How to clean an artificial Christmas tree to prolong the life of your festive centerpiece, avoid mold and keep it smelling good

When it comes to Christmas trees, we usually jump right to smothering it in decorations and then packing them away as quickly as possible when January hits. But have you ever stopped to clean your artificial Christmas tree?

It might not seem like an important task, but Christmas tree experts warn failing to do so can lead to musty smells and a lackluster faux fir, and could even shorten the lifespan of your prized tree.

Here, they have explained how to clean an artificial Christmas tree before before you pack it away in your best tree storage solution, to keep it looking great for years to come.

How to clean an artificial Christmas tree

Cleaning and caring for your artificial Christmas tree is a great way to ensure it lasts and make your Christmas tree look more luxurious.

Mac Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill begins, ‘While your artificial Christmas tree won’t need watering or pruning, it still requires some attention. You’ll need to keep it clean when on display to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt, and before packing away to help keep your tree looking great for years to come.

What you will need

• A dense fiber duster, from Walmart, or, a microfiber cloth, available at Walmart
• Optional: A blow dryer with a cool setting
• For white trees: Hydrogen peroxide, at Walmart, or White Vinegar, also at Walmart
• A good Christmas tree storage bag, from Amazon

1. Remove lights and decorations

Before you can efficiently clean a Christmas tree, you need to remove the decorations. This includes your baubles and lights. If you have a pre-lit Christmas tree, you should unplug the lights before beginning.

Follow the most efficient way to take down Christmas decor and clean the branches before putting your tree away for next year.

2. Avoid using liquids

When cleaning an artificial Christmas tree, your goal is to remove dust properly, rather than deep clean. Because of this, Mac Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill suggests, ‘Avoid using any kind of liquid on your artificial tree – water, soap, vinegar, or other cleaning agents may affect the quality of your tree and void its warranty.

‘Instead, use a dense fiber duster or clean, dry cloth. When cleaning a frosted Christmas tree, I suggest taking extra care with your dusting as anything too vigorous could cause shedding of the snowy flocking.’

Packing away your tree with damp branches can also lead to an unwanted type of household mold.

Lisa Sharp, cleaning expert and founder of Lisa Sharp Creative agrees, ‘It's always a good idea to check the manual that came with your Christmas tree as they often use different materials. However, in general, the best way to clean your Christmas tree is to simply use a soft duster to get any dust and debris off of your tree.’

3. Use a blow dryer on cool to remove debris from crevices

A smart cleaning tip to remove dust from difficult sections of your Christmas tree, such as the crevices where the branches meet the trunk or the interlocking trunk sections, is to use a blow dryer on its coldest, gentlest setting. Hold the blow dryer around 10 inches away from the tree and turn it on to dislodge small debris.

Avoid using high heat, as this risks melting or damaging the artificial needles, and keep the appliance moving to avoid any burning. Start from the top and work your way down to blow away any debris that drops down onto lower branches.

4. Use hydrogen peroxide on yellowed-white trees

While you should avoid using liquids when cleaning artificial Christmas trees, a small exception can be made when cleaning white trees. It is important to distinguish that these are not flocked Christmas trees, covered in artificial snow, but trees with dyed white needles.

These trees, when stored incorrectly or used for many years, can start to yellow. To undo this yellowing, you can clean with vinegar, or clean with hydrogen peroxide. Mix three parts hydrogen peroxide, from Walmart, or vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle and lightly spritz only the affected parts of the tree. Then leave it outside in direct sunlight for two to three hours. This should help to bleach the stain white again without the need for harsh chemicals.

Ensure the tree is completely dry before storing a Christmas tree to avoid mold or musty smells.

5. Maintain over the festive period

We usually think of caring for a Christmas tree only in relation to real trees – but your artificial tree will need some upkeep during the festive period too.

Mac Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill, says, ‘Providing your tree was clean when it was put away and has been stored in a box or bag in a cool dry location, your tree should be good to go when you get it out. I recommend a light, gentle dusting every so often when your tree is on display over the festive season to help prevent the build-up of any dust or dirt.’

Lisa Sharp, cleaning expert, adds, ‘Depending on how your tree is stored, cleaning it both when getting it out and before putting it away is best practice to make sure to keep it dust-free.’

6. Store it to protect it from dust

Mac Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill concludes, ‘Before putting your tree away you should ensure your tree is free from any debris. A storage bag will protect your tree while it’s stored. Your bag needs to be large enough to comfortably hold your tree and made from durable material so that it can’t be torn by protruding branches – rip-stop nylon is a great option for this.

‘Balsam Hill trees come with their own storage bags for ease. Store your tree in a cool, dry location to protect it from moisture and musty odor.'

While cleaning your artificial Christmas tree you can also fluff a Christmas tree to help keep the branches looking lively and make an artificial Christmas tree look more realistic.