Beach Tar?!

I know this might sound crazy, but REAL mayonaise will remove it in seconds flat!!! it removes just about anything..tar, sap from trees, etc.... give it a try!

if it is tar...i believe that a little gasoline and then wiping with a white/clean towel will transfer the substance to the clean towel. It is VERY hard to wash away...and i would recommend getting the tar off to the point that it is only VERY slightly noticeable BEFORE putting it in to a washing machine. Also, i would recommend throwing away the cleaning cloth...don't even worry about washing it!

First try baby oil. If that does not work try Goop. You can get it at auto supply stores. Good luck.

It's oil from the seeping places on the ocean floor. Scrape as much off as you can, clean the rest with goof off or something that dissolves oil or tar. it happens all the time.
Happy beach going!!

You will usually find a tar like substance on the beach if you see oil drilling rigs out in the ocean. That stuff if hard to get off and usually a little elbow grease and baby oil will help. It's harder to get it off of shoes than it is skin. Good luck.

For some reason I seem to think mayonaiise should help... not sure if I've ever tried it but seem to remember this from long ago!

Avon's Skin So Soft Bath Oil works great to get tar off!

Try to rubb it with nail polish remover on your skin. If it doesn't work, it will come off with time :-)

I've lived at the beach my entire life and we always use regular rubbing alcohol, it works great. It also works for sap (and on clothes too)
Happy Beach-combing!

Cooking oil or baby oil should take it off or dawn dishwashing liquid or any other one that breaks down grease. Seen that at the beach before.

Cooking oil will take it right off, but then you'll have to use dish soap to get the cooking oil off, but that's what we did whenever we went camping.

I am not exactly sure where it comes from but the easiest way to get it off is to use olive oil on a cloth or some type of oil - baby oil, canola oil . . . That's what I use and it works! Good luck.

I always use Vaseline to get the tar off. I had heard that it was because of the off-shore spills and that's why it's so much worse in Santa Barbara, but someoneI don't really know.

Use the product called Goop. It actually works as a clothes stain remover too. It's awesome. It's usually known as a hand cleaner for car workers.

I don't know how to get it off, but I know what it is.

It's natural oil that is produced in the Pacific Ocean and washes up onshore with the waves. It's totally natural and when I do beach clean-ups they always say to leave it on the beach, it's part of the ecosystem.

The only thing I can think of that may get it off is Goo Gone. Its sold in small bottles as its pretty strong.

I had this happen many years ago from walking on the beach. The only thing I found out that worked was lighter fluid. But I'm sure probably any degreaser would work. Just make sure to wash with soap after so no toxins are left. Especially with a little one, who might put their foot in their mouth...

Rub baby oil over the tar. It works like magic!

When I was a teenager we used Pine Sol to get it off.

Yes, it's tar. My dad always had us stop in our garage right when we all got home from the beach, and he'd get a rag, dip it in turpentine, a quick scrub-off on the bottom of our feet, and we were all set! Brings back good memories!
M. :)

Dear L.:

I would probably avoid the flammable options and use the oily ones instead. They work just fine.

Just a caution: Goop or Goo Off MAY melt your shoe soles if they're rubber or certain plastics. Sometimes, I'd get tar on my flip flops or sneaks but if they were just my crummies (beach shoes only) I'd just push them in the sand and cover the tar with sand and leave it on my shoes. Obviously, those shoes stayed in the car anyway.

Best wishes,

M.

Living in Santa Barbara I get tar on my feet almost every single time I go the beach! Baby oil or anything else oil based gets it right off. I usually use a scrubby brush and oil. Haven't figured out how to get it off my clothes yet though :( -Be careful walking in the house with it on your feet though. It will get on the carpet. I usually leave some oil in the garage so I can just take it off before I go inside.

it is tar. baby oil gets it off, and so does gasoline, but the baby oil smells a lot more pleasant.

It's probably tar; I used to get it all over me when I was in school at UCSB. Try baby oil to get it off, worked for me!

Anything oily works great (mineral oil, canola oil, mayo, anything) and is less toxic than turpentine.

Olive oil takes it right off. And makes your feet feel nice and smooth!

Sounds like it IS tar. Try baby oil. I have never tried any other kind of oil. I am pretty sure that because the tar is petroleum based, you have to use a petroleum based oil to get it off.... good luck!

Tar is oil soluble so any oily product will work. Purell hand sanitizer also dissolves tar and tree sap.

try WD40 !! works great

I have used Goo Gone... it works great!

baby oil , or cooking oil

any kind of oil and/or a good scrubbing. It happens all the time to us. we used to call it the cooties. =0)

as long as there is oil in what you are using..ie...peanut butter(smells good to), mayo,etc...should work. Just rub it in then off w/ paper towel or wash cloth. I personally like the PB, it has a grittier texture and works like a cleanser(sorta).

Hi L.,
I use to get this all the time surfing and the best thing I found to remove it is lighter fluid. Takes it right off.

Baby oil works great. I keep a small bottle in our trailer and another in the beach bag.

It is tar. Use baby oil.

Yes, it's tar-thanks to off-shore drilling. Use any kind os oil to get it off. Your cheapest vegetable oil is best.

Hi L.. Baby oil or olive oil will take it off. I remember moving to Santa Barbara and having the same problem. The oil is just naturally occuring oil from the offshore oil reserves. Those I've met who lived here before the offshore oil platforms were built said the oil on the beaches was much worse before they started drilling.

When I was a kid my grandma used paint thinner!

Peanut butter! Sounds wierd, but it works!