Cleaning Silk Flowers

Request: Cleaning Silk Flowers

How do you clean silk flowers? I have loads of them and they collect dust.

Mary from Newark, California

Feedback:

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

If you're not trying to completely clean them, and just want to get the dust bunnies off on a regular basis, try one of those cans of compressed air that you can buy for cleaning computers etc. (02/01/2009)

By Mary T

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

In the floral aisle at Wal-mart they sell a can of flower cleaner. I don't know what's in it, but it dissolves the dust away. The cans are usually sort of hidden either on the very bottom or very top shelf. (02/01/2009)

By Michelle

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Be careful when using water on silks. I've had some colors of flowers run. I use the compressed air and only use water if it is an older arrangement that I am willing to risk the color running. (02/02/2009)

By chriself

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I blow off the dust with my hair blow dryer. Do this about once a month, or whenever you're dusting. (02/03/2009)

By evie5200

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Swishing in the bathtub or take them in the shower. I clean lots of stuff in the shower! If it is smaller items, take a plastic bag, toss in some corn starch, toss in the flowers, and shake. Then shake excess off.

I often do the 'grab the stems and shake with a snap' theory. If a flower head falls off, pop it back in place. Artificial flowers are meant for more abuse than fresh flowers.

I also take my silks I just don't want to see anymore and use them in the wreaths I make up to put on family grave sites. I have made some beautiful ones. We change them out with seasons, giving me chance to have different ones in the house without feeling bad about discarding any.

Another place to use 'done with it silks' is my gardens outside. Tuck a few here and there in my just starting gardens and you can't tell they are not real. Looks good into the fall! A lot are sun resistant too. (02/03/2009)

By T and T Grandma

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Put them in a bag with a cup of salt. Shake gently. Remove from bag and shake off any loose salt. You can keep the bag of salt and use it a couple of times (02/10/2009)

By Tori1256

Request: Cleaning Silk Flowers

How does one clean or wash inexpensive silk flowers?

Dee from Indiana

Feedback:

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

You run a sink half full of warm water with a couple of drops of dish soap. Hold a handful of flowers by the stems, dip the flowers in water,swish around for a couple of seconds. Have a towel laid out on the counter, and gently tap the flowers on the towel to take out excess water. That should do it. (09/19/2005)

By cturner

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

A lot of people just throw away their artificial flowers and get new ones after they get dusty, but you don't need to do that and waste money.

You can clean artificial flowers and, the best way to do that is to put them in a bag with salt. The salt picks up the dust almost like a magnet and takes it off the artificial flowers.

Also saves on soap and water as well as not throwing them away and spending more money. (09/19/2005)

By FFL

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I take them into the shower, or use the sprayer on the faucet, or even hose them off. Dry upside down so water doesn't stand in the container. Most so -called silk flowers are polyester and easy to clean. For dry materials, use a blow dryer to blow the dust off. (09/19/2005)

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I have also heard that putting uncooked rice in a paper sack and tossing in the silk flowers and shaking it for a minute or two will help also. However, if you do use the liquid method, put a bit of your favourite perfume or even liquid fabric softener in with it, and the flowers will be lightly scented. When the room has the air or heat on, you'll catch whisps of that scent, and it can be lovely.

There is a show on called 'How Clean Is Your House?' It comes on a couple of different channels (in my area Lifetime and Style). Two British ladies go in and clean these disgusting homes. They are a riot, the houses truly are disgusting, but they have wonderful cleaning tips. When the ladies and their cleaning team are done, the houses look fantastic! I have learnt a lot from their tips. Also, I get really in the mood to clean after watching that. My house is not and never will be as bad as the ones shown, but it is incentive to make sure. I want to find that series on DVD and give it to my daughter as a house-warming gift when she moves out on her own next year. (09/20/2005)

By KLS8800

Request: Cleaning Silk Flowers

How do you clean silk flowers? I have loads of them and they collect dust.

Mary from Newark, California

Request: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I have several silk flower arrangements that have "dust bunnies" growing on them. What is the best way to clean these? Some are arranged in "swags" and I cannot figure out how to get the dust off!

TIA!
Cookiepom

Answers:

Clean Silk Flowers

Make your silk flowers think Spring. Place the silk flowers into a large bag and pour in one cup of Morton's Salt. Shake vigorously. Remove. And voilà Your flowers are clean. By MrsMoted2 (05/19/2005)

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I've heard of using raw rice before, never salt. Whatever works or whatever you happen to have on hand. (05/20/2005)

By badwater

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

This has worked for me for years.

I turn the arrangement on an angle over the kitchen sink and using the pull out faucet, spray them with water from the faucet. Shake it good. You can lay it on the side in a dish drainer to drain further for awhile.

The larger tree type silk plants. Take them outside and spray with the garden hose and let dry outside on a warm sunny day. (05/20/2005)

By Syd

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Make sure of the type of floral material before using anything gritty or grainy. Many floral arrangements these days are created with latex or poly flowers. In these cases, each petal and leaf should be cleaned individually. I use a very mild solution of CLEAR dish washing liquid and water applied with cotton balls.

If the arrangement is a Water Illusion, the 'acrylic water' can be cleaned with the same solution, but must be 'rinsed' with plain water, and dried, or it will film over. I simply use more cotton balls to do this.

If the florals are arranged in river rocks or tiny stones, they can be removed, rinsed in a stainer and replaced without disturbing the design. The florals will actually be set in foam or clay beneath the rocks.

The process is time consuming, but well worth it for these delicate florals. (05/20/2005)

By Gail C

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Salt does work for me. You can clean artificial flowers and, the best way to do that is to put them in a bag with salt. The salt picks up the dust almost like a magnet and takes it off the artificial flowers. Also saves on soap and water as well as not throwing them away and spending more money.

http://www.frugalforlife.com (09/11/2005)

By FFL

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

Place in dishwasher and run through economy wash cycle. Works Great. (09/12/2005)

By Gail

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I use canned air on my silk flowers - just be sure to keep a safe distance from the arrangement so you don't blow it apart! (09/13/2005)

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

I was just watching "How Clean is your House?" late last night on TV and they were cleaning silk flowers. She swished them in to a tub filled with warm water and bubble bath and then rinsed them in another tub filled with warm water and a little fabric softener. She said that made them clean AND smell good. (09/13/2005)

By Cindy S.

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

You can also clean your silk flowers by using a cheap hair spray. We had a fire in my home several years ago and the restoration women used a can of hair spray. I was amazed at how clean the flowers became (09/19/2005)

Cleaning Silk Flowers

As a former floral designer, I clean my dusty silk plants by simply hosing them off outside and laying them on their sides or upside down to dry in the sun. Bring them in when dry, tweak a few stems and they'll be good as new. By Linda (09/22/2005)

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

When you need to wash dusty silk flowers or greenery, don't forget about the top rack of your dish washer. It does a great job on a short cycle, with no heat dry cycle. By Pandabear (09/22/2005)

RE: Cleaning Silk Flowers

You can also run your bathtub full of hot soapy water & just toss in the greenery. Let them sit for an hour or so, submerged in the water. Drain the tub & rinse with cold water. Take outside, shake off excess water & let them air dry. They're good as new, again! FrugalFriend (09/22/2005)