From Christmas tree needles to wrapping paper debris, the holidays add a whole host of seasonal challenges to your regular cleaning duties. Keep on top of the festive chaos with 12 quick Christmas cleaning tips…
- Keep your Christmas tree hydrated to reduce shedding needles
When you get your tree home, remove the netting and place the tree in a bucket of water outside to rehydrate it while the branches settle. You can also score the base of the tree to maximise water absorption. Once inside, position your tree away from radiators to help prevent it drying out and reduce the amount of vacuuming needed!
- Get chocolate off the sofa with washing up liquid
Selection box mishap? Chocolate melts into fabric slowly, so tackle accidents quickly for the best results – scrape off as much chocolate as you can, then dilute washing up liquid in water and gently sponge the stain away to remove all trace.
- Keep your phone screen clean for Christmas day video calls
Gently clean your phone screen with a dry microfibre cloth. Avoid using glass cleaner which can damage smartphones’ anti-fingerprint coating!
- Refresh chopping boards with lemon juice
Ahead of prepping veg for the big day, give stained chopping boards a new lease of life by rubbing half a lemon over the surface – a natural bleaching agent, it can help to lift stains and neutralise odours.
- Make your oven easier to clean
No need to worry if your turkey or roast potatoes splash fat inside your oven. Immediately sprinkling salt onto food spills and fat splashes can help make stains easier to remove once the oven has cooled.
- Pet hair everywhere?
If you haven’t got a lint roller to hand but need to look neat for a video chat with relatives, grab the sticky tape from your present-wrapping stash, wrap around your hand sticky-side out and dab at clothes to remove loose hair.
- Quickly steam clothes in your tumble dryer
No time to iron? Pop wrinkled clothing in the tumble dryer with 3-4 ice cubes and run a short program – the heat turns the ice cubes to steam, helping to reduce wrinkles. Always check an item’s care labels before tumble drying.
- Oh crumbs!
From Christmas cake on the sofa to turkey sandwiches in front of a film, Christmas is the time for snacking – which means there will be crumbs. Grab a handheld vacuum to instantly tackle festive fall-out in every room, without disrupting the fun.
- See if your council will recycle wrapping paper
Some councils will accept plain wrapping paper in the household recycling! Check with your local authority. Remember you’ll need to remove sticky tape, ribbons and bows first – and you can’t recycle wrapping paper decorated with foil or glitter. - Put old newspaper or towels down by the door before you go for that winter walk
When you return, leave muddy wellies to dry on the newspaper, then any mud will simply tap off – much easier than cleaning wet shoes!
- Muddy floors?
Quickly and easily clean your home’s hard floors with a Shark steam mop – perfect for high traffic areas, muddy pawprints and light everyday dirt.
- Give your vacuum cleaner a Christmas MOT
Your vacuum is likely to be your best friend this month – give it a festive treat to keep it in tip-top condition. Empty and clean out the dust cup, clean all the removable filters and check the hose and wand for any blockages.
