Airborne Sticky Film

Question

My screen porch and deck are five years old. The horizontal surfaces (deck, table tops, plants, railings and furniture) are covered with a sticky film. With water and scrubbing it comes off but reappears within two weeks. Is it some kind of pollen? The change to the landscape nearby is that the privets are above the deck rail.

Answer 1

It sounds like the privets may be dripping honeydew, which is caused by a pest, like aphids or a similar sap-sucking insect. You can treat the trees with neem oil to get rid of the pests and then you shouldn't have any more issues with the sticky honeydew left behind.