How to clean-up Christmas tree sap

Wrestling with a Christmas tree can mean getting covered with sap.

Decorating is one of the many traditions associated with the holiday season. The family Christmas tree is arguably the most prominent decoration. Having a live tree inside the home can be awe-inspiring, but it can also be quite messy.

The idea of bringing a

formerly live tree inside a home as a decoration may seem odd, especially when individuals

are faced with the aftermath, which is often a trail of pine needles and very sticky sap. A freshly cut pine tree will ooze sap, which tends to be quite sticky and messy and notoriously difficult to remove. Even a Christmas tree that is average in stature can generate a fair amount of sap, and it takes just a few drops of sap to make a mess.

If sap has you stuck for clean-up ideas, consider these home remedies.

On clothing: Use rubbing alcohol on the sap stain. Allow the alcohol to sit on the stain for 30 minutes and then wash as usual. Make a paste of laundry detergent and water and apply it to the stain. Ammonia also may remove a sap stain. Just test an inconspicuous part of the clothing to determine if

applying ammonia changes its color.

On carpeting: Freeze the sap with ice cubes and then carefully pick out the hardened pieces. Try vodka as an adhesive remover on the sap stain. Rubbing alcohol also may be able to break up sap in carpet fibers.

On hands: Any greasy, oil-based product can work, such as olive oil or even vegetable shortening. Rub on the skin, and the sap should come right off. A lubricant like WD-40 has also been known to remove sap.

Hand sanitizer, which is comprised mainly of alcohol, can help dissolve sap so it can be rinsed off. Make a paste of mineral oil (baby oil) and baking soda. This should help dissolve the sap and make your hands soft in the process.

In hair: Sap can be notoriously difficult to get out of human hair or animal fur. Try coating the sap in natural peanut butter or mayonnaise, both of which have a high oil content. Allow to sit for a while and then comb out the sap with a fine-toothed comb. If tree sap cannot be removed, cutting it out may be the only option.