Remove tree resin from clothing

Video: WOW! Easy Way to Get Tree Sap OUT of your Clothing

Content

To step
Method 1 of 3: Treat stains with rubbing alcohol
Method 2 of 3: Using stain removers and bleach
Method 3 of 3: Clean with washing powder
Necessities
Treat stains with rubbing alcohol
Use stain removers and bleach
Clean with washing powder

When tree resin dries, it sticks to the fibers of your clothing and creates a stubborn stain. Resin is easiest to remove if you get started right away, but there is no need to throw away resin-stained clothing. Rubbing alcohol, stain removers, and laundry detergent are all good remedies for the stain. Washing your clothes in the washing machine in the normal way will remove the last remnants of the stain. If you only prevent the stain from penetrating the fabric permanently by, for example, drying the garment in the dryer, your clothes will look fresh and clean again.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Treat stains with rubbing alcohol

Freeze the resin in the freezer for a few minutes. You only need to do this if you have a blob of resin on your clothes. You will only be able to easily remove the resin if you freeze the stain. Freeze the garment or place an ice pack on the resin stain. After a few minutes the resin will harden.
Scrape off the resin with a knife. Grab a blunt butter knife to avoid cutting your finger or your clothes. Hold the knife flat against the fabric and scrape it over the blob of resin. Be very careful when using the knife. The frozen resin should be brittle and fall apart easily, so there is no need to apply a lot of pressure.
Pour some rubbing alcohol onto a cloth. Dampen an old rag, towel, or cotton ball with the alcohol. You can buy bottles of isopropyl alcohol at drugstores and hardware stores. If you don't have rubbing alcohol, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or hairspray.
- Use saddle soap when it comes to leather. A little peanut butter may also work without damaging the leather.
Rub the alcohol gently into the stain. Blot the area with the damp cloth. If you put a little rubbing alcohol on the stain itself, you can also rub the alcohol into the stain with your finger or an old toothbrush.
If necessary, repeat the treatment. You will likely see the alcohol dissolve the resin stain immediately. For large stains, you will need to use more alcohol. Use the cloth again or pour more alcohol on the stains themselves. Rub the stains until they fade.
Wash the garment in the washing machine. Wash the garment as you normally would. You can put it in your washing machine and wash it with your regular detergent. To wash the garment as best as possible, use water that is as hot as possible. To find out the maximum water temperature at which you can wash the garment, check the care label or look up more information on the internet about the fabric the garment is made of.

Method 2 of 3: Using stain removers and bleach

Pretreat the resin stain with a stain remover. Most commercial stain removers can dissolve resin stains. It may also work if you use some of your regular liquid laundry detergent. Put the stain remover on a cloth or cotton ball. Spread the product thinly on the area you want to clean.
Let the resin stain soak for 20 minutes. Massage the stain remover into the stain with your fingers or a toothbrush. Let the garment dry in the open air for at least 20 minutes. This gives the agent time to loosen the dried resin. The resin is very difficult to remove by washing the garment alone.
Wash the garment at the highest possible temperature. The water temperature you use depends on the fabric you are washing. Most garments can be washed with warm water, which is usually enough to remove resin stains. Delicate fabrics and dark fabrics should be washed with cold water. You can wash the garment in the washing machine or by hand.
Wash with bleach to remove stubborn stains. Normally, your regular laundry detergent should be strong enough to get rid of resin stains. You can use bleach for more washing power. Chlorine bleach is safe to use on white cotton and garments made of both cotton and polyester. For other garments you need colourfast bleach or oxygen bleach. Read the directions on the package to make sure it won't damage your garment.
Repeat the treatment until the resin has disappeared. As tempting as it may be, don't put a stained garment in the dryer. When the stain dries, it will be almost impossible to remove, especially if you used heat. Wash the garment again or use isopropyl alcohol. You may have to make 2 or 3 tries to remove all of the resin, but you will save a great item of clothing.

Method 3 of 3: Clean with washing powder

Mix equal amounts of washing powder and water. Grab a small container and fill it with a little non-bleach washing powder. You don't need much, just enough to apply to the resin stain. Start with a teaspoon of powder and mix with an equal amount of water. Stir the ingredients to mix and make a paste.
Apply the paste to the stain. Rub the paste on the area you want to clean. You can do this quickly with your stirring spoon or another tool such as a sponge or cloth.
Let the stain soak for half an hour. Leave the paste alone to allow it to dissolve the resin. The paste does not contain bleach and will therefore not damage your garment.
Pour non-foaming ammonia onto the stain. Non-foaming ammonia is the transparent, colorless ammonia that you can often buy in the supermarket. Pour a few drops of it on a stubborn stain. This is not mandatory and can also be done to treat a stain that has not disappeared after washing in the washing machine.
Wash the garment with warm water. Put the garment in the washing machine. Wash it with the rest of your wash and your regular laundry detergent. Most garments can be safely washed with warm water, but choose a higher temperature if the fabric can withstand it. Your garment will now be stain-free until the next time you lean against the wrong tree.