I've got sap or something on the roof of my car. I've looked at it and it sticks up from the surface but it won't wash off and it won't clay bar off. Can I use a scraper to cut it off?

I park under the trees sometimes but now I've stopped doing that. I am not sure if and when I scrape this stuff off, if it will have left a hole in the paint, but I've got touch-up paint just in case.

Has anyone ever done something similar? Some of this stuff looks clear, and there's a couple of brown spots kind of like bird poop (but it's not).

Thanks for any tips.

 

Isn't BBP care wonderful? Only resort to something metallic as a last resort. Have you tried GOO GONE or a similar tree sap/bug removal product? You could also try a VERY fine polish. Yes I know that's an "abrasive". Virtually everything you touch your car with, including you, is abrasive. In all honesty I would have thought the claybar would have been THE WAY! Try goo gone first. You also might try washing in a very strong solution of blue dawn. I used a razor blade to remove the dealer's sticker from my car and it went fine. Use a lubricant as you would with the claybar and take your time. On the roof you're going to see any scratches in superb detail if you mess up. Good Luck!!!

 

OK, I tried the Goo Gone, and it did help, but the finish was totally trashed...I had several spots that I worked on, but even with soap, I couldn't get the finish back. I just finished claying and re-waxing the roof, I will let you know what happens.

The largest spot started breaking up from the Goo Gone...I helped it a little with the razor...very, very gently...It's weird but there almost seems to be a grain to the paint, b/c if I moved the razor in the direction of the length of the car, it slid, but if I went across the width, the blade dug into the paint.

The clay bar was extremely draggy after the Goo Gone...really a pain! Worse than the first time, even with TONS of detailing spray....I put the wax on and will go back and polish it up in 10 minutes or so.

I don't have time to clay the whole car today, still have to do a bunch of stuff and I'm late as it is. But the roof looked like SH!T after the Goo Gone...Thanks for the help. If you use Goo Gone, be aware it doesn't wash off very easily.

 

I have some of that too. Mine isn't from a tree though, it looks more like a clear glue. I was able to scratch off a small piece with my fingernail. I'd go with fingernail or goo gone before I hack the paint with a razor blade.

 

I would have thought the worst the goo gone would do is strip your wax/polymer coating. I'm glad it worked and of course you're going to have to re wax your roof. I'm still puzzled that the claybar didn't fix it all by itself. I forgot to mention that I use a product called tarminator rather than goo gone. It's probably the same.

 

I have used WD40 before but this problem sounds different. WD 40 seems easier to clean up than Goo Gone.

 

I am deadly with a razor blade/paint scraper. Some of my spots look like super-glue, some are brown. I got quite a few up today, but it's not perfect yet. And it still may require some paint touch-up before all is said and done.

 

I'll try the WD40 too. Yeah, it probably is lighter than Goo Gone.

 

Nah, the clay bar couldn't get this stuff loose. I really wondered if it hadn't already eaten through the paint, but from what I can tell, only one little spot looks like it's not coming back.

The Goo Gone is like a thick orange-scented gel, and I don't think it's made for car use...It just mucked up the wax so I used the claybar and re-waxed.

And the Meguier's Cleaner Wax...is the sex...it's even better than the Gold Class, I think. When I got done the top looked like the richest black/purple...and felt like glass. The rest of the car needs another bar treatment now! Sigh....

 

For something nasty like that I would have tried a small amount of mineral spirits. Yes, it will strip the wax but no biggie, you can always re wax it. Please stay away from the razor blades though.