4 Ways to Successfully Get Sap Out of Clothing

You may think that this is quite a complex problem, something that can’t be solved. But actually, you’re wrong. Sap may be sticky and gooey, but you can still remove sap from clothing.

Where do we get tree sap?

You usually get stained with tree sap while hiking or camping. But that is not the case every time. There could be times, too, that you just get tree sap on your clothes without noticing it. Tree sap sticks wherever it falls into, and that’s what makes it problematic.

You should know that it is easy to remove before you get panicked after getting that gooey and sticky sap. You can still save your favorite t-shirt through the proper and careful procedure.

What are the most effective ways to remove tree sap?

There are several ways you can try to get that tree sap off of your clothes. You can either try ways without having to wash it and the other way around. Just always remember that the crucial moment of removing the sap is the first step. You need to know how to handle the stain of the juice properly.

If you ever plan to remove tree sap by normally laundering it as it is, let me stop you right there. Doing that would not actually help you from achieving your goal. It will only make it more difficult for you. The sap is a tough stain to deal with. It can stain your clothes even just by making one mistake in the process.

You should also know that the stickiness of the sap differs from different trees. Some trees produce hard-to-remove sap, and some don’t. So, you must know which of the methods should you use.

So, here are the remedies you can do to save your clothing:

Without washing the clothe

If you do not have time to wash your clothes immediately, you can remedy them without laundering. It is an easy way to do it. However, the results do not guarantee you the best.

Here is how to do it with clothes:

Soak the part of the cloth that was stained with Isopropyl Alcohol using another clean cloth.

The sap should be easily removed from the fabric if it got fully saturated with alcohol. However, in some instances, it might not be effective enough to remove the sap. And that’s when you should try another step.

Note: If the first remedy did not do the job, you could try putting sunscreen on the sap. Leave it on for a few seconds, and rinse.

However, you should not expect that this remedy would completely take away the stain. This step will only make the tree sap less sticky.

With laundering it

Laundering would be your best option if you want the sap to be entirely removed. But first, you need to do pre-wash techniques using different substances. There are a wide variety of options that you can just buy in the market.

1. WD-40 method

WD-40 is a substance that is initially used for preventing the growth of rust on metals. It is also a great thing to remove sap since it has the strong power to remove adhesives.

Using WD-40, soak the part of the cloth with sap for a minute. After that, rub it with another cloth or sponge to thoroughly remove the sap. If this is successful, you can proceed with washing it in detergent too.

 

2. Using mayonnaise

If you do not have a WD-40, you can use home remedies. You can use either mayonnaise or hand sanitizer. Just leave it on for 2 to 3 minutes. Then proceed to wash it with detergent.

 

3. Using bleach

You can use bleach to remove sap stain on your clothes. Do it by pre-treating the sap with bleach alone or even with an added detergent. Leave it on for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, you can work on it with a cloth or a brush.

If the cloth is extra thick, you might need to use a high temperature in the washing machine to work on it. It will help aid the process.

If it is still not removed, you can add bleach to the detergent. Be careful about what kind of bleach you will use, depending on the color of the clothes. You can repeat the process if still needed.

 

4. Scraping Technique

Removing the sap with scraping still needs other substances to soften it, to be removed.

You will need a spoon, a butter knife, a rag, rubbing alcohol, and a powerful laundry detergent for this method.

But if rubbing alcohol is not readily available, you can try using peanut butter, vegetable oil, and even a nail polish remover.

For the process, you will also need to use your freezer. The washing machine would also be a big help to remove the sap altogether.

You can also check the video below if you are looking for ways on how to remove other stains out of your clothes and fabric.

Here are the steps:

Harden the sap, place it in the freezer.

You can harden the sap by putting it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. This will help you remove a large part of the sap with less work. If you do not have a freezer, you can also use an ice cube to do the job. Just put it in the sap until It hardens.

Scrape it.

Now that it is hard enough, you can use either the spoon or the butter knife to remove it. Using the spoon, or the edge of the butter knife, gently try to scrape the sap.

Watch out for the softening of the sap. It tends to melt immediately. You might need to keep your freezer or an ice cube ready.

Putting the solvent in it.

This is the best part of removing the sap, putting the solvent in. The solvent, such as rubbing alcohol, alternative vegetable oil, and peanut butter, is the process’s key. Either of these can lift the sap off the garment.

The best state to remove the sap with these tactics is when it is still fresh. So always work on it immediately.

If you would use rubbing alcohol or a nail polish remover, you should let it sit for at least 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, rub it using the rag to absorb the dissolved sap. Repeat until it fully gets clean.

For the vegetable oil and peanut butter, you must let it sit for 15 minutes before doing the same procedure.

Then, wash clothes with detergent.

If you are looking for a video to watch on how to remove a Pine Swap, you may click the link below.

What to do if you have to remove a dried sap on clothes?

Dried sap is a more difficult task than removing it fresh. However, it does not mean it is impossible. What you need to do is just add a little more effort with the same procedure before.

1. Gently scrape the sap

It would be a more difficult task to remove dried sap on clothes. You would not need to put the cloth in the freezer. Just start scraping it with the butter knife or spoon.

Make sure to remove as much as you can. Be cautious not to damage the clothing.

2. Apply the Solvent

The sap must have already stained the cloth, leaving stains on the fabric.

For removing this stain, the best choice is rubbing alcohol. But that does not mean the alternative chemical-based solvents do not work the same.

You just have to repeat rubbing the dried sap with a rag soaked in solvent for this one. You need to ensure that the sap is washed enough with solvent to react to the procedure quickly.

Then after being done with it, wash it in the washing machine.

If you prefer to watch the video on how easy to remove the Tree Sap Out, click the link below.

 

What’s the best way to remove sap from clothing?

The best way that you can remove sap from clothing is using chemical-based solvents. One of the most recommended to be used is rubbing alcohol. It is usually readily available and is not too harsh to the skin as a chemical.

How can you remove sap from hair?

The best to be used in removing sap from hair is by rubbing alcohol. Among the others, rubbing alcohol is the only thing you’d want to put in your hair. It is practical and does not leave any residue on the hair.

Can you really remove sap?

Yes! Through the proper procedure and exerting enough effort. The sap is not as hard to remove as it seems.

Summary

If you find clothes having sap, you do not need to worry about throwing them. Removing sap is not tricky or impossible. Instead, it requires a lot of jobs.

Different kinds of sap require other procedures, as well as the various states of the sap upon removal have different approaches too.