Tree resin usually gets onto textiles and car seats unnoticed, or it drips from coniferous trees onto parked cars. The tough mass hardens over time and cannot be removed with soapy water. Some household products act as solvents.
Alcohol and other home remedies help with tree sap stains
These agents remove tree sap stains:
- alcohol: suitable for treating fabrics
- olive oil: ideal for the skin
- ice spray: on hard surfaces
- nail polish remover: for robust textiles and hair
alcohol
Tree sap is a viscous mass that is not soluble in water. Alcohol, denatured alcohol, or hand sanitizer gel will act as a solvent if you rub it on the resin stain on jackets, pants, or the car seat. Test the products on a less visible part of the fabric beforehand. Occasionally, colors fade in delicate fabrics. If the application is successful, you can put the clothes in the washing machine as usual.
olive oil
Like butter or baby oil, the cooking oil can be used to remove dried resin residue from hands and textiles. Natural resin from pine, fir and spruce dissolves in oil. Rub an oil-soaked cloth over the stain to liquefy it. The resin can then be removed with a spoon or piece of wood. Olive oil has the advantage that it is particularly kind to the skin.
ice spray
If drops of resin have landed on the car seat, the leather suite or the tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, you can help yourself with cold. Spray ice spray directly onto stains to harden them. Alternatively, ice cubes are suitable, which you fill in a plastic bag and place on the areas to be treated. However, this method is less effective than the cooling spray. When the natural resin has hardened sufficiently, scrape it off with a plastic spoon. A glass scraper works well for stains on tiles.
nail polish remover
Acetone is an excellent solvent that easily removes tree sap from fabrics or hair. As it can both damage fabrics and irritate the scalp, use with caution. Similar to alcohol, it is put on a cloth, which you then rub over the resin. If the amount is not sufficient, you can drip a few drops of nail polish remover directly onto the sticky mass.