‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house…
Pine tree needles were everywhere, perhaps even on your spouse?
Hopefully you are cozy on your couch right now, listening to Christmas carols, and watching the lights twinkle on your holiday tree. If you’ve been taking care of your tree’s hydration needs for the past few weeks, you won’t see as many pine needles as those of us who always forget to water the tree until it’s too late and needles are everywhere.
Even with proper care, your tree is likely to shed needles, especially when being dragged into or out of your home. So what’s the best way to tackle cleaning up those pine needles? Before you reach for your vacuum, read on!
Do you have a broom with rubber bristles? Great! But really any broom will do. Seriously, before even thinking about turning on your vacuum cleaner, you must sweep up and dispose of the pine needles as best you can. Those pine needles are sticky with sap and attacking large quantities of them will clog your vacuum quicker than you can say Merry Christmas!
Here’s a use for baking soda that you probably have never considered— sprinkle baking soda onto the needles on your carpet before vacuuming them. This removes some of the stickiness of the sap and helps the pine needles detach from the carpet.
Next, be sure to empty your vacuum bag or canister. The pine needles will bulk up quickly and your vacuum will lose its suction capacity if you fill it with needles. If you have a vacuum with a hose attachment, this is your chance to use it. If you’re in the market for a new vacuum, we highly recommend the Big Vac PRO—after years of research to determine the best available vacuum on the market, we’re pleased to offer this one as our favorite.
We hope you have a fabulous Christmas and hope that these tips will keep your floors pine needle-free in the coming weeks. Happy holidays!
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