Repotter

I would look under the leaves real close to see if there are any little pinhead size bugs. They would be aphids. They create what is called honeydew, that is the sticky stuff you may be seeing.
Try using a light spray of water from about a foot away using a spray bottle, if you see the water clinging to webs then its spider mites.

Wash the tree under a stream of water as you said you did to clean any bugs away.
Spray with the Safers soap spray every 4 to 5 days also spray the soil surface.

good luck, Hector

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