Went camping and found the only spot tp pitch the big tent was under a tree. I have camped under trees before when necesarry but the sap was raining down and now the whole of the top and about 50% of the sides is now covered in very sticky sap.

I was thinking of washing in tech wash and spraying with reproofer but as I have never had to remove such an exessive amount of sap before I was hoping for the odd tip from you lot.

the only thing i can tell you is that it probably isnt tree sap but infact.... aphid poo!!, now go have another shower!, as to cleaning it, if its a big tent pitch it and use warm water with a bit of soap and brush it clean, with a stiff brush, let it dry then reproof, with suitable according to what fabric it is, i found the hose pipe isnt good enough

Oooh it *can* be tree sap - there is a large lime tree on our grass verge and our car gets sapped at this time of year and I need to clean the windscreen of sap every day.

Use only pure soap and go easy on the scrubbing. Then Nixwax or other flavour of non-aerosol spray-on proofer should sort it.

Stick it in the freezer and brush it off like you might with chewing gum....?

Never tried this but 'it just might work......'

Forgot to say - when 'scrubbing' use only a sponge. In fact one of our tents came supplied with one. It looked like a washing up sponge - but without the scouring side obviously.

What Jeannie said, and:

If it was a pine tree, it was almost certainly sap and you were lucky it wasn't cones and branches as well. Don't worry, tho', the dried sap is perfectly waterproof :-))

I've never known trees like limes (lindens)for attracting bugs of all sorts (especially bees). Mine used to shed 'dandruff' in high summer, and hum, as millions of buzzy bestioles climbed over it.

Sweet chestnut burrs are my pet hate and last autumn's crop can be real pain in the thermarest the following summer.

Moral - don't pitch under a tree :-))

Why would aphid poo be so sticky.Wouldent it be really inefficient to excrete the sugar( not that I have tasted it to find out)

Aphid poo is 'cuckoo spit' isn't it? Frothy and watery but not sticky.

This stuff is nearly clear with no sign of froth. Anyway I washed the whole thing in the bath with tech wash and its come off fine.

You must have a massive bath....the tent was Huuuuuge

probably a water butt in the garden...

Are you saying that Julie's got a big butt? Cos if you are, I'd be afraid if I were you, VERY afraid.

I would start to tremble if I were you Darren. My new very sharp AirTech Ice axe arrived today and Im itching for a chance to use it and in the abcence of any snow!

I'd like to see Darren trembling....oh yes!

Pah!!!!!

And Ive got a pair of spikey new crampons

:-P

Be afraid, be very afraid!

Ooooo. Please stop, I'm sooooo scared now...






























NOT!!!!

Oh , and I was going to bring you saffron cake and clotted cream to the next meet but if I cant get even a little fear and trembling out of you I dont think I shall bother.

I think Darren (the other one) is getting excited by the thought of spikey crampons!!!

Isn't that an optional extra normally...

<quickly realises made big mistake, runs to car to hunt trail team down for free routes while still breathing>