How do remove SAP from fiberglass

[Civilguy]

Tangential story: We just got back from a trip to Idaho, and traversed the ION Highway (US-95 in NV, OR, and ID). We encountered the swarm/invasion of "Mormon Crickets" (actually katydids!) that is slowly moving west across NV.

Yeah, we ran across a bunch of those when we came home through Nevada in early June.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

anything with ammonia in it, like windex, will strip off any wax based surface protection, so after cleaning with Windex etc, a through rewaxing would be in order.

 

[escape artist]

You are right -- I did remove some and those circles do mark where they were. It's a good idea to experiment with the blobs. I keep trying to figure out what it is.

Hi: Ruthe... Try looking up Artillery Fungus. It could be just that. Lots of "Elbow grease" may remove it. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Ruthe]

Hi: Ruthe... Try looking up Artillery Fungus. It could be just that. Lots of "Elbow grease" may remove it. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I think you're right. I never heard of this before but I looked up images and it's right on the money. Problem is that it's been on the trailer too long to be easily removed. I've already tried windex and plain soap and warm water and a few of them have come off but most haven't. So we're dealing with this fungus and the what I think is lichen. Lots of fun.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I think you're right. I never heard of this before but I looked up images and it's right on the money. Problem is that it's been on the trailer too long to be easily removed. I've already tried windex and plain soap and warm water and a few of them have come off but most haven't. So we're dealing with this fungus and the what I think is lichen. Lots of fun.

FWIW, a lichen is an algae/fungus symbiosis... the algae is growing on/in a fungal substrate.

 

[escape artist]

I think you're right. I never heard of this before but I looked up images and it's right on the money. Problem is that it's been on the trailer too long to be easily removed. I've already tried windex and plain soap and warm water and a few of them have come off but most haven't. So we're dealing with this fungus and the what I think is lichen. Lots of fun.

Hi: Ruthe... Maybe try the old white Vinegar trick. There's a U-tube for that. However you do it... it's gonna be a long slow process. Happy shootin'. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

last time I had lichen on fiberglass, I used a hard plastic scraper with a 'sharp' edge to remove the bulk of it, then used fiberglass friendly rubbing compound to polish off the remaining traces. its very difficult to damage a gel coat

 

[Rbmurray]

Goo gone

 

[bobster-ESC]

Just a late FYI…. Found this thread while researching how to clean a brown stain running down my camper from the AC. Guessing it was sap given it happened while camping under a live oak. Tried alcohol, dawn, marine wash to no avail, took a bit off, but would have took a lot more elbow grease to complete. Finally got the marine wax out which took it off pretty quick. A bit of extra buffing, but did the job…

—Bob