Hi all,

I recently cut some beautiful pine branches to make decorations with. Now there's some stubborn sticky sap on my pruners. I just can't seem to get it off.

These are really good pruners that I really like so I'd like to clean them well without harming them. Any advice?

TIA!

Vege oil or wd-40. Let soak, it will come off.

Philipwonel said:Vege oil or wd-40. Let soak, it will come off.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Yes, that's right. Butter works, too. After the sap dissolves (usually doesn't happen as quickly as one would hope), then use regular soap to remove that. WD40 or kerosene works the quickest. I use the vegetable oil or butter on my hands. If you have a pruners like from Felco, they are easy to take apart to clean, if you get the sap or solvents on unwanted parts. They say rubbing alcohol works, but I haven't tried it.

Would something acidic work? Lemon juice perhaps? I know it works on sticky labels.

If nothing works...try a Drimmel .. it cleans and sharpens

Zencat said:Would something acidic work? Lemon juice perhaps? I know it works on sticky labels.

I didn't know that! I've got several sticky labels I'd like to clean off of some really nice jars! Thanks!

@MISSINGROSIE, I love your avatar!

everyone!

I would not recommend acids for anything metal. Some metals are more resistant than others, but most all will react to some degree. Think about how clean and shiny your cook pan is after you have prepared a tomato sauce..... it's from the acid in the tomatoes that does the job for you.

In addition, if it gets on the anything rubberlike, that's not good at all. And these kinds of materials absorb the acid, and it won't easily wash out.

Leftwood said:I would not recommend acids for anything metal. Some metals are more resistant than others, but most all will react to some degree. Think about how clean and shiny your cook pan is after you have prepared a tomato sauce..... it's from the acid in the tomatoes that does the job for you.

In addition, if it gets on the anything rubberlike, that's not good at all. And these kinds of materials absorb the acid, and it won't easily wash out.

So that's a no to lemon juice, but the wd40 is still okay?

I use full strength rubbing alcohol, get the 91% type. Use something like a cotton ball, soak it with the alcohol, rub it on the pine tree sap. It does take a bit of elbow grease but very quickly the sap will disappear. I actually learned this from a man who details cars for a living. He places a cotton ball on each place on the car where the sap accumulates, lets it sit a while to avoid excess work, then...sap all gone!!

Here is a link to a site with more suggestions for removing the pine sap.
https://dengarden.com/cleaning...

Acetone (nail polish remover) or alcohol will do the trick.

RpR said:Acetone (nail polish remover) or alcohol will do the trick.

Without harming the surface of the blades? Mine are coated with some type of ( ) non-stick surface.

With the coated blades, I stick with WD40, just to be safe. That stuff has many uses, but ideally you should use it every time you use the blades to avoid build up. It keeps the spring from rusting too.

ctcarol said:With the coated blades, I stick with WD40, just to be safe. That stuff has many uses, but ideally you should use it every time you use the blades to avoid build up. It keeps the spring from rusting too.

Excellent Carol, thanks. I also happen to have a can of it already!

Working in manufacturing and landscape, I learned to love the stuff. I keep a can in the house and another in the shed.. It's like duct tape...good for just about everything.

ctcarol said:Working in manufacturing and landscape, I learned to love the stuff. I keep a can in the house and another in the shed.. It's like duct tape...good for just about everything.

Would you use it on shovels and the like that have small amounts of rust? That is, to clean off the rust and prevent more?

Use WD-40 To:

1. Lube a shovel. Spray WD-40 on a shovel, spading fork, hoe or garden trowel. The soil slides right off—especially helpful when digging in clay.

2. Clean tile. The spray removes spilled mascara, nail polish, paint and scuff marks from tile floors, and also help you wipe away grime from the grout lines. Clean up with soapy water.

3. Scrub stains from stainless steel sinks.

4. Unstick gum. A squirt makes it easier to pull gum out of carpet and even hair. It's better than cutting out the gum and leaving patchy carpet or a bad haircut.

5. Soften leather. Oil can help break in a stiff leather tool belt.

6. Free stuck LEGOs. Your kids will thank you.

7. Erase crayon. When crayon ends up on toys, flooring, furniture, painted walls, wallpaper, windows, doors, and television screens. Spray on WD-40 and wipe it off.

8. Prevent flowerpots from sticking when stacked together.

9. Get rid of rust. Spray and rub away rust from circular saw and hacksaw blades. It can also clean blades of tar and other gunk.

10. Remove goo. Unstick gooey residue from price tags, duct tape, and stickers.

But Don't Spray It On:

1. Door hinges. Sure, WD-40 will stop the squeaking, but it also attracts dust and dirt. Over time, you'll end up with ugly black streaks on your hinges.

2. Bike chains. WD-40 can cause dirt and dust to stick to a chain. Use bike-specific lubricants, which typically contain Teflon.

3. Paintball guns. WD-40 can melt the seals in the guns.

4. Locks. The spray can prematurely wear down the internal mechanisms, especially in the pin tumbler locks, in door locks and padlocks. Go for graphite powder.

5. iPods and iPads. WD-40 won't repair the Home button on these devices. In fact, the spray can cause the plastic to break down on the cover, and if some gets inside the electronics, it can damage plastic parts inside.

Sure! It will take a few applications and some scrubbing to remove existing issues, but prevent further issues.