6 Smart Ways to Clean Around Holiday Decor Without Moving a Single Ornament

The holidays are any maximalist’s favorite time—it’s the only time of year when you’re encouraged to clutter every visible space with as much decor as you can fit, all in the name of festivity and cheer. But between delicate ornaments and statuettes passed down through generations, it can also be a cleaning nightmare.

We asked a cleaning pro how you can maximize your cleaning routine with all of these items out without breaking any of them in the process (ideally); here are all of her top tips.

Dust Delicately

Holiday decor items typically don’t accumulate a lot of real dirt or grime since they’re only out for about a month or two. But they certainly do collect dust over this time.

“You can just use a dry Swiffer during your weekly clean to pick up any dust that is collecting,” says cleaning expert Kadi Dulude.

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Wet Wipe

If a light dusting isn’t enough to get some real dirt off, Dulude suggests using a wet microfiber cloth to get any smudges off of your holiday decor.

“Fabric or fabric-covered decorations should be spot cleaned with a damp cloth and left to air dry, but avoid getting those excessively wet and be careful about colors bleeding into each other when getting too wet,” she says.

For cleaning around delicate items, pick them up gingerly and give the entire surface a decent wipe; otherwise, you’re just getting some of the dust and dirt, not everything that has accumulated around the base of these decor pieces.

Make Good Use of Your Vacuum

For seasonal items with a lot of crevices (think: Christmas tree, garlands, anything and everything that is flocked), don’t forget about your vacuum. It might sound harsh, but Dulude says it can tackle almost everything on the low suction mode.

“You can use the brush on low suction mode to gently go over the garlands and any other decorations you see that need it,” she says.

Of course, use your vacuum to clean floors as usual, especially in higher traffic areas and where kiddos might be sitting: entryways, around the base of a tree, and stairs.

Move a Little Slower

Since everything is suddenly on display and guests are heading over, you might be in a rush to get as much done as possible. However, this might not be best for the longevity of your delicate decor.

“You might be on auto-mode when cleaning, so try to be more mindful about how you move around the house cleaning to avoid knocking decorations over,” Dulude says.

Don’t Change Your Routine Too Much

Of course, the cleaning you usually do around the house shouldn’t decrease around this time of year. If anything, it should increase.

“Definitely keep up with weekly dusting, mopping, and wiping down furniture so that the dust won’t start collecting on your decorations,” Dulude says. “You now likely have more plastic surfaces in your home, and those tend to be static, which means they’ll attract dust.”

Clean Your Seasonal Decor as Needed

In addition to dusting and wet wiping seasonal pieces, it’s important to keep in mind specifics for cleaning other holiday decor. Be sure to unplug any lighted or electric decorations before cleaning them, just to be safe.

“Artificial snow or faux frost surfaces should be lightly dusted with a brush to just get the dust off the surface, or you can try using a can of compressed air,” Dulude says. “Those surfaces should not get wet, as it may loosen the glue, and the ‘frost’ will fall off.”

Clean candles and candle holders only when they are not lit. Wipe these down with a dry or wet cloth, and scrape off any wax residue with a dull butter knife or spatula, Dulude suggests.