You finally got the family to the beach. Everyone is happy. Then on the walk back to the car, your kid steps on a black sticky patch in the sand and starts crying, because now their foot is covered in something that will not come off and you have no idea what it is.

It is beach tar. It is everywhere in Southern California, especially anywhere south of Point Conception, where natural underwater oil seeps push crude up to the surface. It is harmless in the small amounts your kid stepped in. But it is sticky, it does not wash off with water, and you need to get it off before they smear it on the car seat.

Here is how to do it safely.

What not to do

Before the methods that work, here are the methods to skip when it is your kid:

Skip the gasoline, paint thinner, and turpentine. People mention these because they dissolve tar. They are also highly irritating to skin, especially young skin, and toxic if absorbed in any quantity. Do not put any of these on a child.

Skip aggressive scrubbing. Tar smears before it lifts. Scrubbing just spreads it out and irritates the skin underneath. You will end up with a bigger oily patch and a more upset kid.

Skip nail polish remover (acetone). It will technically dissolve some tar, but acetone is harsh on skin and the fumes are not great for small lungs in a closed car.

Skip hand sanitizer. It evaporates faster than it can do anything useful, and the alcohol dries out skin.

Methods that actually work

Best option: Oil Slick Beach Tar Remover

This is what Oil Slick is built for. The plant-based formula dissolves beach tar without putting any harsh chemicals on your kid's skin. Spray, gently work it across the affected area for ten or fifteen seconds, then wipe clean. For toddlers and small kids, the Oil Slick Beach Tar Remover Wipes are usually the easiest because you can just hand them a wipe and let them participate in the cleanup, which turns the whole thing from a meltdown into a project.

It is non-toxic, reef-safe, and rinses off cleanly. If they get any in their mouth (kids being kids), it is plant-based ingredients, not petroleum solvents.

Backup option: cooking oil or olive oil

If you are at home and have no tar remover, kitchen oil works in a pinch. Olive oil or vegetable oil will do. The same chemistry applies: oil dissolves oil. Massage a small amount onto the tar, let it sit for thirty seconds, then wipe off with a paper towel. You will need to repeat once or twice, and you will need to wash the skin with soap and warm water afterward because cooking oils leave residue.

This works. It is slower. It is greasier. And it does not smell as good. But for a one-off situation it is perfectly safe for kids.

Last resort: baby oil

The classic. It works. It is the answer your parents will give you. The downside is volume (you need a lot of it) and the lingering grease on skin and clothes. It is also a petroleum product, so the irony of using one petroleum product to clean another petroleum product off your kid is real. We have a full breakdown of baby oil versus Oil Slick tar remover if you want to go deeper.

What about peanut butter?

You will see this on internet lists. The truth is, peanut butter does not contain that much oil. It is the small amount of peanut oil in it that helps slightly loosen the tar, and "slightly" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. It is messy, it smells like peanut butter on your skin all afternoon, and it is a hard no if your kid or any kid at the rental house has a nut allergy. Skip it unless you have nothing else.

Step-by-step for the next time it happens

1. Don't panic. Tar on skin is not dangerous in normal beach quantities.
2. Get out a wipe, a spray, or a small amount of oil.
3. Apply gently. Work it across the tar in small circles for fifteen to thirty seconds.
4. Wipe off with a paper towel, beach towel corner, or the wipe itself.
5. Repeat if needed. Tougher tar may need two passes.
6. Wash the area with soap and warm water when you can. This removes the cleanser residue and any tar that lingered.
7. Check the bottom of their shoes and sandals before they get in the car. Tar transfers.

How to avoid it next time

You cannot really avoid the tar itself. It is part of the California coast. But you can avoid the worst of it by:

• Skipping the dark stretches of sand that look slightly shiny in the sun. That is where the tar tends to collect.
• Wearing flip flops or water shoes when walking the tide line.
• Keeping a pack of Oil Slick Beach Tar Remover Wipes in the beach bag. The 20-count fits in any tote.

The first beach day where you handle the tar problem in two minutes flat instead of spending an hour at the rental house with a roll of paper towels is the day you stop dreading it.

I hope this article helps make your time at the beach a better experience with the preparation I provided.

Shop the Oil Slick Beach Tar Remover Wipes (20-pack fits in a beach bag) →

Or grab the 4oz Spray for the car →