12/22/2022

Caring for Christmas Tree Skirts

Once upon a time, I purchased our Christmas tree skirt, probably on clearance, after the holiday season was over.  It likely came from a crafty store like Hobby Lobby or such, and while I like it, I am not overly attached to it.  But if I had a Christmas tree skirt passed to me from a family member or a prior generation, I would consider that a treasure, and I would provide the utmost care to ensure it can celebrate many, many more Christmases with our family and then Gray’s family.

Sadly, there is no standard set of instructions when it comes to caring for Christmas tree skirts.  Tree skirts come in all shapes and sizes, fabrics and finishes.  Many are embellished with beads, sequins, lace, felt, quilted, multicolored prints, and decorative trims, and because of the variety, many cannot be safely laundered or dry cleaned.

• As with all fabric items, we recommend you check the care instructions before trying any stain removal attempts or cleaning methods, and always follow the directions on the care label.
• If the instructions are spot clean only, we recommend using a damp white cloth and blotting to remove the excess water.  The same holds true if you spill water on your tree skirt, carefully blot the area dry with a clean, white cloth.
• If you need to remove a stain or spill, test an inconspicuous area before attempting to remove the actual stain to see if there is any color bleeding or color loss.  Local stain removal treatments may be the only safe way to clean tree skirts, and it is possible that stains may not be able to be removed without damaging the skirt.
• If the care label indicates that it is safe for machine washing, we recommend washing in cold water, on the gentle cycle, and placing the skirt in a mesh garment bag.
• Finally, lay your tree skirt flat to airdry. This will preserve the integrity of the material and shape, and most of all, it will help reduce the chance of shrinkage.

All Christmas tree skirts eventually get dirty thanks to shedding needles, sappy water, or dogs that like to lay on them.  It’s a good thing that A Cleaner World is an expert in all things fabric, including Christmas tree skirts.  If you have questions or need help, just stop by one of our locations so our stain removal experts can get to work for you.