Lift sticky tree sap off your car's paint safely with rubbing alcohol and a gentle wax finish.
Rinse off dirt and grit with car-wash soap and water, then dry the spot. Removing grit first prevents scratching the paint when you rub at the sap.
Dampen a clean microfiber cloth with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol or a commercial bug-and-tar remover. Hold it on the sap for 30 to 60 seconds to soften it before wiping.
Rub the softened sap off with light pressure, refolding the cloth to a clean section as it picks up residue. Re-apply alcohol for stubborn spots rather than scrubbing hard.
Wash the cleaned area once more with car soap and water to remove all alcohol or solvent, then dry it. This stops the solvent from dulling the surrounding paint.
Alcohol strips wax, so apply a coat of car wax to the cleaned area. This re-seals the paint and makes future sap easier to remove.