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Simple Tips for Cleaning Up After the Holidays

Your halls are decked with boughs of holly, your menorahs are ready to light, and the feasts are being planned. Over the next several days, you’ll enjoy your holidays, yet soon it will be time to put your decor away so you can fa-la-la-la-love it for many more years to come.

Clean and Store Holiday Decorations

How many of us have opened up a box of holiday decorations in November only to find a tangled mess of half-broken lights? Set yourself up for success next year by carefully cleaning and storing your decorations. As you take your decorations down, clean them and store them in closed bins, boxes or plastic bags that are clearly marked. While specialized storage containers may seem like an extravagance, they are designed to keep treasured decorations safe from dust, mold and breakage.

Clean Up After House Guests

Give your home’s surfaces a deep clean. Wash all your linens. Vacuum carpets, floors, and baseboards to give yourself a fresh start. Clean out your refrigerator – eat the last of those yummy leftovers and then clean and store your leftover containers.

Clean up Christmas Tree Sap

Rubbing alcohol can remove sap from washable clothing, knit gloves, and rugs, because it acts as a solvent. For clothes (even a down coat), saturate the area with alcohol, let sit for a minute, then launder in warm water with regular detergent. Heat sets stains, so be sure all the sap is gone before using the dryer. Repeat the process if any remains.

Remove Candle Wax

Candles are a staple of every holiday celebration. Here’s some great advice from Good Housekeeping on removing wax from clothes, carpeting, and wood furnishings.

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