Tree sap

General Branch
General Branch Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited August 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

any hints on removing fir tree sap off the awning roof?

Comments

  • Jazzybaby
    Jazzybaby Forum Participant Posts: 109
    edited August 2016 #2

    You could try pure alcohol (isopropyl) available from chemists, lightly dabbing it on.

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #3

    Or a handwash with a good percentage of alcohol in it (stops you drinking it!).  This cleaned off loads of sap drops on my car and caravan after a holiday in Italy in June.  The cheap stuff from Tesco's worked fine.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,677 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #4

    We've got to clean off some sap from our 7 week jaunt in Italy, France and Germany.  I wondered about that handwash stuff too (the stuff you get in small bottles - the same as you get in hospitals).  Haven't tried it yet though.

    David 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #5

    Or a handwash with a good percentage of alcohol in it (stops you drinking it!).  This cleaned off loads of sap drops on my car and caravan after a holiday in Italy in June.  The cheap stuff from Tesco's worked fine.

    Write your comments here... I read a story a few months ago about some adolescents in Sweden (I think) who were arrested after drinking it! Always someone around to prove you wrong.

  • Nuggy
    Nuggy Forum Participant Posts: 512
    edited August 2016 #6

    any hints on removing fir tree sap off the awning roof?

    Write your comments here...Ater a day or so of rain it should be soft enough to wash off with standard type cleaning additives. I prefer to wash the van when there are intermttent showers and I can get out between the showers, don't need the hosepipe as
    much.

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited August 2016 #7

    Silky powerful non abrasive cleaner designed for caravans,

    http://silkyproducts.com/

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #8

    There is a video on youtube where a guy tries a number of commercial products against unusual alternatives.  The handwash tip came out tops by a mile. 

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited August 2016 #9

    have to try that one maybe i could distill it???

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,677 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #10

    There is a video on youtube where a guy tries a number of commercial products against unusual alternatives.  The handwash tip came out tops by a mile. 

    ....do you have a link for that comeyras?

    David

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited August 2016 #11

    The OP is asking how to remove it from an AWNING not a caravan.  My experience with a trailer tent was that detergents won't touch the sticky pine resin, which is what i assume you mean.  Tree sap, (which is a sugary solution
    excreted by aphids) is relatively easy to wash off an awning with mild detergent and a soft brush.

    I let the resin droplets on the canvas go very hard hard in sunlight then picked and 'stiff brushed' the worst off, but refrained from getting solvents out for fear of ruining the waterproofing on the canvas.  After another couple or trips the remaining
    resin seemed to break up even more (probably due to UV from sunlight) and i could brush almost all of it off.

    I expect that isopropyl alcohol might well remove resin, but you may well have to reproof the area treated aftwerwards, this could easily leave you with an odd coloured 'patch' after doing so, if one drop is in an inconspicuous area I'd try that one first
    and see how it goes.  It's up to you to decide whether attempting to remove a small 'splodge' or two (I assume) is worth risking.  If you do manage to successfully remove it please let us know.

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