How To Clean Off Old Thermal Paste

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The holidays are a joyous time with family and friends, but that seasonal glow can fade quickly when you're faced with the aftermath: a house to clean up once all your guests have left. Getting your place back into shape can be a daunting task, but we've got a few smart tips to help you do it in time for the new year.

Strip the Christmas tree carefully.
Use as much care taking your tree down as you did putting it up to save you some headaches next year. Some double-duty tips for packing ornaments:
- Keep Christmas lights from tangling by wrapping them around the empty tubes from your wrapping paper. Loop the cord around the roll, starting with the side opposite to the plug, then insert the plug into the tube's opening. If you've already thrown away your gift wrap tubes, paper towel tubes work, too.
- Take down the ornaments and, instead of tossing them back into their boxes, wrap them safely. You can repurpose used wrapping and tissue paper (if you haven't recycled it yet) to wrap around them as you store them neatly into their boxes. For added cushioning, place the tree skirt at the bottom of the storage box and layer the ornaments on top, using tissue paper between the layers.

Check your carpet and furniture for stains.
The longer they set, the more difficult they will be to remove. If you spot any, use a spray bottle to lightly apply a mixture of warm water and mild dishwashing liquid. Blot with a paper towel and continue spraying and blotting until the stain is removed. Rinse with clear water and blot again. Fluff the pile and allow it to dry. Check out our article, Bye-Bye, Carpet Stains, for more stain removal tips.

Use this time to get rid of what you don't need.
Did you get some great new gifts for your kitchen or other places in the house? That's great! But you may not need two or three chip and dip sets in your cabinet. Either discard old ones or donate them. Have kids? Recruit them to help by creating a race to see who can gather their toys first. Store toys that are of no interest at the moment and rotate or bring them out every once in a while to keep their spark.

Michaelle Exhume Home Care Product Analyst How long she's been at GHRI: Since November 2013 What she does: Michaelle tests and evaluates home-care products and appliances, such as dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, laundry-care and cleaning products for Good Housekeeping Magazine.

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