Removing Christmas Tree Stains from Hardwood Flooring

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated November 20, 2017)

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.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

What to Expect in a Massage

If performed incorrectly, a massage could hurt you. Investigate about massage before making an appointment with a ...

Discover More

Attracting Hummingbirds

Like all birds, hummingbirds choose nesting materials from flower gardens, lawns, and foliage. Make sure that you not ...

Discover More

Managing the Japanese Lady Beetle

Whether you call them lady bugs or lady beetles, you can tell them apart from other insects by their colored, spotted ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Wood Floors

Wood floors are great and can make any home look better. If you don't keep those floors cleaned, however, you risk your ...

Discover More

Cleaning Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors make any home look great, but won't do much to help the look of your home if they're not kept clean. If ...

Discover More

Restore Shine to Wood Floors

Wood floors can be a beautiful decoration in your home, but as they get older, they can become dull. To restore the shine ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 0 + 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.