There is no substitute for having a real Christmas tree throughout the holiday season. The fresh pine aroma, the uniqueness of each individual tree, nothing adds to the feel like having it front and center for your home’s Christmas display.

Despite their beauty, trees also require a lot of care.

There are typically three potential problems when you combine Christmas trees and the inside of your home: needles, water and sap. And when it comes to your carpeting, the one zooming to the top of the list is sticky tree sap. Nothing can impact your after holiday mood more than finding a trail of sap left behind in the fibers of your carpeting.

Sap is kind of like removing chewing gum. There are a few ways to handle it to make it easier to remove and less noticeable when the final remnants are gone.

Use rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol works as a drying agent, drying out the sap to make it easier to remove. Soak a small, clean cloth or paper towel in rubbing alcohol, then blot the stain gently. Never rub as you’ll make the problem worse. Repeat until entire sap stain is covered. Allow to dry, then pick the sap out of the fibers.

Use ice

If you’ve ever worked with ice to get gum out of hair, it works in much the same manner. Use the ice to harden the sap, allowing the ice to penetrate all affected areas. As the sap hardens, pick the sap out of the fibers.

Use dishwashing detergent

Dishwashing detergent is a natural stain remover and help break down oils. Therefore it also makes a natural cleaner for sap in your carpeting as well. Before you add detergent to your carpet, test a small area in a non-conspicuous place for color resistance. Then apply a small amount of detergent directly to the sap, massage with a warm, damp cloth, and let the detergent work into the fibers. Continue until the sap is loosened and removed. Be sure to remove all detergent as it can attract dirt if left behind.

Other alternatives

If you search online, you’ll find all kinds of alternatives to help remove sap from carpeting: peanut butter, mayonnaise, and more. Keep in mind that most of these removal items can actually cause a bigger stain than the sap. If you’ve tried several of the above mentioned solutions with little luck, it may be time to call in the experts.

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