![]() Not all living trees smell alike – you may have selected a particularly potent variety Given that no one wants to spend Christmas at the doctor's office, replacing the tree with a fresh one is the wise option. Although this is a hassle at Christmas and can cost a lot of time and money, mold spores are a health hazard to both you and your pets and side effects can quickly become serious. If this is the case, disposing of the tree and replacing it may be the only solution. ![]() ![]() If your home is particularly humid, consider investing in a dehumidifier that can help to combat mold before it spreads to other areas of your home.įor some trees, spot-treating mold may not be possible – especially if it has spread to cover large areas of your tree. 'You can also add two tablespoons of vinegar to your tree's water to help neutralize mold around the base.' The solution? 'For small amounts of mold on the leaves and trunk, wiping the area down with plain vinegar can help to kill mold spores and neutralize bad smells,' says Rachel. Trying to source freshly cut trees, or cutting a tree yourself at a dedicated farm is the best way of ensuring that you have a well-looked-after tree that will last throughout the season. If your pre-cut Christmas tree is dying but you have only just brought it home, it might be that they were cut and stored for days if not weeks before going on sale. Mold releases volatile organic compounds into the air which not only produce an acrid smell but look awful on your tree too. ‘If your home is particularly humid, you mist your Christmas tree leaves regularly, or you were simply in a rush to put up your Christmas decorations and brought the tree in early, the chances are your tree is suffering mold and mildew,’ says Rachel Crow. The result? A rotten-smelling Christmas tree – and possibly gnats too. ![]() ‘If this doesn't work, you may need to remove the tree from its holder and cut the bottom inch or so off of the trunk.’Ĭut Christmas trees are capable of going moldy if kept in the wrong conditions for too long. ‘To free the base of your tree from resin without trimming the trunk, pour some hot but not boiling water into the reservoir to help melt the solidified layer of sap,’ says Rachel Crow, Homes & Gardens' garden editor. If a resin cap is present, it requires retrimming. Take the time while it is out of the water to check for a resin or sap cap on the base of the trunk which may be preventing proper water absorption. If your Christmas tree stand has a drainage hole at the base, this should be a simple task, but it will be troublesome if not.Īlthough difficult, take precious decorations off of the branches before having someone lift the tree free of its stand as carefully as possible. If the smell has not dissipated after a few days, then you may need to drain the reservoir completely and exchange the old water for fresh tap water. First, adding two to three tablespoons of plain white vinegar can help to neutralize the smell of stagnant water and kill water-borne bacteria without harming a tree. If you notice the water level isn't dropping after a day or so, it may be that the base of your tree has been sealed over by tree sap or resin, causing water to become stagnant and smelly. When watering a Christmas tree, keep an eye on the water level to make sure it is being absorbed before topping it up.
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