Ficus macrophlla sap problem

Hi Guys,

Not posted for a while, but thought i'd ask some advice!!

Today i began dismantling an 80ft Ficus macrophylla, 3 main leaders growing in awkward directions, one of them totally dead. I took the dead leader out first, extremely challenging climb and some valuable botanic collections beneath, so it was a bit of a bugger! All going well i thought, then i began working on the live wood. Through a small gap to the floor i managed to freefall a couple of large sections, no bother. Then i felt something fall in my eye, it was sap from the Ficus, i wiped it out immediately and there was not a problem but my new Tachyon rope is totally covered in this sap after a day working aloft, as is my lanyard, friction hitches almost glued to the bloody rope!! I've had issues with conifer sap before, but this stuff is a real pain, any suggestions on how to clean these ropes? I've used petrol on my arms, saws and metal parts but for obvious reasons can't use it on rope! Any suggestions? Help appreciated, i wanna try and get it off asap!

Cheers guys!

Ed

petrol on your arms wtf!! sap will come off mate, just give it a wash, thats'll take the dirt out it and then the rest will just wear off. I cant be bothered looking up the general name for the tree, the worst i come across is off a silver fir, just stick everything in a pillow case, use non bio and press the button, job done..

good to hear from you again mate:001_smile:

I have had fig sap ruin clothes and burn my skin. Not sure what you would need to clean it off rope, I've heard butter is good for pine sap.

Local people in Central america swear by breast milk or honey to get poisonous sap from your eyes. The story was the enzymes help to break it down.

use butter or olive oil to get the sap off bro and watch out for the sap in the mid day sun-it can cause phytophotodermatitis basically a really bad sunburn if the uv rays catch it

ive got permanent skin pigmentation colour change through contact with edible fig and sun light was a tad worse than sun burn to put it lightly.had to go on anti biotics and steroids.

it was you then!! was that at treecare?

When pruning ficus trees start all your cuts from bottom and work your way up so no sap drips on you. They sap is nightmare and riuns clothes and itches like hell.

suger and hot water ! lots of suger

Whoa! Petrol on skin! Not good at all, Ive had dermatitus from petrol contamination and its not very nice. Get a tub of Red Box wipes or similar and clean yourself off with those instead.

Do i have to soak the ropes in Olive oil overnight or just an hour or so then through the washing machine? The ropes are a mess, much worse then anything i have ever pruned beofre! 100 times worse then any conifers i have ever climbed! Friction hitch almost glued to the rope and the chainsaws all clogged up. Won't be taking on any more of these trees in a hurry!!!