Easy method for cleaning artificial flowers

When we send flowers to friends and family, we tend to opt for fresh flowers as opposed to artificial ones.  Many people are of the opinion that artificial flowers collect far too much dust and are difficult to clean.  What you might not know is that there are a few ways to clean artificial flowers.  The method you choose will largely depend on your personal preference, your budget, how much time you have on your hands and what kind of flowers you have and how delicate they are.  While some methods will prove more expensive, they are the best option for preserving a bouquet of hand painted flowers so keep this in mind.

Easy techniques (not always effective)

• Feather dusting is cheap but does not guarantee that all the dust will be removed. In addition, the dust will be tossed into the air and will simply fall down again onto the flowers and other places in your home.  This is not an ideal option if you have dust allergies.
• Using a hairdryer to blow the dust off the flowers will cost you a bit on electricity but, like the feather duster, it will also blast the dust all over the room instead of picking it up.
• Slide a thin sock or stocking over the end of your vacuum cleaner and use it to suck the dust off the flowers. You will use electricity but there’s no other expenses.  Unlike the two options above, the dust gets picked up instead of dispersed throughout the room.  On the down side, you might not be able to clean the hard to reach places.
• You can use a damp cloth to gently wipe the flowers down. This means that you won’t spend money and you will pick up the dust effectively.  It will, however, be a time consuming task.

More expensive methods

• Silk flower cleaning spray might fetch a fairly high price but it’s a fast solution. Their have been some reviews that indicate, however, that this spray is not 100% effective.  Some of the dust can get stuck and sealed into the fabric.
• Compressed air is similar to the hairdryer option but fair more powerful. Take care, however, since the sudden burst of air can cause damage to delicate flowers.

Effective methods that won’t cost an arm and a leg

• The dry clean method is quite effective. All you need to do is fill a bag with half a cup of salt or cornmeal.  Add the flower, close and shake for a few minutes.  Continue shaking until you reach the desired result.
• You can also use a spray bottle with a mixture of half white vinegar and half water. Put some newspaper under the arrangement and lightly spray all over with the mixture. Remember to test the mixture on one or two petals before you spray the entire bouquet. You don’t want the colours to run.
• The wet cleaning method involves filling your sink with water, adding dish washing liquid and placing one stem at a time under water. Move the stem around a little so that it gets completely wet.  Gently rub any areas where you see any grime.  When the flower is clean, remove it from the water and blot dry with a soft cloth or towel.  Although this method takes the longest of all, it is the most effective.

If your artificial flowers have already endured years in your home and they are already in pretty bad shape, then it might be time to throw them out and get yourself some new ones.  While artificial flowers don’t need to be replaced as often as fresh flowers, you need to remember that they will need to be replaced eventually.