When one thinks about getting the Christmas decorations out during the holiday season, they probably envision cozy afternoons with festive cookies and food. The smells that come to mind are usually cinnamon, evergreen, Frasier fir, and peppermint. If your artificial tree, ornaments, and wreaths were stored in boxes or bins in the attic, crawl space, or garage, it’s likely you’ll be introducing a whole new range of odors to your decor. Learn how to prevent moisture damage and musty odors on your Christmas decor.
Ornaments & Decorations Require Protection From Humidity
Little Jimmy’s school crafts from 1972 may be a sweet reminder of when that now-linebacker had a handprint that was smaller than Daddy’s palm. If you’d like to protect the chance to relive his precious kindergarten days each year when you decorate the tree, it’s imperative you do more than pack that aging paper/glue/popsicle stick ornament in bubble wrap and stuff it in a cardboard box with all the other decorations.
The same goes for your Grandma’s doily collection she hand-crocheted for her end tables in 1939. And don’t forget the wreath you bought just a year ago at an after-Christmas sale for a great price and stored in your storage area. Your valuables don’t have to be old in order to require protection.
Why your current storage methods will allow moisture to devour your holiday keepsakes:
- Moist, humid air leads to excess moisture damage.
- Most holiday decorations are bagged, boxed, or binned and stored in humid environments such as basements, attics, garages, and storage units.
- Containers don’t allow air to circulate, which means moisture will “sit” between layers, breaking down glues, rotting fabric, and paper.
- Most ornaments and decorations weren’t designed to be washed or cleaned.
Protect Your Christmas Decor
There is a safe, easy, and affordable way to protect your holiday keepsakes and valuables. If you live in a high-humidity area (over 55%) or use storage locations that are not climate-controlled, you need to take extra measures to dehumidify the air within your storage containers. A spill-proof, renewable, non-toxic, non-corrosive dehumidifier can be stored right along with your decorations, box by box.
Using clear, plastic bins for storage makes next year’s decorating much easier. You can see the contents and everything inside will be protected from rodents and water damage. Eva-Dry Mini Dehumidifiers are about the size of a small smoke detector.
They contain safe, non-toxic desiccant; the same substance packaged into a little paper pouch in every retail shoe box. It will absorb moisture right out of the air and won’t release it again until heated. The Eva-Dry units plug into heat and release the moisture into a well-ventilated area, renewing them for reuse for up to 10 years!
If you think it’s too late and you are looking for ways to repair special decorations that have already been damaged, there may still be an option before you dump it all in a landfill. Eva-Dry Dehumidifiers can remove musty odors and smells from fabrics and papers, and moisture from the insides of electronics and watches. Place the item and an Eva-Dry unit in a tightly sealed box for a month. Be sure to open the electronic device as much as possible first, removing the battery or the watch stem. Within a month you should see or smell an improvement.
These dehumidifiers are small and affordable; versatile enough to be placed virtually anywhere in any contained space in your home. If you have similar needs with your scrapbooks, baby clothes, pantry items, guns, or ammunition, put an Eva-Dry unit in every closet or storage chest. They are a valuable part of any moisture-removing strategy for humid environments, protecting your belongings and investments. It’s a green product that also won’t negatively contribute to the environment via waste or additional energy use. Obtaining one or many for your home is affordable and easy.
To learn more about how to prevent moisture damage on Christmas decor, contact us today or check out our available units that are perfect for your storage area. Improving your air quality is just a click away.
I have antique tinsel garland that has moisture in them. Can I hang them outside in direct sun?