The Christmas season is a time when the streets are lit up, decorations hang from trees, and your neighbourhood wears a festive look. Which is why it’s also the perfect time to take inspiration from the song, ‘It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go,’ and add that festive feel to your homes as well. And, to do so, you need to clean and spruce up your Christmas décor, mainly the tree, ornaments and of course, the crib.
We list a few cleaning tips and tricks to help you get your home Christmas-ready.
1) Clean Your Christmas Tree
Bring out your Christmas tree from storage and remove any decorative pieces that may still be on it from the previous year. Most artificial trees have multiple parts that need to be assembled, especially the larger ones. So, before you assemble the tree, you need to clean each part individually. Spread each piece out and use a brush to clean loose dirt from the branches. Next, fill ½ a bucket with lukewarm water and add 2 tsp. of dishwashing liquid to it. Dip a cloth in this soapy water and wipe the branches, trunk and the base of your tree and let them air-dry. Once all the parts are completely dry, you can assemble and start decorating your tree.
2) Clean Your Christmas Ornaments
Your decoration can include anything from ornaments specifically bought for your tree to treasured family heirlooms. After almost 11 months in storage, your Christmas ornaments may have lost their shine. Dusting is the first step, no matter what material your ornaments are made of. Use a feather duster or a soft cloth to prevent any damage to your ornaments. If your ornaments have glitter or are wrapped in paper, your cleaning process ends here. If not, fill ½ a bucket with lukewarm water and add 2 tsp. of dishwashing liquid to it. Soak your ornaments in this for 2-3 minutes and wipe gently with a clean, soft cloth.
3) Clean Your Crib
If your crib was packed and put in storage last year, it will need cleaning before it is set up again this year. First, use a clean cloth to dust the crib, the statues and the area you set the crib up in. Next, use a damp cloth to wipe your statues. Avoid any soapy solution unless your statues have difficult stains. If you need to remove tough stains, gently wipe and dry immediately so that you don’t damage the paint.
There you go! Begin your Christmas preparations by cleaning the essentials.