As the title says. I parked my car below a tree during the day and when I returned there was tree sap or reidue on my hood. Washed the car the next day but you can still see the discoloration. What should I do?

 

There is tree sap/bug remover in stores.

One tip: Get it off soon !! The longer it sits on your hood, the harder it is to come off. Eventually, it wont !

-matt

 

+1 for bug and tar remover.

You can also try a clay bar.

 

A friend of mine owns a auto detailing spot and he has told me that people have tried to take tree sap off their cars with a Brillo pad. They bring the car to him after they did the damage so he can try to fix their dumb mistake. Do people not think sometimes? Using a Brillo pad on your car's finish...

 

goo-gone. worked for me.

 

detailer here...

1.) CLAY BAR
2.) Bug & Tar remover
3.) Buff it (if needed)
4.) Hand wax the whole hood



OR, do that whole process on the entire car and get your shine back!

edit: just noticed that you have a BLACK car, which means you should NOT use purple clay because it is too abrasive and will cause a lot of swirls, so you should get your hands on a WHITE clay bar

 

Yeah get it off SOON. You don't want it to look like mine, that crap will not come off the front of my car from the previous owner.

 

You should include what brand of clay your referring to because color varies by brand, its not used as a universal grade judging system.

Bug and tar remover should be used before the clay bar. Or straight up isopropyl alcohol will get rid of it no problem. Clay bar is gonna be wasted time on a goop of dried tree sap

 

Warm soapy water

 

I tried this today with success. The sap had to have been on there for quite some time because it was extremely hard.

 

Here are a few products I have used over the years...
http://www.seafoamsales.com/bugsBGone.htm
http://www.turtlewax.com/main.taf?p=2,1,4,11
http://www.kleanstripauto.com/arproducts/solvents.html -the prep all

These I have had great success with, the prep-all works really good for wax, the turtle wax bug and tar remover works best if you put it on a rag and let it set over the affected area. All of these products will also remove wax, so, make sure you wash and wax when you're done removing the bugs.

If you have any paint protection film, DO NOT use any of the above on any area with the film applied, instead, use dish soap and a soft towel. The petroleum distillates will melt the paint protection films.

Simple green would also work, it will also remove your wax, it is water based, I have found that using the concentrate in a garden sprayer with a 50/50 mixture works very well for cleaning wheels, grills, and bumpers, let it soak and use a soft cloth to wipe away the crud.