If you’ve ever encountered sap in the wild, you probably know how incredibly sticky it is. Tree sap can end up on your car in various ways. If you park under trees, sap might drip down or end up on your car due to branches or needles falling on it. Tree debris can blow onto your car during a storm and carry sap with it. During the winter, most deciduous trees become dormant and sap isn’t usually a problem. However, if you live around a lot of evergreens, these trees continue to have flowing sap all year.

Let’s take a closer look at why sap is so sticky, what it does to your car, and how to avoid it or get rid of it.

The sap is essentially the lifeblood of trees. It carries water, hormones, and nutrients throughout the tree. Trees often drip sap when they’ve been injured or are infected with pests. For example, a recently cut branch or damage to the trunk can cause a tree to drip sap. However, some trees also drip more sap than others. Maple trees are probably the most familiar tree to most people in terms of high sap content and dripping. Sugar maples are the specific species that drip a lot of sap as this is the tree used for maple syrup. Birch trees and elm trees also tend to drip sap more profusely and especially when pruned or injured. As previously mentioned, evergreen trees have sap flowing all year. Pine cones and needle clusters can also come with sap.

Can tree sap damage car paint? The answer is that yes, it definitely can. However, sap doesn’t immediately damage your paint. You don’t have to worry too much that only a slight amount of fresh sap will damage your paint beyond repair. The problem comes when the sap is allowed to harden on your paint. Tree sap car paint damage usually happens over time and not right away. It might help to think of sap a bit like glue. When it’s fresh, it’s not too difficult to wipe it away. But, as soon as it starts to harden, it adheres to your paint, which means that removing it might also take away a layer of your paint. That’s why it’s extremely important to remove sap before it has a chance to harden. It’s also important to use wax regularly on your car to provide a barrier between your paint and abrasive substances.

Let’s discuss how to remove tree sap from car paint when it’s still relatively fresh. To clean fresh sap off your car, you’ll need a few items, including clean microfiber cloths, rubbing alcohol, water, a sponge, soap, and spray wax. The first step is to wash your car thoroughly with a sponge, soap, and water. Get it fully clean like you normally would. Once you create a clean surface, it reduces the risk of scratching your paint. Plus, it’s very possible that a good wash will get rid of most or all of your fresh sap.

Step two, if you still have sap on your car, is to soak the sap. Find the sappy spots and put some drops of rubbing alcohol on your microfiber cloth. Lay the cloth over the sap spots and let it soak for at least 30 seconds. After soaking, use your cloth to gently rub the area until the sap comes off. If the sap still doesn’t come off, you can repeat step two. It’s generally a good idea to scrub harder and not use more rubbing alcohol.

The sap should eventually dissipate, but you might have to use a fingernail to gently lift the leftover residue. That brings us to the third step. Finish your sap-removing project by protecting your car with spray wax. Spray wax creates a barrier that makes it harder for things like sap to penetrate.

Now, we can address that hard part. What if tree sap has hardened on your car? Maybe you left your car for a few days while on vacation and tree sap has been allowed to penetrate and harden on your paint. Tree sap that has hardened is extremely hard, almost like a rock. There are still some things you can try to get rid of it. The first thing to try is hot water. Don’t pour boiling water on your car, but instead soak a microfiber cloth in hot water and a bit of rubbing alcohol. Remember to scrub as hard as you can. The combination of warm water and alcohol should loosen it enough to fully remove. You might also want to apply a clay bar after, and especially if you have multiple sap spots. The clay bar can pick up loose debris on the surface of your car.

You don’t have to let sap destroy your car’s painted finish. There are ways to remove it, especially if you catch it early. However, if some exterior parts of your car have seen better days, there’s a great way to make it look new again. Paint A Part offers a wide selection of pre-painted replacement parts, including bumpers, fenders, hoods, and more. All parts are guaranteed to match or exceed factory specifications.