Tree resin usually ends up unnoticed on textiles and car seats or it drips from conifers onto parked cars. The viscous mass hardens over time and cannot be removed with soapy water. Some household products act as solvents.
How do you remove tree sap stains?
To remove tree sap stains, you can use alcohol for fabrics, olive oil for skin, ice spray on hard surfaces, and nail polish remover for tough fabrics and hair. Before use, you should test the compatibility on sensitive materials and skin.
These remedies remove tree sap stains:
- Alcohol: is 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 resin is a viscous mass that is not water-soluble. Alcohol, white spirit or hand disinfectant gel act as a solvent if you rub it into the resin stain on jackets, trousers or the car seat. Test the products first on a less visible area of the fabric. Occasionally, colors may fade in delicate fabrics. If the application is successful, you can put the clothes in the washing machine as usual.
Olive oil
The cooking oil can be used just like butter or baby oil 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 so that it liquefies. The resin can then be removed with a spoon or piece of wood. Olive oil has the advantage of being particularly gentle on the skin.
Ice spray
If resin tropes have landed on the car seat, the leather furniture or the tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, you can help yourself with cold. Spray ice spray (€7.00 on Amazon) directly onto the stains so that they harden. Alternatively, you can put ice cubes in a plastic bag and place them on the area to be treated. However, this method is less effective than the cooling spray. Once the natural resin has hardened sufficiently, scrape it off with a plastic spoon. A glass scraper is useful for stains on tiles.
Nail polish remover
Acetone is an excellent solvent that easily removes tree resin from fabrics or hair. Since it can damage textiles and irritate the scalp, you should use the product with caution. Similar to alcohol, it is applied to a cloth, which you then rub over the resin. If the amount is not enough, you can drizzle a few drops of nail polish remover directly onto the sticky mass.
