Christmas decorations are the life of every home during the holiday seasons. There are many different kinds of Christmas decorations. Most of the popular ones are metallic and shiny types that look their best when their luster is at its maximum.

Here are some tips to help you keep their shine all year round.

Store them well

The key to restore your ornaments' shine is to store them well. Wrapping each one in a tissue paper will ensure that they will remain shiny and new all year round. If that's not possible, store them in their original packaging and make sure you store them where they won't catch some dust.

Use a soft cloth to restore their shine

If your baubles look matte and dull, what you can do is rub them with a soft flannel cloth to help bring back their luster. This is a technique used often times, so you need not buy new batches of Christmas tree ornaments. This is good if you are dealing with uniformly shaped and smooth surfaced ornaments such as plain metallic baubles without too much fuzzy details.

Use gloves

Touching shiny ornaments with your bare hands is a no-no especially if your hands are moist and you are using oily products. The key is to wear some gloves so you can clean the ornaments with minimum contact. Soft cotton gloves are highly recommended as they will not react with the metal that is used in the ornaments.

Invest in a good feather duster & a brush

For intricately designed ornaments, a small light brush is advisable. This will allow you to clean even the hard to reach areas. Use this brush for angel ornaments, bell ornaments, acorn, and very detailed baubles. For painted ornaments, feather duster work best. Follow light strokes and don't rub too hard.

Keep the décor away from steam and smoke

As much as possible, do not place your shiny Christmas ornaments near the kitchen where there is plenty of smoke and steam. The steam can come in contact with the surface of the metallic ornaments, making them lose their luster. Smoke can cause dullness of ornaments as well.

Use Windex for glass ornaments

Some shiny ornaments are actually made of glass with a very special coating that catches the light even better. For these ornaments, Windex is highly recommended.

Restore the shine with a metal polisher

Dull looking gold and silver baubles are not very attractive. To help them revive their shine, you can use one of those metallic polishes. Using a soft cloth, apply a little on the surface of the ornaments and lightly rub. Premature staining and tarnishing can be solved this way. Don't put too much of the stuff. Just a tiny amount and that's it.

Check for chips and crack

If some of your baubles have chips and crack, you can still use them. Just make sure that the okay side is in front and the chipped side faces the tree. Or if it is a silver or gold bauble, lightly paint the chipped part with a nail polish that is very close to the colour of the ornament. That way, you need not buy new ones. You save money, and you are able to use your old decors.

Don't wash the baubles

As much as they are tempting to wash, never attempt to use water in your shiny ornaments. You will definitely regret it, especially for those pieces with fabric or hand-painted glitters. Rub with a cloth or lightly brush with a feather duster.

Keep your Christmas ornaments away from strong substances

Room sprays such as air deodorizer and insecticides will destroy the beauty of your decorative pieces so store them away from these chemicals. The same thing is true with perfumes, contact cement, and hair spray. Strong cleaners should be avoided as well.

Replace worn out cords and hooks

Check the ornaments for missing hooks and cords. Replace the missing hooks and remove the thin worn out cords. This will make decorating a lot easier.

Taking care of your holiday decorative pieces will ensure that you will be able to use them for a long time. Not only that. Restoring their shine will make them look as good as new. 


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