Artificial Christmas tree smells musty? Here's how to fix it

Did your artificial tree come out of storage smelling musty? I’ve been there! A musty smell almost always means the tree got damp while it was put away. The good news is that most trees smell normal again once you dry them out and dust them off. Today I’m sharing exactly what I did to fix mine, how to tell if it’s mold, and what I changed so it never happened again.

The quick version: set it up somewhere covered outside for a day or two, keep it out of direct sun (which fades the needles), and then brush or vacuum every section from top to bottom. If you find fuzzy or black spots that won’t brush off, that’s mold, and I’ll tell you below when it’s time to let the tree go.

We kept our tree in the garage for years, in the cardboard box it came in. In Florida. I’m not sure what I expected! The box was soft at the corners by the second summer and the tree smelled like a wet basement when I opened it.

Step 1. Check for mold before you bring it inside

Do this outside or in the garage, with a mask on. Pull each section out and look closely at:

• The hinges where the branches attach to the pole. Moisture collects there.
• The bottom section, especially the branches that were pressed against the bottom of the box.
• Inside the open end of the pole. Use a flashlight for this one.
• The stand, especially the underside.

Plain dust is gray and wipes off easily. Mold looks fuzzy, or shows up as black, green, or white spots that smear or stay put when you brush them. A lot of dust and a damp smell is very fixable. Visible mold is a different story (see Step 5).

Step 2. Air it out for a day or two

Set the tree up (or lay the sections out) somewhere covered and dry, like a porch, a carport, or the garage with the door open. A day is usually enough for a mild smell. For a strong smell, I’d give it two or three days.

Two things to keep in mind:

• Keep it dry. If rain is coming, bring it in. Getting damp is how it got musty in the first place!
• Keep it out of direct sun. It’s tempting to think sunshine will bake the smell out, but UV fades artificial needles, and you don’t want a tree that’s greener on one side.

If you have a fan, point it at the tree. Moving air works better than still air.

Step 3. Dust it, top to bottom

A musty smell clings to dust, so the tree won’t fully stop smelling until the dust is gone.

Start at the top and work your way down so the dust you knock loose lands on branches you haven’t cleaned yet. Use a soft brush, a dry microfiber cloth, or a vacuum with the brush attachment. Hold the vacuum against the branch and don’t let it suck the needles in, because it’ll pull them loose.

If there’s a lot of dust, a hair dryer on the cool setting or a can of compressed air in short bursts will blow it out of the inner branches where a cloth can’t reach. Do that part outside!

Wear gloves for this. I use rubber coated garden gloves because the cut wire ends inside the branches will scratch you up.

Step 4. Use water carefully, or not at all

The advice online really disagrees on this one. Some tree companies say not to use water, soap, or vinegar on the tree at all, and that doing it can void the warranty. Other cleaning guides say a mild mix of warm water and a little dish soap is fine if you test a hidden branch first.

What I do is dry cleaning only on the branches. I’ll use a damp cloth with a drop of dish soap on the pole and the stand, since those are just metal and plastic. Then I let everything dry completely, a full day, before I do anything else. Putting a damp tree back into storage is exactly what caused the smell!

If your tree is pre-lit, keep it unplugged the whole time, and keep liquid away from the bulbs, sockets, and plugs.

Step 5. Know when to throw it out

I don’t love telling anyone to replace a tree, but here’s where I draw the line.

Keep it if it’s just dusty and smells stale, and it smells fine after airing and dusting.

Replace it if:

• You see mold spread across multiple branches or down inside the hinges or pole.
• The smell comes right back after you’ve aired and cleaned it. That means there’s moisture or mold somewhere you can’t reach.
• Anyone in your house has asthma or mold allergies. It’s not worth a month of feeling awful.

Mold in the hinges is the hardest to get out, because you can’t reach it without taking the tree apart. If it’s there, I’d let the tree go.

Step 6. Make the house smell good while it finishes airing out

Even after cleaning, a tree can have a faint smell for the first day or two inside. I’ll put a pot of orange peels and cinnamon on the stove that first evening. I have my whole list of ideas in how to make your house smell like Christmas, and none of them involve spraying anything on the tree.

Step 7. Store it so this doesn’t happen again

This is the most important step! The smell came from storage, so storage is what has to change.

Get rid of the cardboard box. Cardboard soaks up humidity and holds it right against the branches. I moved ours into a tree storage bag that fits trees up to 7.5 ft and is made to resist water and mildew. It has wheels too, which my back really appreciates.

Pack it dry and dusted. Dust it before it goes in the bag, not just when it comes out. If you take it down on a humid day, let it sit inside the house overnight before you zip it up.

Store it inside the air conditioning if you can. A hall closet, under a bed, or the back of a guest room closet all work. Attics, garages, sheds, and basements all get hot and damp, and that’s what makes a tree smell. If the garage is your only option, keep the bag up off the floor on a shelf or a pallet.

Add an open box of baking soda inside the bag, tucked in by the base. It soaks up odor while the tree sits. Swap it out each year.

I share more about how I pack everything up in how to pack up Christmas decorations, and the bins and bags I use are in my Christmas decor storage picks.

Did your tree come out of storage smelling musty this year? I hope this helped you get it smelling fresh again! Be sure to post on Instagram and tag me @sugardesignco because I love seeing the beautiful decor y’all create!

-Ciera

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