Stain removal, use for ointment and more

the essentials in brief

• Tree sap The main purpose of the tree is to close wounds quickly and thus protect itself from infections.
• Tree sap stains can be liquefied (e.g. B. remove with a hot air blower) or thinner.
• Tree sap is best removed from clothing, hair and the like with oily agents such as butter, cooking oil or cream.

What is tree sap?

Resin is a metabolic product of various trees, which consists of the ingredients rosin and turpentine. If the bark of a tree is damaged, it increases the production of the natural product. The viscous and sticky mass emerges from the resin channels that run through the entire tree. They close the wound by drying and hardening in the air. The essential oils evaporate in the process. The smell, consistency and color of tree sap differ depending on the tree species.

• tropical tree resin: elemi, copal
• East Indian tree resin: dammar
• fossil tree resin: amber

Digression

Fossil and recent resin

The resin that is still excreted by living trees today is called recent resin. In contrast, fossil resin is known as amber. An amber that is believed to be more than 99 million years old was found in a mine in Myanmar. It contains around 40 different types of land and marine life.

Mites, millipedes, flies and spiders were preserved to last forever, but the researchers found a sensation. In addition to four shells of smaller sea snails, the tree sap has enclosed an ammonite. This amber is the only specimen with a fossil cephalopod from the sea.

Resin locks insects in forever

Remove resin

It's annoying when there is resin in clothing, in the fur of dogs and cats, or on wood. The sticky mass is usually difficult to remove from jeans, from the tent or from the skin. About the unsightly residue from tiles or the Saw blade there are several ways to remove it. Various tree resin removers such as Sonax are available on the market, but the sticky mass can usually be removed easily with home remedies.

Properties of resin

Natural resin is not soluble in water and therefore cannot be removed with pure water. It solidifies at normal temperatures and becomes liquid again when heated. Tree sap dissolves in both fat and alcohol.

If you want to remove stains from textiles with oil, you must then wash out the grease stains. Fat is easier to remove at high temperatures of 60 degrees or more, so only suitable clothing should be cleaned in this way. You can also remove resin stains from the paintwork of the car or the car window with warm water.

These agents are suitable for removing stains

• Liquefy: warm water or hot air blower
• Dilute: Universal thinner, acetone-free nail polish remover, shaving foam
• To solve: Edible oil, penetrating oil, ballistol, alcohol

What to do if resin has burned into the car paint?

Many drivers are familiar with tree sap because the sticky substance is difficult to get off the car or window. The natural product is not harmful to the paintwork. The longer the resin stays on the paint, the more the natural substance hardens and makes cleaning more difficult.

Burned-in resin can be removed with a white spirit. Moisten a microfiber cloth with the liquid and dab the area. Let the agent soak in a little and then work on the resin stain with the soft cloth. The resin is gradually removed. This method leaves no residue and is gentle on the paintwork.

What can you do with tree sap?

The natural product is used for a variety of purposes. Rosin is the best-known resin product made from the juices of spruce and pine. It is used to treat the bow hairs that are stretched on violin bows. Rosin is also used as an adhesive for adhesive plasters. In the 15. In the 19th century, resin was used as a binder for color pigments. Such oil-resin paints are still popular today and are preferred for painting. In Greece, the resin of the Aleppo pine is used as an aromatic additive to a wine that became known under the name Retsina.

Buy tree sap

Tree sap is available as a solid product or a liquid product. When buying, pay attention to organic quality, because as a natural product, pure tree resin is free from additives. To get liquid tree resin, you can gently heat the resin pieces. The essential oil of the resin is extracted by steam distillation.

chewing gum

People have been chewing tree sap since the Stone Age. It was popular with both the ancient Egyptians and Native Americans. The Maya chewed dried resin from the sapwood tree, also known as the gum tree. Many forest workers know spruce resin as Kaupech, which looks back on a long tradition among woodcutters.

If you want to test the natural chewing gum on a walk in the forest, you should keep an eye out for fresh spruce resin. Press it with your finger. It shouldn't be too firm or too soft. It is ideal if the resin shimmers reddish-gold. Let a small chunk soften in your mouth before chewing it. After a while, it will feel like regular chewing gum.

Natural chewing gum from all over the world:

• Siberian cedar resin chewing gum
• Swedish Tugg-Kåda made from spruce resin
• Alpine gum made from pine resin, birch sugar and beeswax

Make the ointment yourself

Tree sap is also often used for ointments

The ointment made of resin enjoys numerous positive properties. It has an antibacterial and antiviral effect and is used to disinfect wounds. The so-called pitch ointment promotes blood circulation, relieves pain and warms cold feet. It is used against muscle tension and to pull out splinters.

If you want to collect resin yourself, you should only harvest as much as you need. In order not to unnecessarily stress the tree, only the resin beads are collected. A wooden scraper makes it easier to collect and prevents the resin from sticking to your hands. Always leave some resin behind so that the wound in the bark remains closed and does not start to bleed again.

For further processing, you should use a fireproof container that is allowed to get dirty. Resin residues are often left behind. To clean the resin, put the chunks in a tea strainer or cotton bag. You melt the resin by heating. It liquefies and flows through the sieve while residue is filtered out.

Recipe:

1. Slowly heat 30 grams of resin with 100 milliliters of olive oil and two tablespoons of marigold flowers
2. Let it steep for 60 minutes and remove the filter
3. Strain the oil through a sieve
4. Reheat the liquid and melt 13 grams of beeswax in it
5. let cool while stirring
6. fill in cans

Smoking

Pure tree resin can be effectively smoked on a charcoal. The charcoal is lit and placed on a fireproof bowl. The resin fills the room with its ethereal scents. When the resin is completely hardened, you can grind it finely and smoke it in a smoking sieve. This is covered beforehand with a layer of sand.

frequently asked Questions

How long does homemade resin ointment last?

Resin has preservative ingredients. Its antibacterial properties also ensure that the ointment does not spoil. A homemade cream has a shelf life of at least twelve months and can be kept refrigerated for longer.

What are the areas of application of propolis tree resin ointment?

The cream is a mild care product for heavily stressed or sensitive skin. The nourishing ingredients protect dry skin from excessive water loss. Rough, cracked and brittle or flaky skin becomes softer and more elastic due to the fatty film. Thanks to its antibacterial and disinfecting properties, the ointment can also be used to close wounds. It is painless and promotes wound healing.

Is Resin Edible?

Tree resin has been used as a natural chewing gum for millennia. It is used for dental care because it disinfects, keeps teeth white and promotes healthy and strong gums. You shouldn't eat it though. The taste of the different tree resins is perceived very differently. If you want to try tree sap yourself, you should orient yourself by the smell and find out whether it is pleasant for you. The reddish-gold shimmering resin, which is neither too liquid nor completely hardened, is suitable as chewing gum.

Can you make jewelry out of tree resin?

Tree resin liquefies when heated and can then be poured into molds or shaped with your hands. However, after cooling it retains its sticky properties and body heat makes it soft again. Synthetic resin is more suitable for making jewelry. The casting resin, which can be poured into silicone molds, is popular.

Is tree sap toxic to cats?

Resin is rich in essential oils, which are irritating in high doses. As a result, tree sap is sometimes classified as toxic to cats. So don't let your four-legged friend scratch and gnaw at the Christmas tree. If resin sticks up your pets' fur, you can simply wash off the residue with oil.