WARNING: Wear softy's Marigold Gloves when using high detergent car cleaners otherwise you might be in for a nasty dose of eczema.
HJ
|
|
|
Our local town centre mortorcycle park is strategically placed under the only trees in the town centre.
The trees are a favourite vantage point for the dickies so it's a good idea to carry a duster with you!
|
|
I think that today's environmentally friendly water soluble paints are more susceptible to damage from sap, p** etc. By the way, if it really is water soluble why doesn't it come off when you wash the car? I think we should be told!
|
It's water soluble in the same way as emulsion, water is the solvent as opposed to acetone.
But once it's dry, it's dry, as my daughter discovered when she did some painting with emulsion and thought that she could wash off the splashes on her clothes at her leisure. WRONG!
|
My parking space at work is under a Lime tree which deposits copious amounts very sticky sap. Last week I had occasion to use the windscreen wipers and found them firmly glued to the screen -had to pull over as soon as possible to peel them free. Could damage the motor, and dangerous if you had to use them suddenly on a motorway in a sudden downpour..
Regards,
P.
|
I'm sure you could live without knowing this but I'll tell you anyway! According to my book on insects it's not sap deposited from lime trees - it's sugars. Trees are infested by aphids which suck sap. Sap is high in sugars and low in protein. In order to obtain enough protein the aphids pass masses of sugars/saps through their bodies and drip it on your car - it's "honeydew". Car link? perhaps they could make environmentally friendly diesel from it and we could fuel or cars for free! (plus 80p/litre tax of course).
PhilW
|
Huge lime trees overhang my driveway and the entire street. The honeydew problem was so bad last summer that the driveway was covered and it was like walking on glue. It has already started this year. The council who owns the trees intend to cut them back next winter.
I take delivery of a brand new zafira in a couple of weeks (non metallic paint). I'll get a layer of Autoglyn Super Resin and Extra Gloss on asap, but does anyone have any better ideas as to my best line of defence? Would anyone recommend a cover?
|
|
Unperturbed by the awful adverts (see also quote me happy) I picked up a car cover from Argos for a fiver a few weeks ago. Not the easiest to fit, so four bricks should also be acquired.
|
Silver birch trees adorn my road and while they don't seem to be too bad on the sap front they are terrible on the detritus front.
They seem to have something to throw away for each season - 'katkin' type things that clog all drainage points and air intakes, small razor-sharp seeds that get everywhere, etc. etc..
|
|
After ten years from new, apart from one stone chip, the only blemish on the top-notch paintwork of my now-departed Audi 100 was caused by bird droppings. These days they are the first thing I look for and deal with before driving off.
|
|
PhilW is right, it is honeydew. I once started keeping bees; if the bees find sufficient nectar, the bees will collect the honeydew excreted by the aphids.
I started getting allergic to the stings and SWMBO specified that the bees had to go.
|
if the bees CAN'T find sufficient nectar, the bees will collect the honeydew excreted by the aphids.
|
PLEASE everyone!
DO be careful about trees and bird poo. They are both notorious for ruining your car paints! Bird poo contains some excellent paint-ruining stuff.
If you have no choice but park under trees (which often have both!!) use a car cover.
Rojer
|
|
|
|
|
|
