Expert shares 59p trick to clean up Christmas tree needles without breaking your vacuum

Exclusive:

If you’ve got a real Christmas tree, you may have found that cleaning up the fallen needles can be a nightmare – but just one 59p kitchen staple can make it a breeze

If you’ve opted for a real Christmas tree this year, then you might have noticed that the floor underneath the tree is beginning to get covered in pine needles that are going to need cleaning up.

And while you might be tempted to reach for your vacuum cleaner, take a moment to think before you do, as you might end up damaging the appliance. This is because the needles can get stuck in various parts of the machine – including the hose, bag, and filters – and can cause a blockage when enough of them build up.

Fear not though, as that doesn’t mean you have to try and pick the needles up by hand.

Cleaning expert Emily Barron exclusively told The Mirror that one of the easiest ways to clean up fallen pine needles is with the help of one kitchen item that many of us may have at home already – especially if you’ve been doing any festive baking.

All you need to do is sprinkle baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda, on the floor to cover the pine needles and make them easier to pick up, and then use a broom or a lint roller to pick the pesky needles up.

Once collected, the needles should then be thrown away in the garden bin, and the remaining baking soda can then be vacuumed up, leaving your floors clean once again.

Bicarb is a common ingredient in cooking, but if you need to dash out to buy some, Tesco stocks it for just 59p.

Emily, who is a cleaning expert at Rezigo, also said it’s essential to keep your Christmas tree watered to prevent excessive needle dropping, but noted that according to another expert, the type of water you use on your tree could be doing even more damage.

She said: “Make sure you top up the water every other day and be sure not to let the base dry or a seal can form and it might not take up further water. And be careful about the water you’re topping it up with.

“According to Gene Fitzgerald, home water treatment expert at BOS, having a water softener at home your water can be high in sodium which is bad news for conifers and may cause your tree to drop needles faster. You could consider using another water source or bottled water to top up your tree – but check the label for sodium levels!”

The expert also suggested keeping your Christmas tree away from radiators, as the warm temperature could also speed up the needle-dropping process.

She added: “Make sure your tree is in the coolest part of the room it’s in and away from any fires or radiators. Heat will speed up the needle-dropping process.”

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