Cleaning brown spots from sycamore tree

[vwwestyman]

I have tree large sycamore trees near my driveway, and throughout the time from spring to fall at least, they are always leaving little brown spots all over my cars. I'm not totally sure if they are some kind of sap residue, or some kind of aphid shit. General google searches indicate that it's potentially aphids but I really don't have a great way to tell.

Either way, I've never had much luck cleaning them off. Tried different types of car wash soap, dawn, hot water, etc. I think I tried a buffer once and had moderate luck. I once paid a detailer way too much and he got most but not all of them off my '73 Bus.

They do eventually seem to fade or go away or wear away over time--for example, I started parking my Golf on the street (which is under a silver maple, not the sycamores) and the spots are largely gone. The Golf ends up in the driveway from time to time.

Any ideas?

I took a pic of ignition switches sitting on my Thing last week, and you can see the brown spots. Presumably the darker ones are fresher and the lighter ones are older and fading/wearing away. It is pretty dirty otherwise.... The Thing is always dirty.

_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[chrisflstf]

Try clay, like this or similar

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Detailing-Clay/dp/B0002NYE5W

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[vwwestyman]