How to Remove Tree Pitch From Clothing

Outback Photo

Tree pitch or sap, that annoying gooey stuff that somehow gets on your clothes even when you were being careful, always seems to end up on a sleeve or the butt of your pants or maybe even your backpack. Whether you were cutting down the family Christmas tree, working in your garden, bushwhacking through the forest or just moving logs, the sticky stuff can be a problem. There are a few ways to get it to come out of your clothing or off your backpack, tent or sleeping bag.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Hand sanitizer or alcohol Smooth peanut butter Scrub brush
Hand sanitizer or alcohol
Smooth peanut butter
Scrub brush

Step 1

Lay the article of clothing flat and pour a generous amount of alcohol on the area that has sap on it. Hand sanitizer is something most people have in their households or cars and since this has a significant amount of alcohol in it, it works great. Rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover also work. Plumbers hand cleaner also works.

Step 2

Scrub the area of clothing with the sap on it with a scrub brush. Use a soft one or else you can start to tear up the fibers of the clothing. Massage the alcohol into the area with the sap.

Step 3

Throw the garment into the wash after scrubbing the area with alcohol or wash by hand. The alcohol will evaporate quickly.

Step 4

Let the garment dry and check the area to make sure you have gotten it all out.

Step 5

Use this method with cotton, fleece, polyester, polypropylene, nylon and most other common clothing materials. It is not recommended for silk or lace. Weekend Gardner magazine recommends massaging smooth peanut butter into any leather garments that have sap on them and then washing off with soap.

Article Written By Naomi Judd

Naomi M. Judd is a naturalist, artist and writer. Her work has been published in various literary journals, newspapers and websites. Judd holds a self-designed Bachelor of Arts in adventure writing from Plymouth State University and is earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

Editor's Pick

Backcountry Camping Tips

You've already tried car and RV camping. You've camped at commercial campsites that had a convenient restroom and water supply. Now, you want to explore the road less traveled. Backcountry camping, also known as primitive camping, is a wonderful way to explore the remote...
More Backcountry Camping...
Popular Article

Beach Camping Near Pismo Beach, California

Pismo State Beach, California, has many attractions and activities including camping, swimming, hiking and wildlife viewing. Birdwatching is one of the primary activities in the area. The park also has the largest over-wintering colony of monarch butterflies in the natio...
More Beach Camping...
Featured Video

Common Sense Hiking Tips

The first and most fundamental thing is never hike alone. There are too many situations, especially as an unexperienced hiker, where you may find yourself without anyone to help you. So the buddy system works and applies very much in hiking.
More Camping Basics...