Posted by Sophie Polazkowyj on June 18, 2006

Q: I have two tall skinny evergreens (fir trees) on one side of my driveway and a very large wide one on the other side - obviously, both kinds are different species. My husband thinks that one of the skinny ones, that has more dead branches, is dropping a very hard caralized sap all over the car, which, sap remover won't remove and on the window can only be scraped off, but what about the paint on car - can't scrape there. I think that maybe, because the bottom branches of the big wide one were cut to clear a 6 ft area because a lot of the loser brances were dead, is causing the problem. Besides the skinny ones should be dropping onto the driveway and it doesnt. Maybe the wind blows it from the wide one. Help me out here. How do I get to the bottom of this problem of deciding which tree is at fault. Also, How do you remove such hardened carmalizing sap from the car, without ruing the paint job? What breaks this sap down, safely?

State: Illinois

A: At certain times of the year, trees do drop sap and this can be upsetting if it gets on cars or other equipment. I'm guessing that your firs have put on some new growth this year and this is what is causing the excess sap dripping - it shouldn't last too long. I think your best bet is to ask at a car supply store what they'd recommend to remove this. They'll know what kind of cleaner can be used to avoid damage to the car's finish. Best of luck to you.

John Wiessinger ( June 19, 2006)