Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Remove insects
• Method 2 of 3: Remove resin
• Method 3 of 3: Remove tar
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Insects, resin and tar can permanently damage the paint of your car and obstruct your view. Fortunately, you can get rid of these sticky substances without spending a lot of money.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Remove insects

1. Do not wait to long. When insects and the released "sap" dry on the paint it can be difficult to get it off without removing some paint.
2. Therefore, clean your car regularly to remove the insects before they dry. And if you come back from vacation and you have a lot of insects on your car, don't wait too long to clean your car. Do it right away!
3. Spread some WD-40 on your car's paint. This lubricant ensures that the insect residues come off easily. First spray it on a cloth and rub your car with it or spray it directly on the paint and let it soak for 10 minutes.
   • Don't get WD-40 on your windows. This greasy liquid is difficult to remove from windows.
   • Don't have WD-40? You can also use an agent specifically designed to remove insects or tar. Go to an auto parts store for a variety of cleaning products.
   • This method also works well for removing tar from your car.
4. Wipe or rub the insect residue off your car. When the WD-40 has soaked well, you can remove the insects with a towel in a circular motion. If necessary, you can use a little more force to rub the bugs off the car with the towel. But be careful not to rub too hard, as this will damage the paint.
   • Never use a rough sponge or even steel wool to remove insects - this will scratch the paint.
   • If you remove the insects before they have completely dried, you will probably succeed in one go. If the bugs have already dried, you will probably need to treat the car several times with WD-40.
5. Clean the windshield and other windows. You need a different means to clean the glass. You can use a mixture of water and dish soap, but if you need something more powerful, check with an auto parts store.
   • Spray your windows with water and detergent. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
   • Scrub the bugs off the car. You can use a sponge for the hard to remove insects.
6. Wash the car. After the bugs have been removed, you can wash the car thoroughly to remove any residual detergent.

Method 2 of 3: Remove resin

1. Remove resin regularly. If you do not remove resin regularly, a thick hard layer will form. If your car is often in a place where resin falls from the trees, you should clean the car every other week. This will prevent it from being very difficult to remove later.
2. Soak a cloth with rubbing alcohol and place the cloth on the area with resin. You can also use a detergent that is specifically designed for it, but cleaning alcohol works just as well. Leave the cloth in place for at least 10 minutes. The alcohol will now break down and soften the cured resin.
3. Rub the area to remove the resin. Use a microfiber cloth to rub off the softened resin. If that doesn't work, put another cloth soaked in alcohol on top and wait 10-20 minutes.
   • If you still can't remove the resin, you can spray some WD-40 on it to loosen it up. But don't use WD-40 on your windows.
   • Never use a rough sponge or any other rough material to remove resin - this will remove the resin, but also your paint.
4. Wash the car. After the resin has been removed, you can wash the car thoroughly to remove any residual detergent. Small scraps of resin can still be in other places on your car, and then the problem starts all over again.

Method 3 of 3: Remove tar

1. Cover the tar with a loosening agent. Of the three substances discussed in this article, tar is the easiest to remove. Fortunately, there are several home remedies you can use to loosen the tar. Coat one of the following with tar and let it soak for 1 minute:
   • WD-40 (not for use on windows)
   • peanut butter
   • Cleaning agent that has been specially developed to remove tar from your car
2. Wipe the tar off your car. Wipe the tar off your car with a soft cloth. You can spray or rub stubborn tar again, wait a few minutes and try to wipe it away. Repeat this process until all tar has been removed.
3. Wash the car. After the tar has disappeared, you can wash your car to remove any detergent residue.

Tips

• It is best to use a soft towel. Use as much fabric as possible and shake the cloth regularly.
• Work slowly. Don't get impatient, keep working carefully.
• WD40 also works well on tar.
• Do not rub alcohol on areas where the paint is damaged. Then you remove even more paint.
• After cleaning you can wax the car.
• This method also works better than a chemical cleaning agent for large areas of resin. Let it soak long enough to soften the resin. Then you can carefully remove it.
• Clean your car regularly; cleaning a very dirty car can take a long time.
• Do not use isopropanol to clean your car, but denatured alcohol.

Warnings

• Do not smoke around alcohol.
• Test the denatured alcohol on a piece of paint where damage is not so bad. In most cases, the paint can withstand alcohol, unless you let it sit for a long time (more than 5 minutes).
• Use denatured alcohol only in well-ventilated areas. The vapors can be very strong.

Necessities

• WD-40
• Soft cloth
• Water with washing-up liquid
• Cleaning alcohol