How Do You Clean an Artificial Christmas Tree? Bring a Merry Glow Back Into Your Festive Foliage in 6 Easy Steps

We know it's hard to believe, but Christmas is right around the corner. As soon as Thanksgiving celebrations are out of the way, it's time to start thinking about decorating your home for the festive season (if you haven't already, that is). Central to those plans is, of course, the Christmas tree.

For the vast majority, that means a much-loved artificial tree that serves your family year after year. Faux trees are typically cheaper than real ones, plus they're conveniently hypoallergenic and mess-free, meaning there's no need to worry about a litter of pine needles across your floor. That being said, it won't eradicate the need for some basic Christmas tree care. If you want your artificial tree to really look the part, you'll need to give it a good clean before decorating it.

The question is, how should you clean an artificial Christmas tree safely? If you're hesitant to take the vacuum to your foliage or you're worried about using water near your pre-lit tree's wires, fear not; we've rustled up some cleaning tips so you can have a bright and fresh tree in no time.

What You'll Need

Before you get started on cleaning your tree, make sure you have all the necessary tools to get underway. Michael Bogoyavlenskiy, founder of Cleaning Express suggests the following:

• A cloth duster, like these Guardsman Ultimate Dusting Cloth from Walmart.
• A feather duster — flexible ones like Bona High Performance Dusting System from Amazon.
• A vacuum cleaner

Other optional tools include:
Soft cloth gloves. We like these Microfiber Dusting Gloves from Amazon.
• Compressed air

While a small spritz of soapy water can help with greasy stains, water is best avoided, even if your tree isn't pre-lit. "Water, soap, vinegar, or other cleaning agents may affect the quality of your tree and void its warranty," warns Mac Harman, CEO of leading Christmas tree brand, Balsam Hill"Instead, use a dense fiber duster or clean, dry cloth."

How to Clean an Artificial Christmas Tree

With tools and products at the ready, it's time to get down and dirty and give your artificial Christmas tree a good spruce. "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 shouldn’t need cleaning when you get it out," says Mac.

Before you put your tree away, however, a more thorough clean is recommended (your future self will thank you!), and if you've found your tree has collected dust in storage, be sure to give it a good clean before it's up. "A good tip for making the process easier is to clean the tree before building it," suggests Michael. "You might find this takes a little longer but it does mean you can be a bit more thorough with your cleaning."

The steps below are pretty straightforward but, as Mac notes, be wary of the type of Christmas tree you have. "If you have a frosted tree I suggest taking extra care with your dusting so as not to cause shedding of the snowy flocking," he says.

1. Place towels under your tree

Whether you're cleaning each part or sprucing up your tree while it's still up, make sure you have some old towels or newspaper underneath it. "This is a great hack when it comes to removing your Christmas tree decorations to catch any fragile pieces that may fall as you remove them," adds Mac.

2. Remove all decorations

Before you start cleaning, make sure your tree is completely undressed. "It may seem obvious but it's a good idea to double-check for any stragglers," says Mac. "Also, make sure your tree is disconnected from any power source if needed," adds Michael.

3. Dust your tree

Using a dense fiber duster or a dry cloth, give your tree a light dusting. Michael suggests giving the tree a shake first to dislodge any larger dust or debris. "If you have a can of compressed air, use this instead," he says.

"Next, use a feather duster to get in between the branches and needles," Michael continues. "Come in with the cloth duster after to wipe down larger branches and groups of needles. If you have a pair of cloth gloves, you could use them instead."

4. Use a vacuum or damp cloth if necessary

If you're dealing with stubborn dust or dirt, a vacuum might be needed. "It might be worth staying away from the needles, though, as the vacuum cleaner might pull them off," warns Michael. "Use a slightly damp cloth to give everything a good wipe down. This should help to remove any final bits of dust and debris."

5. Pack down your tree

Before you store your tree away, make sure you de-fluff its foliage properly. "When setting up, you will have teased out each of the branches for a fuller look; now you need to compress the foliage of each branch in each section and then flip upside down, squeezing the branches into the main trunk," says Mac.

"A top tip here is to tie up each section using a ribbon so that all the branches are held down together, preventing them from falling open when moving the tree," he adds.

6. Place in a bag and store in a cool, dry location

Lastly, storing your Christmas tree properly will ensure it's clean and fresh next time you use it. Mac suggests a purpose-built Christmas tree storage bag like this one, from Amazon. "Your bag needs to be large enough to comfortably hold your tree and made from durable material so that protruding branches can’t tear it - rip-stop nylon is a great option for this," he says. "This helps to protect from moisture and musty odor."

Before you know it, it will be time to introduce your clean and fresh artificial Christmas tree to the world once more.

FAQs

Why is it important to clean an artificial Christmas tree?

Cleaning an artificial Christmas tree might sound like the finickety sort of task that's not really in keeping with the Christmas spirit, but it's a necessary one if you want it to look its best for the big day.

"Although artificial Christmas tree ideas won’t need watering or pruning, it still requires some attention," says Mac Harman, CEO of leading Christmas tree brand, Balsam Hill. "It's important to keep an artificial Christmas tree clean when on display to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt, and to ensure it's clean before packing away to help keep your tree looking great for years to come."

It's an even more pertinent task when you think about the places we tend to store our Christmas trees, like the attic or garage. These are areas of the home that accumulate lots of dust. "While this isn’t a massive deal, it can be a source of allergens, especially because the tree is in storage for around ten months of the year," notes Michael Bogoyavlenskiy, founder of Cleaning Express.