I’m a cleaning expert – why you should never vacuum up your Christmas tree needles, it could cost you your machine
WITH the big day over and one with, those of us with real trees might be suffering from needle droppage.
As merry and bright as real Christmas trees may look, their dropped needles can be difficult to avoid, especially as they fall onto your carpet – and jag into the soles of your feet.
While the easy option might be to vacuum up pine needles from the base of the tree, Online Carpets have warned that these thin needles can clog up their vacuum’s nozzle and filter, which could eventually cause permanent damage.
But fear not, the team of cleaning experts have revealed 5 easy vacuum-alternative hacks for removing Christmas tree needles from carpets…
Bicarbonate of soda
An unexpected, but highly effective way to remove Christmas tree pine needles, is by using bicarbonate of soda.
Adding this to the carpet where the pine needles are located, and then using a dustpan and brush, or lint roller, makes the below hacks even more effective.
The bicarbonate of soda will coat the needles, which creates friction and stops them from clinging to the carpet fibres.
Sticky tape
Believe it or not, sticky tape can be an effective way to remove pine needles from your carpet, and uses an everyday item that many will already have in their home.
To do this, you can wrap sticky tape around your hand, with the sticky side facing out, and stamp your hand across the floor to pick up the pine droppings.
It may be recommended to use some strong and thick gloves whilst doing this, as the sharp needles could end up nipping your skin.
Lint roller
A lint roller is another way to remove pine needles from your carpet, but may take a lot of replacing.
Simply roll the lint roller across the affected carpet, and the stickiness should pick up the pine needles.
Dustpan and brush
A more traditional method of cleaning, a dustpan and brush, is another easy way to clean up the pine needles.
Use a tree skirt or alternative
An easy way to quickly remove pine needles from the carpet, is to simply not let them get on the carpet at all.
Many people prefer to include a tree skirt, or rug around their tree, and this makes it easier to remove the pine needles, by simply lifting it up, and pouring it into the bin.
How to look after your real Christmas tree
HERE'S what you need to know if you're buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing’s first: buy a pot (if it doesn’t come in one already).
You’ll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage – and it’s a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it’s not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren’t too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It’s a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don’t survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.