Nothing brings the festive spirit and fresh fragrance of Christmas into your home quite like an evergreen. Unfortunately, freshly cut trees just aren’t flooring-friendly, dripping sap and dropping needles everywhere you look. Bask in the gentle glow of that beautiful tree – while protecting your floors from damage – with these tips:
Water. You must water frequently to prevent those twinkling lights from turning your tree into kindling – but unattended water on a hardwood floor will cause the wood to swell, buckle, and stain. Watering is always a challenge with the tree skirt and all of those Christmas gifts in the way. Carefully look beneath the tree stand when filling it, to quickly identify any spills. Don’t put plastic, fabric, or newspaper under your tree stand; they can trap water against the floor and create stains. Instead, use a tree mat designed to absorb the water.
Sap. The fastest and most popular removal method is to dry the sap out with alcohol. Test the alcohol on a small hidden area first, to ensure that it doesn’t discolor your carpet. Moisten a cloth with rubbing alcohol, blot the sap, and remove it quickly with a clean cloth before the alcohol dries. Ice is an effective, though slower, way to remove sap from hardwood floors. Fill a zippable plastic bag with ice cubes, seal, and place on top of the sap for several minutes. Pick at the sap with a plastic knife or rubber spatula to remove as much of it as possible – taking care not to scratch or ding your floor. Then, wipe down the area with your favorite hardwood floor cleaner.
Needles. To avoid tracking loose needles across your floors and trampling them beneath your feet, your tree should be thumped and shaken to remove dead needles before it enters your home. To dispose of fallen needles beneath your tree – sweep – don’t vacuum. Sap can really gum up the works of your vacuum cleaner, leading to surprise repair bills after an already-expensive Christmas! Any broom will do, but those with rubber bristles are particularly effective. To protect your floor during tree removal, wrap the tree in a plastic tree bag. Lift your tree from the stand, place a towel beneath the base to catch any dripping water, and carry the tree outside.
Don’t let debris from your tree put a damper on your holiday. Protect your floors from damage, and enjoy your evergreen throughout the season.