Nothing says Christmas quite like a live Christmas tree. They’re beautiful. They smell wonderful.

But what happens when the floor underneath gets sticky from tree sap?

The best way of dealing with it is preventing the problem before it sets in. But when it happens, cleaning it up quickly is your best line of defense. Here’s how.

Ice It Away

If you have small areas of sap, placing an ice cube over the affected area for ten to fifteen minutes is an effective way of dealing with the problem. This causes the sap to harden. After wiping up the water, pick at the hardened sap with your fingernail or a plastic knife. Position it almost parallel to the floor, being careful not to scratch or scrape the floor in the process. Once it’s removed, wipe the area down with your favorite cleaner to pick up all residue.

Soak

For a hardwood floor, soak the sap in a small amount of oil soap for fifteen minutes. This is the kind used for cleaning most hardwood floors. Dab most of the soap up with a paper towel, then scrub the area with a soft brush. Use a damp sponge to remove all soap residue. Rubbing alcohol is an alternative in place of an oil soap.

Acetone

Acetone is sold as nail polish remover. Using a microfiber cloth, rub the stain and work from the outer rim toward the middle. Do not rub outward because you can spread the sap to other areas of the floor. Continue until the stain dissolves and disappears. When fully removed, wash the area with an approved floor cleaner.

Cooking Oil

Have a spill on your kitchen vinyl? Consider using olive or cooking oil to help loosen the sap, especially if it’s dried. Anything super oily can loosen up the sap and help break it away. For certain fibers, using a little peanut butter may also do the trick, rubbing it gently into the affected area. Just be sure you wash the area completely once you are through.

What messes have you found to be difficult to remove from your flooring?