October 22, 2026, 7:36 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Tree resin is one of the most annoying side effects of gardening. It sticks to your hands, gets on your clothes, and is often difficult to remove. Especially in warm weather, a brief contact with wood is enough for the sticky substance to adhere. myHOMEBOOK editor Franka Kruse-Gering knows a simple trick to quickly remove resin stains from skin and fabrics.
Why Can’t Tree Resin Be Removed from Hands with Soap?
Anyone who has tried to remove tree resin with soap will have noticed that it doesn’t work well. You can scrub and use soap as much as you want—often with no effect. In the worst case, you just spread the sticky substance further on your palms. The reason: Resin consists of oils and various resins that are not water-soluble. Therefore, washing resin-covered hands with soap essentially has no effect.
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What Helps Against Resin on Hands?
It’s strongly advised against using solvents or gasoline. Yes, they would remove the tree resin from your hands, but they also excessively dry out the skin.
It’s recommended to use oily substances to remove tree resin from your hands. Whether it’s vegetable oil, margarine, butter, or lard, the possibilities are endless. Afterwards, you can wash your hands as usual with warm water and soap.
How to Get Tree Resin Out of Clothing?
It’s inevitable that your clothes will get stained with tree resin during gardening. Unlike with hands, there are several ways to successfully clean clothing.
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Fat
Just like with hands, tree resin can be effectively removed from clothing with fat. You should apply a bit of olive oil or butter to the affected area and let it sit for a moment. Since resin is fat-soluble, the residues can be easily washed out afterwards.
Solvents
Unlike skin, you can use gasoline or solvents to remove tree resin from clothing. However, this method should be used on more durable materials. It’s generally recommended to test the solvent on a small, less noticeable area first.
Heat
Heat can wonderfully remove tree resin from clothing. Simply warm the stained piece with an iron at a medium temperature setting. However, make sure there is kitchen paper or blotting paper underneath and above the fabric.
Cold
You can place the stained clothing in a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for a few days. The cold will freeze the resin, allowing it to be broken off the clothing afterwards.
If you need a quick solution, you can use ice spray on more durable fabrics. Afterwards, simply wash the area with water and soap.