How to Remove Bugs, Tar, and Sap from Your Car

Co-authored by Chad Zani

Last Updated: October 27, 2022 Approved

Bugs, sap and tar can build up on your car and bite into the paint, leaving unsightly marks and affecting visibility. Luckily, all three substances can be cleaned off without going to much expense. See Step 1 and beyond to learn how to remove sticky debris from your car so that it gleams like new again.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Bugs

1
Don't wait too long. Bug "juices" can dry into your car's paint, and if you wait long enough to clean your car it can be very difficult to remove the bugs without taking off a little paint as well.
2
Give your car a regular cleaning to remove bugs that have accumulated. If you go on a road trip or drive on country roads and pick up a lot of bugs, clean off your car within a day or two of getting back.

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3
Rub WD-40 on the body of your car. This oily substance will loosen the dead bugs and help them come off more easily. Apply it to your car's body with a rag or using a spray can and let it sit and soak in for about 10 minutes.
- Don't use WD-40 on your windshield or windows. It's an oily substance that will be very difficult to remove.
- Don't have WD-40? Try a different bug an tar removing product. Your local auto store should have a selection of products you can use to take off the bugs.
- As a bonus, this method works well to remove tar, too.
4
Wipe or scrub off the bugs. After the WD-40 has had time to soak in, use a towel to wipe off the bugs using a circular motion. Where necessary, you can scrub off the bugs with the towel. Be very careful not to scrub too hard, though, or you could damage your paint job.
- Don't use a tough sponge or steel wool pad to remove bugs from your car - it will scratch your paint.
- If you catch the bugs before they completely dry, one pass should be enough to clean them off. If the bugs have dried into the paint, you may need to clean the car once, then do another application of WD-40, let it soak in, and clean the car again.
5
Clean the windshield and windows. You'll need a different cleaning solution to get the bugs off the glass parts of your car. A mixture of water and dish soap can often get the job done, but if you think you need a stronger solution you can find car window soap at an auto parts store.
- Spray your windshield and windows with soapy water. Let it soak in for 10 minutes.
- Scrub away the bugs. For the toughest spots, use a scrubbing sponge.
6
Wash the car. After the bugs have been cleaned off, wash your car thoroughly to get rid of the residue from the products you used to clean it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Sap

1
Remove sap every few weeks. Sap tends build up into a thick, hard layer if you don't clean it off regularly. If your car tends to pick up a lot of sap, plan to clean it off every other week or so - more often in the summer, when it's more concentrated and will smear more easily. This will keep you from having a tougher job on your hands down the line.
- Be careful. Tree sap is soft, but it can also crystallize, and the crystals may end up scratching the surface just like glass.
2
Soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol and apply it to the sap on your car. You can also apply a sap remover product from your auto supply store, but rubbing alcohol works just as well. Let the towel sit on the sappy area for at least 10 minutes. The alcohol will begin to break down and soften the hard sap.
3
Rub the area to remove the sap. Use a microfiber cloth to rub off the softened sap. If the sap won't budge, you'll need to soak it again for another 10-20 minutes. Keep soaking and rubbing the sap until it's removed from your car's exterior.
- If the sap is difficult to remove, cover it with WD-40, which should help it loosen up. Don't use WD-40 on your windows, though.
- Don't use a scrubbing sponge or any other rough material to scrub the sap from your car's body, because the paint will likely come off with the sap.
4
Scrape the toughest sap from your windshield and windows. If dried sap won't come off your windows, use a box cutter blade to carefully scrape it off. Don't use this method to remove sap from other parts of your car.^{[1]
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5
Wash your car. After the sap has been removed, it's a good idea to wash your car to get rid of any residue. Little bits of leftover sap could dry elsewhere on your car, leaving you to deal with the problem all over again.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Tar

1
Smother the tar with a product to loosen it. Of the three sticky substances that can dry on your car - bugs, sap and tar - tar is the easiest to remove. Not only that, but there are a variety of household substances you can use to loosen the tar. Smother the tar in one of the following substances for 1 minute to loosen the tar:^{[2]
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- WD-40 (not for use on windshields and windows)
- Goo gone
- Peanut butter
- Commercial tar remover
2
Wipe away the tar. Use a soft cloth to wipe off the loosened tar. If it holds fast, apply more product and wait a few minutes before trying again. Continue smothering tar in the product you're using and wiping it off until the car is tar-free.
3
Wash the car. After the tar is gone, wash your car to get rid of residue from the tar-removal product.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I shine up old, foggy-looking headlights?

Community Answer

T-cut Original works well. Rub in, rub off.
Question

How do I get WD40 off the glass on my car if I sprayed it trying to remove bugs?

Community Answer

Dawn dish soap will usually do the trick. Just mix a few drops of Dawn with warm water and clean your windshield with a washcloth. Then dry the window using some newspaper to prevent streaks.
Question

I painted my car, and now it has a white substance on it. How do I remove this?

Community Answer

Use a polishing compound, lightly.

Warnings

Do not use the denatured alcohol near an open flame or while smoking.

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Test the denatured alcohol on a small inconspicuous area first to determine if it will harm your paint. Very few paint jobs will be harmed unless the alcohol is left on for a long time (5+ minutes).

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Use denatured alcohol in a well ventilated area. The fumes can get quite strong.

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