# Parking Under Sycamore Tree - Sap?



## Lee540 (Aug 27, 2010)

Hi all, 

Since moving house, my car is now parked under a large sycamore tree.. since the last few weeks of relatively good weather, I've noticed odd spots of solid clear substance on my car. I was actually baffled as to what it was at first, you can't remove it from the glass with a finger nail and tar remover doesn't work either.

Looks like clear lacquer! I can only assume its sap? I managed to remove most of it by using some megs clay bar.. I mostly noticed it on my windscreen so used clay bar on the glass.

Is there any product that I can use to protect against tree sap on the bodywork.. most will say "park somewhere else" or "cut tree down".. I can't do either!!

Thanks

Lee


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## jonnyMercUK (Apr 19, 2012)

Same position as yourself, we have an oak tree over our drive. 

A weekly wash with snow foam, then a nice hot 2bw gets rid of it. Then just the usual polish and wax once a month. 

Been in the house 2 years and not had a problem.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Hot water with detergent will remove it, but I dont envy you, it is a pig to deal with.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

I've had the same with my daily driver. Fast glass gets rid of it, or shampoo


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## Lukey_astravxr (Apr 14, 2013)

Any chance of a picture, seems what I had but I had green spots left on my 2 day old blue paint.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Dixondmn said:


> Hot water with detergent will remove it, but I dont envy you, it is a pig to deal with.


Second that, a hot or very warm shampoo wash was the most effective and sympathetic method for me.


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## LostHighway (Sep 23, 2011)

Lee540 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Since moving house, my car is now parked under a large sycamore tree.. since the last few weeks of relatively good weather, I've noticed odd spots of solid clear substance on my car. I was actually baffled as to what it was at first, you can't remove it from the glass with a finger nail and tar remover doesn't work either.
> 
> ...


Without actually seeing and touching it it is hard to know what you are dealing with. Sap is certainly a possibility. It could also be aphid honeydew as that is not uncommon under sycamores. Tree sap, in my experience, usually does yield to tar removers. I just had to remove some semi-hardened pine sap from my own car and AF ObliTarate took it right off. Honeydew is more in the nature of sugar syrup and warm water and car shampoo, or in worse cases an APC, will usually shift it. Neglected deposits of honeydew will often serve a a nutrient base for sooty mold growth. With both substances the quicker you get to it the easier it is to remove.

On the protection front a good wax or sealant layer will certainly help and a durable coating would be even better, it should at least make removal easier.


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

I coated my car and caravan with Carpro Reload once when I went to Somerset, and the pitch had a large tree overhanging it which constantly rained sap on the car and caravan. I washed the car at a local garage with a powerwasher and all of the sap washed off with ease. A few days later it rained and that was enough to wash the caravan and car again free from sap. I was really surprised with how Reload had created a non stick barrier on the paint plus giving a really nice shine. I still only use Reload on the caravan and it still stops sap from sticking and also stops the green algai forming on the roof. When I go away with the caravan I still also put a coat of reload on the car too but now just save it for this use.


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## Brizee (Sep 9, 2009)

Lee540 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Since moving house, my car is now parked under a large sycamore tree.. since the last few weeks of relatively good weather, I've noticed odd spots of solid clear substance on my car. I was actually baffled as to what it was at first, you can't remove it from the glass with a finger nail and tar remover doesn't work either.
> 
> ...


Interestingly today i ended up with a load of sap spots all over my car from parking under a sycamore tree at work. I didn't do anything other than wash my car with some regular car shampoo and left it to soak for a minute or two and then went back and re-washed it and the sap spots simply dissolved away.

Phew!!


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## Kenny Powers (May 29, 2013)

I too am surrounded by sycamore trees, and the sap spots are really noticeable on the rear windshield.
A quick coat of Mistral Super Snow Foam, with warm water running through my petrol PW, and they're gone!


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

I had the same but a chainsaw soon sorted that out


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