There is an age old debate about Christmas trees: real or fake. Sometimes I pull a fake tree out of the attic, and other years I decorate a real tree. But there is one thing a faux tree cannot do. It brings the fresh, aromatic scent of pine needles into the home.

A real tree creates a festive atmosphere that can't be beat in your home. Despite having celebrated Christmas many times, I still find decorating a real tree more exciting than a fake one. However, Christmas trees have one major drawback, and many people (myself included) shy away from them.

Christmas tree needles seem to have a habit of flying all over the place. Most stay near where they fall, but in a busy household during the holiday season, it is inevitable that they will scatter far and wide.

You might think that the best vacuum cleaner, or even the best robotic vacuum cleaner, would solve the problem, but carpet experts warn. James Higgins, e-commerce manager and interiors expert for Online Carpet, explains that “thin needles can clog the nozzle and filter of a vacuum cleaner and eventually cause permanent damage to the machine.”

Unlike faux tree needles, real pine needles contain sap and resin that can clog appliances.

Alternative cleaning methods are needed to protect pets as well as flooring. Pine needles also pose a serious risk to our furry friends.”

Also, according to the National Pet Products Association, 66% of U.S. households have pets, so needles are best put away before they cause damage.

Also, no matter how much you try to avoid submersion and other mistakes that shorten the length of your tree, all real trees continue to drop needles, which can get into carpets and feel spiky underfoot.

But don't despair. Higgins offers tips for cleaning pine needles without using a vacuum cleaner. It could be the best hack you perform this holiday season.

While it may not be as powerful as a vacuum cleaner, Higgins recommends using a lint roller to clean up fallen pine needles. He says, “Just roll the lint on the carpet and the stickiness will pick up the pine needles.”

The sticky surface picks up needles without much effort and removes them from carpets and upholstery close to wood. The only downside is that it can be frustrating trying to peel layers of needles off the roller to remove them, or trying to find the edge of the roller that needs to be peeled off.

Besides cleaning pine needles, the lint roller is a magic wand for removing glitter. Whether it falls off greeting cards or ornaments, glitter covers every household during the festivities. The lint roller acts like a glitter genie, and the adhesive paper picks up the tiny glitter particles with a swipe.