When my family decorates ourChristmastree,it’svery methodical. First, we unwrap the vintage glass ornaments my grandmother received as a wedding gift. Then, we take out “baby’s firstChristmas” for me and my brother– and yes,the macaroni wreath with a picture ofourdog from third grade goes up,too. Then we have the funny ones, theornateones, then the glittery ones, and then the plain ones that fill the gaps (if we find any).
All of these ornaments are precious to me, which is why I take good care of them. Cleaning my ornaments as I pack them away for storage keeps them looking shiny and bright for years, even long enough to pass them down.
How to Clean Vintage Christmas Ornaments
Before you begin,it’sa good ideato put on protective gloves. Even the oil from your hands can damage the paint on ornaments.
Whatyou’retrying toaccomplishhere isagentledust removal. To that end, use a dry dust cloth;never a wet rag. For especially delicate ornaments (such as those with glitter)you’llwant the even lighter touch of a feather duster. Fordetailwork, use a small paintbrush or even a makeup brush to get into hard-to-reach places.
Cleaning Glass Christmas Ornaments
For your more ordinary glass bulbs,it’sfine to spray glass cleaner onto a soft cloth and wipe them clean.Be cautious not to apply too muchglass cleaner;any paint or glitteradhered to the surface might shift or smudge. Applying the cleaner to a rag or paper towel is the best way to ensure the glass is cleaned without leaving excess product– or streaks.
Making Minor Repairs
While I love to think that my ornaments will never break, Icannotignore my cats, dogs, or my cousins – allofwhomlove to play around the tree. In the event an ornament breaks and the cat is blamed – andit’salwaysthe cat –I’lltry to repair the ornament before deciding to throw it away.
Always make sure any shattered glassorpointyshards arecleaned up first. Wear thick glovesto pick up the larger pieces, then a damp cloth to wipe up the shards.
To make minor repairs to your ornaments, I recommend using atoothpick and aclearadhesive for hardware or marine use. IlikeBeacon’s Multi-Grip.Clean the ornament’s fracture ofany debris, then dip the toothpick in the glue and apply asmallamount to the affected area.The toothpick givesmore controlduringapplication andreduces excess.Put thebroken pieces togetherand holdfor a minute, then let them dry completely for 24 hoursforalong-lastingrepair.
How to Store Glass Ornaments and Other Breakables
Whileit’stempting to reuse the original packaging year after yearafter year,it does breakdown over time, becoming ineffective at keeping your ornaments safe.Irecommend investingin a properChristmas ornamentstorageboxdesigned specifically for ornaments. TheseArchival Ornament Storage Boxesare made from acid-free, lignin-free, buffered material, and come in a variety of sizes and volumes to fit your needs.
Ifyou aredown with DIY, you can make your own with just a bit of effort (and an office file box and some cardboard).I love HGTV, and they have some greatornament storage hacksthateasyto adapt to fit the less-than-standard-sized ornaments.
Here are More Ornament Storage Options
- Use a large cardboard box and place smaller boxes or bags inside it.
- Avoidairtightcontainers; they sealin moisture.
- Place ornaments thatare notfragile in plastic bags.
- Wrap breakable ornaments in acid-free tissue paper.
- Put delicate itemsin boxes thatprotect them in yourstorage container.
- Try using egg cartons for your smaller ornaments.
If you havea bigcollection, store similar ornaments together in the same container and make sure tolabel, label, label(especially theFra-Gi-Leones). Your future self will thank you for the effort.
Christmas Ornament StorageSolutionsand StorageMart
From the twinkling lights to a beautifullydecoratedtree, Christmas is one of the most festive times of the year. But it’s easy to turn into a Grinch whenyou find yourself running out of space and it’stime to pack everything up.Good thingthere is an easy solution.
At StorageMart, you can rent a storage unit as small as25 square feet (about twice the area of a bathtub)orup to the size of a garage. We offeraffordable self-storage unitsthat can be rented on a month-by-month basis and are always clean and well lit.Climatecontrolled unitsare also available—and area smart choicefor delicate vintage ornaments.
Need more info? Visit our website and see how easy it is torent quality self storage online.
