Pine pitch is a sticky material that exists inside pine trees. It begins as a tacky, gooey substance the consistency of honey, and dries to a hard, amber-colored residue. Wet or dry pine pitch adheres to a surface and is difficult to remove. After contact with a pine tree, your hands will probably be covered with pine pitch. Some will stick to your eyeglasses when you touch them.
Instructions
things you’ll need:
Cotton swabs
Isopropyl alcohol
Rags
Microfiber cloth
Laundry prewash stain remover
Toothbrush
Kerosene
Plastic stain remover
1 Dip a cotton swab into isopropyl alcohol. Blot the pine pitch and immediately blot with a soft, dry rag. Continue to alternate an alcohol-soaked swab and a clean rag until the pine pitch disappears. Wash with a mild soap and water to remove all traces of alcohol. Change cotton swabs often to prevent redistributing pine pitch onto the eyeglasses.
2 Wet a microfiber cloth with laundry prewash stain remover. Lay the cloth over the pine pitch residue. Allow the cloth to remain on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes. Wet a soft toothbrush with plain water and scrub away the stains from the eyeglass frame. Use a soft cloth to scrub away residue on glass lenses. Wash the eyeglasses with soap and water. Avoid using laundry prewash on plastic lenses as it may damage the lenses.
3 Dip the edge of a clean rag into kerosene. Rub the pine pitch stain until it is no longer visible. Rinse glasses well with plain water and wash with a mild soap to remove kerosene residue.
4 Apply a specialized cleaner formulated for plastic stain removal according the label directions. Generally, the directions call for application with a microfiber cloth and rubbing stains away. Some manufacturers suggest allowing the eyeglasses to soak in the cleaner for a prescribed amount of time. Rub away pine pitch stains and residue with a microfiber cloth.
Tips & Warnings
Use hand sanitizer to remove pine pitch if you do not have any of the above solvents. Many hand sanitizers are alcohol-based.
Work in a well-ventilated room when using kerosene. Keep kerosene away from open flames.