Remove willow tree leaf resin from car surface

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gzt

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#317303 3-Oct-2024 19:27

Removing willow tree leaf resin from car. My car was parked near to tree for a while. It is the same kind of tree wasps like to swarm in summer.

The car has small black spots and a few larger ones the size of a small fingernail on some of the paintwork. It is also on the plastic bumper/fairing area.

I removed a decent amount with repeated passes of hot soapy armor-all wash and a sponge. Some of it was hardly touched. I can make some impact in a small spot using my fingernail. The scraping feels too harsh for the car.

I'm not keen to try abrasive cleaners because I don't want to damage the paint surface. I'm not keen on taking it to a mall detailer in case some new guy leans into it and takes off the gel coat or some other disaster.

I have other things in the cleaner cupboard. I tried Shower Power Citrus based - not much impact on the problem.

Suggestions?

k1w1k1d

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#3292623 3-Oct-2024 20:14

Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) would be worth a try.

rscole86

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#3292624 3-Oct-2024 20:18

De-solv-it might work? No idea if it's got different concentration of the citrus element.

gzt

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#3292645 3-Oct-2024 20:45

k1w1k1d: Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) would be worth a try.

Thanks for that. Googling tells me to start with 10% solution in water and work up from there only if needed. I will try that tomorrow.

I probably won't be trying it on the plastic bits immediately. Googling gives examples of nasty results for plastics.

Eva888

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#3292652 3-Oct-2024 21:20

gzt:

k1w1k1d: Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) would be worth a try.

Thanks for that. Googling tells me to start with 10% solution in water and work up from there only if needed. I will try that tomorrow.

I probably won't be trying it on the plastic bits immediately. Googling gives examples of nasty results for plastics.

Try rubbing with eucalyptus oil it will be safest. Good for gum as well.

Bung

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#3292654 3-Oct-2024 21:24

I used to have a pine tree overhanging the drive that dripped resin on the car. I used meths to remove the resin with no apparent damage to the paint.

Wheelbarrow01

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#3292656 3-Oct-2024 21:35

Bung:

I used to have a pine tree overhanging the drive that dripped resin on the car. I used meths to remove the resin with no apparent damage to the paint.

Yea +1 for meths - I've used it a lot to remove road tar, gum left over after duct-taping a smashed quarter window and many other unknown sticky contaminants including stuff that's fallen from various trees. I usually follow it up with a full sudsy wash of the car to ensure all traces of the meths is removed afterwards.