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Last Saturday, our brass quintet played at an outdoor wedding. We got under the only shade tree for hundreds of yards in each direction while the wedding participants and guests sat in the open sun sweating more than we were. At my Tuesday brass ensemble rehearsal, I noticed a thin quarter sized glop of tree sap on the bell of my new PT-20P. I was thinking that a warm damp washcloth could be used to soften the goo and a dry cloth, gently applied, would eventually remove it without damaging the lacquer. Any thoughts/ suggestions/cautions?
Thanks in advance for your time.

I have heard of people using Isopropyl alcohol or acetone based products to their cars to remove sap. People have told me it works without removing the paint, but I have never tried it myself.

How would an automotive clean up product like "bug and tar remover" work on lacquered brass?

How would an automotive clean up product like "bug and tar remover" work on lacquered brass?

There is a specific product for the purpose that does not interact with the lacquer: GooGone. I'm not joking. I use it on a lot of applications, including cleaning up the gummy residue off new guitars when pulling the "Made in..." stickers off of them. It has a citrus aroma and really does the job well.

Put it on a cotton ball, apply to the spot and gently let it soak the sap, then wipe it off, then wipe it dry with another cotton ball.

If soap and warm water don't get it then use Goo-gone. You can find it at a hardware store or Homey depot. Do NOT use acetone. (If you do have to try it, then test it first on a part where you don't really care about the lacquer.)

Goop or Go-Jo hand cleaner is mostly just kerosene emulsified in a mild lanolin-based soap. I have used it quite successfully to remove pine sap from my hands after cutting logs, and that stuff laughs at dish soap. I would doubt that it would damage any lacquer, even the old stuff that will come off with hot water.

Rick "NOT the citrus stuff" Denney

deputysgttuba wrote:Last Saturday, our brass quintet played at an outdoor wedding. We got under the only shade tree for hundreds of yards in each direction while the wedding participants and guests sat in the open sun sweating more than we were. At my Tuesday brass ensemble rehearsal, I noticed a thin quarter sized glop of tree sap on the bell of my new PT-20P. I was thinking that a warm damp washcloth could be used to soften the goo and a dry cloth, gently applied, would eventually remove it without damaging the lacquer. Any thoughts/ suggestions/cautions?
Thanks in advance for your time.

I think you could try on a small spot with WD 40. The lacquer should be ok with WD40.

Clearly, no.

Believe it or not but I use Vodka to remove sap from my golf shoes and shorts. Just put some on a cloth and let it soak in and wipe it off.

Nope .... all of you guys are wrong .... use plain ole vegetable oil . It will dissolve the tree sap and won't hurt the lacquer. I've been using it since I was kid. Vegetable oil will cut right through it.

To remove the sap from my tuba, I put the horn down.

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