone else out there have other ideas?

 

[SeaDooHHI]

Yes, the goo-gone did remove the sap on the hood, but I went out and bought some bug/sap/tar remover that clearly says "safe for paint." Since the goo-gone did not mention if it was safe for paint or not and knowing it is strong stuff, I completely stripped the hood with dawn soap and put wax back on.

I don't feel like ruining the paint on a $33,000 vehicle.

 

[Fireblade6]

Tree Sap and GOO

when saps and resins from trees sits on your paint...It is highly recommended that you remove it as quickly as possible. On hot days when the goo drops on the hot paint...it remains fairly soft and can be washed off later that day when the pain surface is a lot cooler with a good car soap liquid. HOWEVER..when saps and resins are left for LONg period of time where it accumulates...You may want to evaluate what you use on your paint surface to get rid of it.

Saps or resins depending from what plants or trees can have different level acids and its affects on the painted surface. Pine saps are not as caustic as say...Eucalytus, Oak, or maple resins. When these types of resin gets on your paint surface it anchors into the paint...like water beads on a scorching summer day and puts POCK marks on the paint surface. Over time these pock marks comes many small "orange peels" and ultimately cause your paint to either crack in lateral or bubble.

As for how to get rid of these types of saps or resins properly..you may want to use a wax cleaner with a machine buffer or...if that is too trouble some...you may want to make sure that your paint surface is cool..and use Evergreen. It is a natural cleaner made from seaweed and is NOT caustic on painted surfaces. Evergreen will remove it safely. Then after polish the surface with a good detail product and then protected with an excellent carnauba wax.

 

[SeaDooHHI]

The sap only sat on the vehicle for a week. I am using my nights to remove the sap (not sure if it is sap because of what it looks like, but it sticks like nothing else.) I've been using bug and tar remover which does the trick and then I'm waxing the entire vehicle with Zymol wax. I can't imagine this causing any problems with the paint.

The vehicle is a 2001 4Runner Limited with the Toyoguard package (which is a gimmick if you ask me) and the sealant cleaner that came with the car does not remove sap or whatever it is on the paint.

Thanks for your help. The sap is coming off, but it is taking a lot of patience.

 

[ifeldman]

Clay

I think the best thing to do is to use the dawn to strip the wax then use a clay bar to take off the tar. Then re apply the wax. This method works great except that you have to remove and re apply wax.

 

[octavian]

I have used the claybar successfully on stuff on my X that resembles sap. I can't say for certain it was, but the clay took most of it off, as ifeldman suggests.

Goo gone is a distillate-based solvent and while you can use it verrrrry sparingly (I have even used paint thinner to take out a a very small dot of tar) I would not want to do a major cleanup with it on my X either.

Of course, once you do either, you lose the wax so ya gotta Zymol or, in my case, Zaino it again.