RIVERSIDE COUNTY – 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 Advertisement

[ Berry-Bell and Hall Mortuary ] 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.