How to Remove Tree Sap from Outdoor Furniture

April 19, 2010 by admin
Filed under Garden Decor

There’s nothing quite as relaxing or entertaining as enjoying some drinks and a good dinner with friends in your backyard. If you’re like most homeowners, you’ve worked hard in keeping your backyard decor looking nice, ready at a moment’s notice for an unexpected barbeque party or family get together.

If there’s anything that people don’t anticipate when they invest in outdoor furniture to host outdoor events, its that it requires some regular maintenance. While it may be built ruggedly, your outdoor furniture and cushions will eventually succumb to age if not taken care of at regular intervals. Aside from problems with mold and rust that are all too prevalent due to the moisture that this furniture is exposed to on a regular basis, there are other enemies to attend to. One of the most overlooked ones is trees. Various tress like pine trees often leave behind residue like sap that can severely damage personal belongings. Even high quality products like outdoor cushions by Coleman are susceptible to this problem. Those of you that have gotten sap on a brand new car can probably attest to the fact that it is not a fun experience. It stands out like a sore thumb on a dark paint job. Fortunately, if attended to quickly, you can remove sap from your outdoor furniture without leaving any sort of indication that it was once there.

If you’ve ever worked with paint before, you’ve probably heard of turpentine. It is used to thin paints among a number of other industrial applications. It can also be used to safety and affordably remove sap from furniture. Once you purchase a can of this stuff from your local hardware store, apply a small amount to a clean rag and begin to blot a small area. You should see the sap begin to disintegrate. Don’t begin to aggressively scrub as you might damage the finish to the furniture. After you test this on an inconspicuous area, you can move on to complete the rest of the piece. Acetone should work equally well although it needs to be tested on an isolated area to ensure it doesn’t damage the furniture.

If you prefer to use something specially designed for this task, go to an outdoors retailer and purchase a bug and tar remover. Not only do these products remove sap, but also bugs and other grime. The great thing about these products is that they are safe for an automobile finish, we tends to be quite delicate, so its pretty safe to assume that they won’t damage your

If you are uneasy about experimenting with any of these remedies, it is best to contact your furniture manufacturer for cleaning instructions.