15 Little Things to Clean Now for a Cozy, Magical December

The Chemist Mom’s Christmas Cleaning Checklist for a Fresher, Cozier Holiday Season

There is something magical about December. The glow of Christmas lights, fresh blankets for holiday movie nights, the smell of Christmas cookies baking, and those slow mornings with a hot cup of coffee.

As a chemist and mom of two, I’ve learned that the secret to a cozy Christmas isn’t cleaning more. It’s cleaning a few smart things before the holiday rush begins.

These aren’t your typical holiday cleaning chores, either. I’m sharing 15 little things you might not think to clean now, along with some simple chemistry-backed tricks that can make your home feel fresher, cleaner, and ready for all those wonderful December memories.

The best part? You can tackle a few each week and have everything ready before the Christmas magic begins.

Shop My Christmas Cleaning Basket

Want to get a head start? These are some of my favorite cleaning supplies to have on hand before the holidays. You can also find them all here…these items can also be fun gift ideas 🙂

• Citric Acid Descaler: Helps remove mineral buildup from compatible coffee makers.
• Enzyme Laundry Booster: Great for tackling food stains and refreshing holiday blankets.
• Portable Upholstery Cleaner: Perfect for cleaning couches and chairs before guests arrive.
• Bioenzyme Drain Cleaner: For routine drain maintenance and organic buildup.
• Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: For mirrors, glass, and shiny fixtures.
• Wool Dryer Balls: A reusable addition to your laundry routine.
• Christmas Sponges: For counters, fridge, and tables.
• Small Cleaning Caddy: Keep all your supplies in one place to make it convenient.

1. Clean and Organize Your Christmas Wrapping Paper and Gift Bag Storage

Before the Christmas shopping and gift wrapping begin, take a few minutes to clean out the closet, cabinet, or storage area where you keep your wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons, and bows.

If you’re anything like me, you probably have leftover gift bags, half-used rolls of wrapping paper, and random ribbons from last Christmas! Getting everything organized now makes wrapping presents so much easier when December arrives.

What to do: Empty your wrapping paper storage area, vacuum dust from shelves and corners, and wipe down surfaces. Sort through your supplies, recycle anything damaged, and see what you can reuse this year. Then invest in a wrapping paper organizer that keeps rolls, gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons, and bows neatly stored together. I bought this one last year and it is super handy, my favorite way to organize wrapping paper yet. 

2. Wash the Blankets You’ll Be Using for Christmas Movie Nights

There is nothing better than piling onto the couch with warm blankets and watching your favorite Christmas movies. But blankets can hold dust and odors while sitting in storage.

The Chemistry: Surfactants in laundry detergents help lift oily soils from fabrics. Enzymes can help break down certain protein- and starch-based stains, making them especially helpful for blankets that have seen plenty of snacks and family movie nights.

What to do: Wash your favorite Christmas throws according to their care labels. Use your regular detergent and add a scoop of bioenzyme booster for odors, then dry thoroughly, and store them somewhere clean until you’re ready to decorate.

3. Descale Your Coffee Maker Before The Christmas Season

Coffee makers get really gross, more than you realize. Get your coffee maker cleaner before the Christmas season.

The Chemistry: Hard water contains dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Over time, mineral deposits can accumulate inside coffee makers. Citric acid reacts with and helps dissolve certain mineral deposits, making it useful in compatible descaling routines.

What to do: Descale it using a citric acid descaler. This guide has all the details you need on descaling your coffee post with citric acid!

4. Clean Your Couch Before Everyone Gathers Around the Christmas Tree

Your couch is about to become the center of Christmas movie nights, family visits, and cozy afternoons.

This is a perfect time to tackle those spots you usually ignore.

The Chemistry: Upholstery stains can contain oils, proteins, pigments, and other compounds. Different stains respond to different cleaning methods, so treating them correctly is important.

What to do: Vacuum under cushions and along seams. Check the furniture care code before using any liquid cleaner, then spot-clean with a stain remover and use a portable upholstery cleaner to get it really clean and ready for the Christmas season.

5. Clean the Refrigerator Before the Christmas Groceries Arrive

One of the most underrated holiday cleaning tasks is making room for all the extra groceries, baking ingredients, and leftovers.

The Chemistry: Food residue contains organic compounds that can support microbial growth and create odors. Removing the residue is more effective than simply trying to cover up unpleasant smells.

What to do: Remove expired foods, wash removable shelves according to manufacturer directions, wipe interior surfaces with this DIY refrigerator cleaner, and dry everything before replacing your groceries. Don’t forget the door seals! Those little folds can collect crumbs and sticky residue.

6. Freshen Your Washing Machine Before the Holiday Laundry Piles Up

Between Christmas pajamas, winter blankets, table linens, and extra laundry from visiting family, your washing machine is about to get a workout.

The Chemistry: Detergent residue, body oils, and moisture can accumulate inside a washing machine. Over time, these conditions can contribute to unpleasant odors.

What to do: Run your machine’s with this washing machine cleaner. Then, wipe the door gasket, clean the detergent drawer, and check the filter if your machine has a user-serviceable one.

