A warning has been despatched to everybody with a Christmas tree, actual or synthetic.

House homeowners should take easy precautions to forestall mould from showing on their bushes this festive season, a DIY skilled has urged.

This subject is especially prevalent with dwell bushes, which may host greater than 50 species of mould, in response to Jimmy Englezos, DIY skilled at Ronseal. 

He warns that even synthetic bushes will be blighted by mould too if they’re saved incorrectly. When introduced again into the house, these contaminated bushes can switch mould to your decorations and surrounding partitions.

Past spoiling your festive shows, Christmas tree mould may also hurt your well being. The unwelcome progress can worsen bronchial asthma and worsen allergy symptoms, resulting in uncomfortable signs together with a runny nostril, coughing, itching pores and skin, and irritated eyes.

Listed below are Jimmy’s high suggestions to maintain your tree freed from mould as the vacations get into full swing.

Clear your tree

Earlier than transporting the tree indoors, ensure that to hose it down. Jimmy recommends gently spraying it with water or compressed air to disperse any mud or grime.

To cease mould from growing in its early phases, the skilled additionally advises concentrating on problem-areas on the tree with water combined with both washing up liquid or white vinegar.

Mud down your synthetic tree and decorations

In case your plastic tree has been saved in a dusty atmosphere, ensure that to provide it an excellent shake outside earlier than setting it up.

Jimmy stresses that you just also needs to vacuum any decorations earlier than hanging them on the tree to forestall mud and filth from build up, as these are key elements behind mould progress. The factitious tree itself can be hoovered down to make sure it’s spotless.

Place your tree rigorously

Sit the tree in a well-ventilated space. Mould thrives in heat, moist environments, so creating a continuing circulation of recent air will assist to disrupt the expansion of fungi.

Retailer your synthetic tree rigorously

The place and the way you retailer your synthetic tree is a key consider figuring out whether or not you’ll endure from mould the next 12 months.

“Whereas handy, attics, sheds and basements aren’t most well-liked locations to retailer a Christmas tree as they are often liable to dampness and excessive temperatures,” Jimmy explains. As a substitute, he recommends choosing a dry and temperature-controlled location like a closet.

To additional stop the build-up of moisture, Jimmy advises storing your tree in an air-tight bag. It is because the standard cardboard field can soak up water and moisture, which inspires the expansion of mould.