As delightful as the holiday season is, cleaning up shedding needles can be a daunting task. Whether your tree needles are falling early or you're preparing for the inevitable mess when you take the tree out after the new year, these cleaning methods can help.

“Trying to reduce the number of dead pine needles that fall to the ground is the best way of keeping your home clean and looking less like a forest floor," shares Aaron Christensen, cleaning expert and VP of Growth at Homeaglow.

Four such ways are:

  • Make a path. Clear the way for your tree when you first bring it into your home, as this helps to avoid bumps that result in a trail of needles.
  • Keep the tree healthy. Don't let the water reservoir go dry and place the tree in a cool area that won’t get too hot to help it stay fresh and green.
  • Clean the tree skirt. Throughout the season, roll up and take the tree skirt outdoors. Shake it off to reduce the presence of dead needles.
  • Try to reduce the amount of traffic and activity around the tree. For instance, keep the tree in a corner of the room and away from high-traffic areas that might lead to it getting bumped into or played with.

"Overall, the more you can prevent your Christmas tree from shedding needles and the amount of space it has to shed them, the easier it will be to clean up.”

Christmas tree light indoors. Lights reflect on hardwood floors.
Most trees drop needles from the day they come home. Credit: Emily Fazio

Use Vacuum Attachments

Tempting as it is, don't use your vacuum to roll over the pine needles, and don't delegate the chore to your robot vacuum cleaners! The bulky needles (and any sap and resin) can jam and clog roller brushes and potentially break your vacuum cleaner. Use a shop vac or handheld extension wand with crevice vacuum attachments instead:

  • Pull out the hose and add the crevice attachment to the end.
  • Turn on the vacuum and use the hose attachment to work from the outside inwards to pick up the sap-coated needles, this helps to prevent them from accidentally spreading. If you're on hardwood floors, you can also brush the needles into a small pile with a handheld dustpan and brush.
  • Empty the canister or replace the bag throughout the process to prevent it from getting overfilled.
  • Once finished, clean the canister to eliminate residual sap from the sticky needles. Discard the vacuum bag, if applicable.

Lint catcher attachment for a vacuum.
What Are All Of These Vacuum Attachments For, Anyway?
How to choose the right cleaning tools for the job.
Read More

Use Lint Rollers

For quick cleans or picking up the odd little trail, use a disposable lint roller. The sticky surface is great at picking up the needles, especially on upholstery or even carpets, where the needles can get bedded in.

  • Make sure to use a fresh (and sticky) layer of the lint roller.
  • Rip off the layer of roller paper as many times as necessary to pick up the dead pine needles.

Overall, lint rollers are excellent for getting small and isolated spots of pine needles, but if you're cleaning a lot of evergreen needles, it's not the most efficient way.

Duct Tape

Similarly, duct tape can help you clean up a trail of needles on wooden floors and upholstered furniture.

  • Wrap your hand with duct tape with the sticky tape side facing outwards.
  • Dab and roll your hand across the needles to ensure they get enough stick to lift them from the floor.
  • Remove the duct tape from your hand and dispose.

While duct tape will provide the best results, masking tape will also be able to pick up pesky needles here and there.

How to Clean Christmas Tree Sap
Clark Griswold, is that you?
Read More

Rubber Broom

A standard bristle broom will have a hard time picking up pine needs, however, rubber brooms are much more effective at moving them and helping to pile them up.

  • Lightly and gently sweep the loose needles to where you want to pile them up, working from the outside inwards.
  • Use a pan or even a vacuum to clear up the pile of needles. Wash the bristles on your broom once you're done to remove residual stickiness.

How to Avoid Making a Bigger Mess in Your Home

A little planning keeps the mess from spreading into every corner:

  • Start from the outside and work inward when vacuuming with a hose or shop vac.
  • Avoid rolling a standard vacuum over loose needles; it'll clog the rollers, which are hard to clean.
  • Sweep with a rubber broom instead of a bristle broom. Bristles scatter needles!
  • Use a lint roller or duct tape for small patches on fabric or carpet.
  • Empty the vacuum canister often so sap and needles don’t build up inside.