The best car tree sap removers

• The best tree sap removers available now
• Avoid damage to your paintwork
• Quick and easy solutions

Meguiars G191700EU Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Written by Alex Boyd Updated: 10 October 2024

We love trees. And at this time of the year, they are starting to spring back into life, ready to give us their summer display and do their job of helping to clear the air. As they’ve been asleep all winter, they’ve been storing water, sometimes as a sugar, which is now being pumped all around the tree to feed its branches and new leaves. Unfortunately, if there are any wounds on the surface of the tree, this compound will leak out and fall onto whatever is sitting below – usually your car.

Tree sap is pretty harmless to your paintwork initially, although if you leave it for any length of time, it can begin to damage the outer surface of your paint, leaving ugly discoloured blotches. That’s why, despite it being a bit of a tough customer, it’s better to tackle it sooner rather than later.

It’s a job you may not be looking forward to, but we’ve rounded up a selection of products to help you tackle the tree sap, get rid of it without too much fuss and bother and prevent any damage to your paintwork.

Best car tree sap remover at a glance:

Editor’s choice: Meguiars G191700EU Smooth Surface Clay Kit – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best quick fix: Autoglym Bird Dropping Wipes – Buy now from Amazon UK
Best for stubborn stains: Gtechniq W7 Tar and Glue Remover – Buy now from Amazon UK

Best car tree sap remover

Meguiars G191700EU Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Editor’s choice

Price: $34.83

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Meguiars do come up with some pretty good detailing products, and this clay bar kit fits the bill for getting your sap-ridden paintwork smooth and shiny again. The Smooth Surface Clay kit contains 3 x 60g clay bars, 1 x microfibre cloth and 1 x Meguiar’s Quik Detailer as the clay lubricant. The non-abrasive clay bar safely and easily removes tree sap as well as tar, paint overspray, fallout, environmental contaminants and more, making waxing easier and longer lasting. The clay will quickly but gently remove ‘bonded contaminants’ on your paint’s surface, leaving a smooth glass-like finish behind.

Pros

A small piece of clay goes a long way
Kit comes with everything you need

Cons

You should polish your car afterwards

Autoglym Bird Dropping Wipes

Best tree sap remover quick fix

Price: $18.52

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OK, so this is not specifically designed to tackle tree sap, but as a way to do a quick first-aid job on your paintwork, these bird-dropping wipes from Autoglym can keep you right until you can tackle the problem properly. There are ten individually wrapped wipes in this pack; just use them on sap as you would on a bird dropping (let the fluid soften the sap), wipe gently and then dispose of the used wipe. It’s a great first line of defence until you can get around to doing some more substantial cleaning.

Pros

Quick and easy
No mess

Cons

Not the perfect solution for tree sap

CarPlan Demon Machine

Best tree sap remover spray

Price: $18.74

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CarPlan Demon Machine doesn’t just tackle tree sap; it’ll give your paintwork a fresh, clean look. You just spray Demon Machine all over your vehicle and leave it for up to five minutes to let it work its magic; dissolving tree sap, tar, grease and bird droppings. You do have to work on any difficult patches with a cloth or sponge, but then you just rinse the Demon Machine off and wash your vehicle as normal. It’ll also work wonders for getting rid of the brake dust on alloy wheels.

Pros

Doesn’t leave any residue
Easy to apply

Cons

Good for stain removal, but the shine doesn’t last as long as expected

Gtechniq W7 Tar and Glue Remover

Best tree sap remover for stubborn stains

Price: $23.95

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Gtechniq has developed the powerful but safe W7 Tar and Glue Remover. It manages to straddle that difficult line of being powerfully effective and safe to use on protective coatings, waxes and sealants without damaging the finish. It’s not suitable for use on any plastic surfaces, though. You simply spray onto the affected area and, after a few minutes, rinse off with water. It is a pretty powerful solution, so it’s recommended that you wear gloves.

Pros

Not much is needed to remove tree sap
Works quickly

Cons

Not suitable for use on PPF, smart repairs, wrapped vehicles and any form of plastic

SONAX 390300 Resin Remover

Best dedicated tree sap remover

Price: $38.88

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Perhaps not as multi-functional or powerful as some others on our list, but this spray from Sonax has been developed specifically for tree sap, bird droppings and other organic stains on your paintwork. You might think some of the other solutions are like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but this spray is gentle yet powerful enough to get rid of those sap stains. It’s even pretty good at tackling stains that have been lingering for a while, although you do have to let it soak longer and use a little more elbow grease.

Pros

Designed specifically to tackle tree sap
A gentler approach than some others

Cons

Instructions are in German

SIMONIZ Tar Sap and Glue Remover

Best multi-purpose tree sap spray

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Let’s face it Simoniz isn’t exactly new to the car detailing game, so you would expect that anything they sell labelled as a tar, sap and glue remover would do what it says – and it does. Again, not quite as powerful as some others, but it is flexible and can be used around the home as well on glass, wood, metal, worktops, and tiles. It can take a number of applications to get the required results.

Pros

Flexible use, suitable for household cleaning
Safe on many surfaces

Cons

Can require multiple applications

Car Gods Bug and Tree Sap Remover

Best pre-wash for tree sap

Price: $16.77

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Car Gods Bug & Sap remover is designed as a pre-wash step in your quest to remove those stubborn sap stains. it has been formulated as pH neutral to be kind to your vehicle’s paintwork and contains alcohol to break bonds between stains and lift them from the paintwork, meaning you don’t need to scrub and risk damaging your paintwork. It’s recommended that you work on one panel at a time, rinsing as you go along before finally giving your car a wash with quality car shampoo.

Pros

pH neutral
Suitable for multiple surfaces

Cons

Needs to be sprayed liberally

What are some of the best ways of removing tree sap?

Removing tree sap from car paint can be challenging, but there are several effective methods you can try. Here are some of the best DIY methods:

Rubbing Alcohol: Soak a cloth or sponge in rubbing alcohol and gently rub the sap-covered area. The alcohol will help dissolve the sap, making it easier to remove. Once the sap is gone, wash and rinse the area thoroughly.

WD-40: Apply a small amount of WD-40 directly to the sap and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, use a clean cloth to wipe away the sap. Afterwards, wash the area with soap and water to remove any residue.

Cooking Oil: Dab a cloth with a small amount of cooking oil (such as olive oil or vegetable oil) and gently rub it onto the sap. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the oil to break down the sap, and then wipe it away with a clean cloth.

Tar and Sap Remover: Purchase a specialized tar and sap remover from an automotive store. Follow the instructions on the product carefully, as different brands may have slightly different application methods. Generally, you’ll apply the remover to a cloth or sponge and gently rub the sap until it dissolves. Thoroughly wash the area afterwards.

Remember to test any product or method on a small, inconspicuous area of the car paint before applying it to the sap-covered area to ensure it doesn’t cause damage or discolouration.

After removing the tree sap, it’s advisable to wash and rinse the paintwork thoroughly to remove any remaining residue and protect your car’s paint. Additionally, it’s worth considering waxing or applying a protective coating to the area to restore shine and provide an extra layer of defence against future sap or contaminants.

Alex Boyd is a Commercial Content Writer for Parkers, specialising in power tools and pressure washers. In his spare time, he enjoys DIY, travel, gardening and music.

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