Working in the woodpile and forest, pitch can be a real problem. Around our homestead, spruce and hemlock sap can make our hands sticky, gum up work gloves, and stain clothing. On warmer days it even drips from the canopy above into our hair.
Removing pitch has become a frequent activity for us. We’re reluctant connoisseurs of pitch removing methods.
The best agent to remove pitch has, for years, been oil of some kind. Butter has its devotees; mayonnaise is a popular solution. A dollop of either will remove pitch from skin fairly easily. The problem comes when the pitch to be removed sticks to clothing. These remedies may remove most or all of the pitch, but they’ll leave a greasy stain on clothes that may even be worse than the pitch itself.
We’ve discovered something much better than oils for removing pitch: hand sanitizer. Continue reading
