People are washing their Xmas trees and yes it’s a thing

From washing it in the bath to getting rid of dust with a leaf blower, there are plenty of ways to go about it. But, is it really necessary?

Leading up to Christmas, it feels as though there are so many things to do, and so little time.

You’re buying and wrapping presents for what feels like an endless number of people, navigating how and where you’re going to spend time with loved ones, decorating your home, planning Christmas meals, and a million other things.

But, what if I told you there’s one more thing you should be crossing off your list?

This week, I saw a Facebook post from an Aussie mum talking about how she cleans her Christmas tree.

I’m 24 years old, and I’m pretty sure my family has had the same Christmas tree as long as I’ve been alive. I can promise you, it has never been cleaned. And, it seems like most others are in the same boat.

Could now be the time to change our ways?

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Image: TikTok / @rhema.br, @oliviasromantichome.

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A necessity, or a total time waster?

Of course, cleaning your Christmas tree is no new thing.

TikTok creator Rhema took to the app last year to share a video of her cleaning her tree.

“Unpopular opinion: you need to clean your Christmas tree,” she captioned the video.

In it, you can see Rhema separating her tree and cleaning each section in her bath.

Some comments were praising the video, saying they do the same thing.

“lol I always put soap and water in spray bottle.. and set it up on carport and SPRAY AWAY!!” one commenter said.

“I clean houses and a client had a white tree.. it's yellowed over the years. I def agree with cleaning it,” said another.

“This is a great idea,” said a third.

“I’m sure these trees get dusty over time! Good idea.” another agreed.

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However, many said the thought of adding another thing to their plate was ridiculous.

“It's in a bag in a box in the attic for 345 days a year. It's doing fine,” said one commenter.

“I simply could not be bothered,” said another.

“I dust it and bug spray it and Glen20 but never give it a bath with soap ??” said a third.

“Girl I barely wash my hair. I can’t do this,” another said.

Some even worried that cleaning their tree could damage it.

“Seems like this may lead to mildew/mold depending on the type of tree,” one commenter suggested.

“My prelit tree says no thanks lol,” said another.

“Wait but aren’t you scared of causing an electrical fire / ruining the lights on your tree?” another asked.

Olivia, another TikTok creator, posted a similar video just a few weeks ago preparing her tree for this year by taking it outside and blowing the dust off with a leafblower - seemingly another popular method.

Influencer Chantel Mila Ibbotson told Kidspot that she also cleans her tree.

"As we have a dust-allergy prone household we quickly clean our tree before putting it up," she said.

How to clean your Christmas tree

According to Chantel, unless your tree is getting exceptionally dirty or dusty whilst in storage throughout the 10 or 11 months of the year it’s not in use, it’s probably not a necessity to clean it.

"It depends on your storage - if you keep your tree in a dust-free area or sealed tightly, there should be minimal dust on the tree," she said.

"However, if you store it in a garage or an area prone to dust, it may be worth giving it a quick clean."

If you are wanting to refresh yours before December officially comes on the weekend, or if you’ve noticed any pests building a home on its branches, there are a few simple things you can do.

For a real Christmas tree:

• Have the tree shaken at the farm or lot when purchased, to dislodge any creepy crawlies that may be hanging around.
• Use a leaf blower or vacuum out anything you do find, so you’re not squishing it in the tree.
• Avoid using any pesticides - it’s not worth it!

For an artificial Christmas tree:

• You can also use a vacuum or leaf blower to get rid of any questionable finds.
• Use a microfiber cloth to gently scrub the limbs, needles, and other parts of your Christmas tree and remove dust and dirt where necessary.
• If your tree is particularly dirty, and it’s not pre-lit, feel free to use soap and water. Spritzing it with a spray bottle should work in most cases, otherwise chuck it in the bath or shower for a good rinse.

Chantel said her number one tip is to start at the top.

"Always start from the top - that way, as you clean any dust that falls goes onto the lower branches which you can then clean afterwards," she said.

Originally published as People are washing their Xmas trees and yes it’s a thing