Removing Christmas Tree Stains from Hardwood Flooring

While a live Christmas tree during the holidays can fill your home with a wonderful aroma, it can also leave behind pine needles, stains, and sap. If you place your tree onto a hardwood floor, removing pine needles may not prove much of a challenge. However, removing tree sap stains from hardwood flooring can prove difficult.

Even if you use a tree skirt under your tree, sap and tree stains can permeate the fabric and come to rest as a solid on your hardwood flooring. Whether you have real wood flooring or laminate, try some of these methods for removing Christmas tree stains from your hardwood flooring:

• Alcohol. Pour a clear alcohol, such as Vodka, onto the stain and allow it to sit for at least thirty minutes, and then absorb with paper toweling.
• Bug spray. Spray bug repellant, such as Deep Woods Off, onto the tree stain and then agitate with a stiff nylon brush and rinse away.
• Ice. Rub the stain with ice and then gently scrape away excess sap and stain with the end of a rubber spatula.
• Citrus solvents. A citrus-based solvent, like Goo-Gone, breaks down adhesives so that you can remove them. Gently rub a generous amount onto the stain, and then wipe away.
• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Pour the alcohol onto a rag, rub the stain, and then buff away.
• Lubricant. Spray a lubricant like WD-40 onto the stain and then wipe away. Continue the process until the stain disappears.

Exercise caution when using products that contain alcohol or petroleum-based products, as they are flammable. Also, test an inconspicuous area of your hardwood flooring with the product to determine if it will remove the finish or cause discoloration. You may even want to speak with local flooring professionals to determine the best course of action when removing Christmas tree stains from your hardwood flooring.