Tree sap is something that literally hits most cars at one time or another. The sap is a particular problem because in its fresh state, it smears instead of wiping up neatly, and in its dry state, it can be like cement. Getting it off your car is important for three reasons. One, your car will look better; two, your paint can suffer if the sap stays on for too long; and three, your view out your windshield can be obscured if there's a lot of sap. Removing the sap from the glass of your car can take time, but doing it so that you don't damage the glass is simple.
Water, Glass Cleaner, and a Rag
Start with the basics. Grab a wet rag and scrub gently (paper towels work in a pinch if you can get some that don't leave lint; otherwise, you'll end up with fuzzy spots as lint sticks to the sap). If water doesn't work, find glass cleaner and try that. For many smaller drops, this will be enough, although you may need to work to get the windshield spotless. Have a few clean rags in reserve because the sap will not disappear -- it will merely transfer onto the rag.
A Razor Blade
For isolated sap spots, or for sap that isn't really coming off that well, a razor blade could work. This is an option where you need to be very careful, though, because sliding the blade along the glass at the wrong angle or with too much pressure will scratch the glass. The right angle and the right pressure will sweep the sap off instead.
Using a razor blade isn't the best option if sap is covering the entire windshield unless absolutely nothing else works. If you have a lot of sap that water and glass cleaner couldn't remove, you've got one more option.
Tar Remover
Commercial tar and bug removers function as the goo-killers of the windshield world. The instructions vary for these, but a typical process is putting some remover on a rag and then letting the rag sit on the sap, with the remover covering the entire spot. Once a suggested amount of time has passed, you should be able to wipe away the sap, possibly with water or a mild cleanser. The remover's instructions will have the exact procedure.
If you've messed up and majorly scratched your windshield, contact a windshield replacement company. It could be that the scratches can be repaired if they're small enough. If not, and you have to replace the windshield, no worries; it happens, and the techs will understand.
Share7 January 2019
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