Guide · Household items and appliances ·
How to Clean a Christmas Tree
Artificial Christmas trees come out of their box every year, stay in the living room, a hotel lobby or a shopping centre for a few weeks and go back into the box; dust from storage builds up between the branches, and during use household dust and kitchen steam settle on them too. The most important rule when cleaning a Christmas tree is that the lights are electric: they are unplugged and never wetted. This guide explains how to clean a Christmas tree, an artificial Christmas tree and Christmas decorations. For artificial flower arrangements, see the guide how to clean artificial flowers.
Before you start
- Remove the lights: unplug the tree lights and take them off the branches.
- Collect the decorations: take the decorations off the tree and sort them by type.
- Prepare the area: spread a sheet under the tree to catch dust.
- Check the manual: check the tree manufacturer's care and storage recommendations.
How to clean an artificial Christmas tree
- Take the tree apart and shake it gently outdoors or on the balcony.
- Remove dust from the branches with a soft, dry brush, working from the trunk to the tips.
- If needed, use the vacuum cleaner's brush attachment on low suction without pressing on the branches.
- Wipe soiled plastic branches with a well-wrung cloth dampened with water containing START All-Purpose Surface Cleaner at the dose on the label. According to its safety data sheet, START Genel Yüzey Temizleyici has a pH of 7–8.
- Let the wiped branches dry completely before assembling the tree and fitting the lights.
Flocked Christmas trees
Trees with branches covered in white flocking or artificial snow are not wetted or wiped; the snow coating comes off. Remove dust from flocked trees only by shaking gently or with a hair dryer on a cool, low setting held away from the tree. Collect fallen snow with a vacuum cleaner. Store flocked trees in their box without crushing the branches.
How to clean Christmas decorations
- Glass and plastic decorations: wipe them with a dry or slightly damp soft cloth; do not rub glittery or painted decorations.
- Fabric, felt and handmade decorations: remove dust with a dry brush or cool air; do not submerge them in water.
- Metal decorations: wipe them with a dry cloth; do not leave them damp.
- Lights: do not wet the lights or the cable; remove dust with a dry cloth. Do not use lights with a stripped cable or broken bulbs.
Stand, trunk and surroundings
- Wipe the metal and plastic tree stand with a cloth dampened with diluted surface cleaner and dry it.
- Vacuum up fallen needles and glitter from the rug under the tree.
- For the floor where the tree stands: what to mop floors with.
- For chandeliers and lighting: how to clean a chandelier.
Storage
- Put the tree and decorations away only once completely dry; stains can form on branches that stay damp.
- Fold the branches and store the tree in its own box or a storage bag.
- Wrap glass decorations in paper and store them in a box with compartments.
- Wind the lights around a piece of card so they do not tangle and store them separately.
- Keep the boxes in a cool, dry place out of the sun.
What not to do
- Wiping the tree while the lights are on it and plugged in.
- Spraying cleaner or water onto the tree.
- Wetting a flocked tree.
- Submerging fabric and handmade decorations in water.
- Putting the tree back in its box while damp.
For shopping centres, hotels and offices
In shopping centres, hotel lobbies and offices, large Christmas trees and decorations stay in front of visitors for several weeks; dusting the branches before set-up, checking the lights at every installation, dry-cleaning the decorations weekly and storing them dry in labelled boxes at the end of the season make for a consistent routine. For shared areas, see our guide Shopping centre cleaning supplies. START All-Purpose Surface Cleaner is produced in a 5 L pack; for bulk purchases you can request a quote.
