Taking Care of Artificial Trees

When you buy an artificial tree it is most likely because you either don't want the hassle of caring for live trees or because you tend to kill living trees. Today's artificial trees have come a long ways from the fake trees of the past and often times are difficult to distinguish from a real tree. Artificial trees are a wonderful way to bring greenery and a sense of the outdoors to an indoor space without needing to take care of tasks like watering or pruning. However, even artificial trees need some care to keep them in tip-top shape. Here are some tips for cleaning and taking care of your fake trees.

The most common cleaning task when it comes to artificial trees is removing dust. As the tree sits in your home or office it accumulates a layer of dust over time. Because the leaves are uneven and not stable it can be difficult to remove the dust. An easy way to get the dust off of your tree is to use a feather duster. Just brush it through the leaves of the tree in a downward motion starting at the top. If you start at the bottom any dust you dislodge when you get to the top could fall back down on the bottom leaves you just cleaned so it is important to work from the top down. If your tree is particularly dusty you may want to move it outside to dust it since the dust particles can easily get loose into the air and make other parts of your house dusty.

For particularly stuck-on dust you can use a can of compressed air to blast it away. Make sure to hold the compressed air in an upright position or it will squirt frozen liquid all over your tree.

A couple of times a year you should give your artificial tree a thorough cleaning instead of just a dusting. Take your artificial tree outside onto your patio or sidewalk and securely wrap a plastic garbage bag around the base to keep excess water from getting into the pot. Using a spray nozzle attached to your hose, spray the tree down with clean water to remove any stuck on dirt or debris. You should just use plain water with no harsh cleaning products since the cleaners can sometimes fade the colors of the leaves on your tree. Once you are done hosing down your tree allow it to dry thoroughly and then bring it back inside.

If you deep clean your tree in the spring and the fall and then dust it frequently throughout the rest of the year it will stay looking beautiful and fresh for years to come. While artificial trees do require a slight amount of maintenance they are still much less time consuming that taking care of living trees and are a wonderful option for busy people.