7. Wash Your Holiday Table Linens Before the Big Dinner

Christmas tablecloths, runners, cloth napkins, and special kitchen towels often spend most of the year in storage. Pull them out now rather than discovering stains or musty odors on Christmas Eve.

The Chemistry: Some stains become harder to remove after prolonged storage, particularly when oils oxidize or residues become more firmly attached to fabric fibers.

What to do: Inspect your holiday linens, pretreat any visible stains, and wash according to the care labels. Add a stop of bioenzyme booster for extra cleaning and stain removal!

8. Clean Your Oven Before the Christmas Cookies

This is one of those jobs that nobody wants to do when the holiday baking starts!

The Chemistry: Baked-on oven residue often contains fats and food compounds that have undergone chemical changes at high temperatures. These residues can become difficult to remove with ordinary dish soap.

What to do: Clean your oven well before your big baking days. Use an easy DIY cleaner and follow these easy oven cleaning tips.

9. Freshen Your Kitchen Drains Before Holiday Cooking

Holiday cooking means extra food scraps, dishwashing, and heavy use of the kitchen sink.

Getting ahead of drain odors now can save you some frustration later.

The Chemistry: Some biological drain maintenance products contain microorganisms and enzymes that help break down certain organic residues over time. Unlike caustic drain openers, these products are generally intended for maintenance rather than immediately clearing severe blockages.

What to do: Use a bioenzyme drain cleaner before the holidays.

10. Clean Your Windows Before You Turn On the Christmas Lights

This is such a simple little task, but it can make your home feel brighter and more festive.

Clean glass helps you enjoy those beautiful Christmas lights without smudges and fingerprints getting in the way.

The Chemistry: Glass cleaners use surfactants and sometimes solvents to help loosen oils and other residues. A clean microfiber cloth helps remove them without leaving as much lint behind.

What to do: Clean interior windows, glass doors, and mirrors using this DIY window cleaner. 

11. Clean Your Christmas Decoration Storage Bins

Here is one people don’t always think about!

Before bringing all those Christmas decorations inside, take a few minutes to clean the containers they’ve been sitting in for nearly a year.

The Chemistry: Dust can contain fabric fibers, pollen, soil particles, and other debris. Cleaning storage containers helps prevent you from spreading that dust around your freshly cleaned home.

What to do: Wipe the outside of storage bins before bringing them into your living spaces. Inspect the contents for dust, moisture damage, and pests. Clean ornaments and decorations with a simple damp microfiber cloth.

12. Freshen Your Guest Bathroom Before Holiday Visitors

You don’t have to completely remodel or redecorate a bathroom to make it feel welcoming. Just do some simple cleaning!

The Chemistry: Bathroom surfaces can accumulate mineral deposits, soap residue, and body oils. 

What to do: Clean faucets, mirrors, sink edges, and other frequently touched surfaces with an easy DIY cleaner. Replace worn towels, wash the bath mat, and make sure you have plenty of hand soap and toilet paper.

13. Clean the Baseboards and Corners Where Your Christmas Tree Will Go

Before setting up your Christmas tree, look at the space behind and underneath it.

This is one of the best times to clean an area that may be difficult to reach once everything is decorated.

The Chemistry: Household dust accumulates in low-airflow spaces and along edges. Removing it with a vacuum or damp cloth helps keep it from becoming airborne during decorating.

What to do: Vacuum the floor, wipe the baseboards with one of these tips, and dust nearby furniture before moving your Christmas tree into place. Check nearby vents, too.

14. Refresh Your Entryway Before Christmas Guests Arrive

Your entryway is the first thing people see when they walk into your home, and it gets a lot of traffic during the holidays. Plus, making it clean and smelling good will be even more welcoming to your guest..

What to do: Wash or replace your doormat, wipe the door handles, clean the floors, and spray a plant-based room spray around the area through the season.

15. Make Your Home Smell Like Christmas Without Covering Up Odors

This might be my favorite part of getting the house ready for December!

I love those nostalgic Christmas smells: cinnamon, oranges, fresh greenery, and the warm scent of holiday baking. But as a chemist, I always recommend removing the source of an odor before adding fragrance.

The Chemistry: Fragrances can mask odors, but they don’t necessarily remove the compounds causing them. Cleaning the source and improving ventilation are important first steps.

What to do: Empty the trash, clean odor-prone areas, wash musty fabrics, and freshen your kitchen. Then bring in a little Christmas atmosphere with a stovetop simmer pot, plant-based room spray, or one of these fantastic holiday smell-good hacks.

A Little Cleaning Now, More Christmas Magic Later

Christmas should be about the little moments: watching your favorite movies, baking cookies with your kids, enjoying the Christmas lights, and making memories with the people you love.

And that’s exactly why I like doing these small cleaning tasks before December. You don’t need a perfectly spotless home to have a wonderful Christmas. You just need a few smart routines that make your home easier to enjoy.

Pick a few things from this list, start now, and give yourself the gift of a calmer, cozier holiday season.

About Chemistry Cachet

I’m Alexis, the chemist and mom behind Chemistry Cachet! I love sharing simple, science-backed ways to make cleaning, skincare, and everyday home routines easier. My goal is to help you spend less time worrying about household chores and more time enjoying the things that matter.

Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for more clever cleaning tips, skincare favorites, and everyday chemistry hacks.