A new holiday trend is taking over the internet, but not everyone is climbing aboard.
While it may be the season of giving expert tips on managing the stress of the holidays, people are finding themselves conflicted over a recent suggestion to deep clean your artificial Christmas trees.
The video that sparked the controversy was posted by user @rhema.br and immediately states that it’s an “unpopular opinion” in the text laid across the video, as the copy continues, “you need to clean your Christmas tree.”
It then shows the user placing her plastic Christmas tree into the tub and spraying it down with what appears to be water and an all-purpose spray before adding Dawn dish detergent for a more thorough cleanse.
TikTok user @_sharbear_ then created a stitch with the original video, showing her response to the cleaning hack, which included her laughing as she noted, “Never in my life will I clean my Christmas tree.”
“Ya’ll done lost me with this one,” she adds before showing off her fully decorated tree in all its glory.
The social account @Betches further sparked a debate by reposting the video and asking followers, “Is this something we’re doing now?” prompting a full-on discussion in the comment section, with hot takes on both sides.
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Plenty of people seemed to agree with @_sharbear_’s take, noting, “Absolutely zero percent chance of me washing a tree,” “Love this journey for you! But it’s not for me,” and “I’ll buy a new one before I ever clean one 😂😂.”
“Who on this whole earth has time for that?!” someone else quipped, as another emphasized, “that’s a hard pass.”
On the flip side, someone expressed the importance of cleaning your tree on a yearly basis, recounting a terrible experience of their own: “Do it bc one year ours had soo many spiders, lots of small ones too so I think someone gave birth on it.”
Another user also explained that while you store your tree in a garage or attic, it’s typically not packed in an airtight container, allowing bugs and dirt to easily get in.
TikTok user @Rebyhardy shared a similar video of her “mom hack,” though she opted to wash her hot pink tree in her backyard, noting that the result was a “much brighter” tree and “no dust allergens in the house.”
@rebyhardy She dusty like her mama #househardy #christmastree #christmasdecor #momhacks #momtok #xmas Christmas tree washing
Of course, washing a Christmas tree outside is only possible if you live in warmer climates, as one user quipped, “Babe I’m in the Midwest. It would become an icicle tree if I washed it outside,” with another emphasizing, “Ma’am, our outside hose is frozen, it’s November 🤣.”
Others provided warnings to anyone thinking of washing their trees, “We did this with an old tree one year and it rusted so bad please don’t put water on your metal trees,” whereas someone else felt like it “may lead to mildew/mold depending on the type of tree.”
Elsewhere, people raised some serious concerns as some of their trees come pre-lit or flocked, which would be damaged by water and soap.
Instead of bashing the woman’s hack outright, a handful of comments took the route of offering up alternate solutions, which included using a “leaf blower” or shaking it out outside when it’s time to put up the tree.
Regardless of what side of the argument you find yourself on, The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) agrees that artificial trees that aren’t properly stored “can accumulate significant amounts of dust, mold spores, and other irritating detritus” and even cause sinus issues or allergies.
Rather than dumping your tree into a bath, Balsam Hill’s advice is to use a “soft, dry cloth to lightly clean the branch tips, taking care around the lights and ornaments” to give your tree a little refresh, while also making sure to dust it off after the holiday season concludes, just before you put it away for the year.
And if you do opt to give your tree a little scrub before putting it up, heed one woman’s suggestion and consider using a “holiday pine-scented soap.”
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