We love our Christmas trees. The twinkling lights, the festive decorations, the presents waiting to be unwrapped … but then there’s the sap. Cleaning sticky pine sap residue off the floor could even turn Santa Claus into the Grinch. There is hope, however: with the right products and techniques you can eliminate Christmas tree sap this holiday season.
Here are a few tips for removing Christmas tree sap and preventing sticky, gooey buildup on your floors:
Use Ice to Remove Christmas Tree Sap
Placing ice cubes over puddles of sap for 10 to 15 minutes will cause the sap to harden. If you have hardwood floors, scrape the sap off with a plastic knife, a razor or even your fingernail. Just be careful to position the tool nearly parallel to the floor so you don’t scrape or scratch the wood or tile. For carpeted floors, use your fingers to pick the sap out of the carpet fibers.
Try Oil Soap to Remove Pine Tree Sap
Non-diluted oil soap, like Murphy’s, is great for cleaning pine sap off hardwood floors. Apply it with a sponge directly to the sap and let it sit for 15 minutes. The oil-based soap will soften the sap, making it easier to scrub off with a brush or non-scratch sponge and then rinse. If you don’t have oil soap, vegetable shortening or rubbing alcohol can work, too.
Don’t forget, the right products can go a long way toward protecting your floors this holiday season. SpongeOutlet’s amazing Eraser Sponge is ideal for spot cleaning carpet stains, and our Melamine Floor Pads will get your whole floor nice and clean after the holiday season ends and you take down your tree. Happy Holidays!