Removing Tree Pitch from Your Car

Finding tree pitch on your car can seem like a minor irritant, that is until you try to take it off the wrong way, when it becomes a major irritant. For some reason, tree pitch, also known as sap, has a tendency to ruin or damage a car's paint job if left alone for too long. That naturally makes correctly removing tree pitch from your car a very valuable skill to learn. Just use one of these methods, and you will find just how easy it is to get your car nice and clean again.

• Commercial products. There are several commercially available products that have been specifically designed to remove tree pitch from a car. While they all work with varying levels of success, they do share one common problem—the price. These products tend to be a bit more expensive than other methods listed, so keep that in mind before you rush out and purchase anything. If you do go with one of these products, make sure that you follow the directions carefully before you start using them.
• Petroleum products. There are a couple of petroleum-based products that can be used to help remove tree pitch from your car. For example, you can place a bit of lighter fluid or WD-40 directly onto the pitch and let it sit there. These two items will dissolve most, if not all, of the tree sap, leaving you only a little bit left to clean off.
• Nail polish remover. Acetone can be a very powerful tool on removing things like tree pitch. However, you will also want to be careful when you use this type of a product. Your best bet would be to use nail polish remover since it is a weaker version of acetone than what you could get at most home improvement stores. Simply pour a bit of the nail polish remover onto a cotton ball, and gently wipe away at the tree pitch.

Keep in mind that while all of these methods will remove the tree pitch, some of them could potentially cause a bit of damage to your vehicle. As with any type of cleaning method, make sure that you do a simple safety test first. Test the method that you want to use on an inconspicuous location of your car, and keep an eye out for any potential problems. If you notice the paint fading, then you know you really don't want to use that particular method on a large scale.