How to clean up Christmas tree needles
A live Christmas tree fills your home with that unmistakable festive scent, but it also means that picking up after it is a necessary chore.
Thankfully, it's one that's limited to December.
Still, it's not as simple as reaching for the vacuum cleaner, as pine needles can cause havoc with the rollers. But what can you do besides get down on your hands and knees and pick them up one-by-one?
The first step is to minimize the amount of needles your tree sheds.
One of the best things you can do for your tree is keep its water levels up, particularly during a hot Australian summer. You should be topping up the water at least once a day.
This will help prevent your tree shedding excessively, and it will keep it looking fresher for longer, too.
A tree skirt is also a great way to collect pine needles. Carefully remove it and fold it in one itself to contain the needles, then take it outside and give it a good shake.
3 best tools to help remove pine needles
1. Before you reach for your vacuum, use a rubber broom or rubber brush instead. The rubber bristles do a better job of collecting the needles than natural bristles.
2. If you don’t have a rubber broom, use the crevice attachment on your vacuum.
3. A lint roller works well in small areas. Alternately, wrap a strip of packing tape or duct tape around the palm of your hand (sticky side out) and use it to wipe up the pine needles.
