How can I get Pine tree pitch off shoes?

[Billy_Bob]

I've been cutting up some pine trees the past couple of days and they are oozing pitch by the bucketfull!

A whole bunch got on the bottom of my shoes (not corks). My shoes are now 1/4" higher due to this gunk stuck to the bottom! A friend told me he uses gasoline...

 

[toddstreeservic]

try -peanut butter, or soda/pop or rubbing alcohol. all work ok. Rinse well with soap and water.

 

[bruce56BB]

butter

i've used it for sap on my skin and it works great!

not sure i'd use it on my boots though.

 

[slowp]

All of the above or WD40, Mayonaise, or just wear them around and it'll come off eventually. Oh, or the military jungle juice except it eats up plastic.

 

[pdqdl]

Elbow grease works best !

Any approach using solvents (be it gasoline, alcohol, or even peanut butter) will not be very good for the boots, and will make one heck of a mess. It will probably be more work to dissolve/loosen than it is worth.

The gunk is probably deeply ground into dust and wood chips. Use a putty knife to scrape the excess, then walk some more dust into it to keep it from being too sticky. If it is too stiff to scrape: get a smaller putty knife and use a heat gun (a hair dryer might work) to soften it up.
You could probably use some solvent action to get the last stickiness off, but what would be the point ? You're just going to go out and get your boots dirty again, aren't you ?

 

[2dogs]

A cutting torch!

Freeze them in a bucket of water and walk till they're dry.

 

[Billy_Bob]

...You could probably use some solvent action to get the last stickiness off, but what would be the point ? You're just going to go out and get your boots dirty again, aren't you ?

No, 'cause today I'm cutting Cedar!

 

[urhstry]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't of used it at my buddy's house, but get a skin care product called Skin So Soft. Takes pine sap off anything like acetone on ink. Just don't let your buddies see you with a bottle of it in your truck.

 

[goatchin]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't of used it at my buddy's house, but get a skin care product called Skin So Soft. Takes pine sap off anything like acetone on ink. Just don't let your buddies see you with a bottle of it in your truck.

Skin So Soft is sold by Avon...i know this b/c me and my buddy/archery shop owner who shoot outdoor 3-D archery have used it along w/ bug spray to keep them at bay. Doesnt smell the most "manly" but it works for keeping the bugs down...gotta do what ya gotta do

 

[GASoline71]

Goop hand cleaner... does wonders to get pitch off of flip lines and climbing lines too...

Gary

 

[urhstry]

yep, works great keeping bugs away too.

 

[Billy_Bob]

I finally used gasoline on my shoes and this "melted" the goo so I could then scrape a lot of it off on the edge of a piece of wood. Then I had the strong (very strong) smell of gas and pine on my shoes!

For my arms I always use peanut butter (not chunky).

 

[Texas Traveler]

I finally used gasoline on my shoes and this "melted" the goo so I could then scrape a lot of it off on the edge of a piece of wood. Then I had the strong (very strong) smell of gas and pine on my shoes!

For my arms I always use peanut butter (not chunky).

pitch is a wood product so use paint thinner or turpintine

 

[Buckethead]

I've had really good luck with Lestoil. Works on skin, clothes or whatever.