23 ways of cleaning silk flowers at home
Just like there are many ways to remove wrinkles from silk garments [Link], washing silk flowers are no different. Previously I have shared how you can clean silk flowers safely at home [Link]. Today, I will give you more options and ways you can keep your silk flowers looking pristine.
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When should you clean your silk flowers?
Whenever you can, it does not take up too much time. I do it on a weekly basis, lightly dusting them. But if your philosophy is leave it until dust gathers in a few months’ time, then you do you!
For that purpose, today’s post is spilt into a few categories, maintenance or light dusting, dry cleaning, washing and lastly deodorizing. Read on to find out more.
How do you freshen up silk flowers?
Freshening or maintaining your silk flowers removes the need for deep cleaning, which is more of a hassle. So, if you have bought your silk flowers recently and would like to keep them looking fresh there are a few methods.
Feather duster or large makeup brushes
A regular feather duster would do the job. For more precision you can also use a large fluffy makeup. Lightly dust your silk flowers to remove the fine layer of dust that has settled on the flowers. If you have a thick layer of dust, you might want to check out the deep cleaning methods for silk flowers in this post instead.
Vacuum cleaner
If a feather duster or makeup brush is not your thing, a vacuum cleaner works too. Use a detachable hose, if you have one, hoover it above your silk flowers to remove dust. A good alternative would be to cover the suction area of your vacuum with an old pantyhose or stocking to prevent the silk flowers from getting sucked into the vauum cleaner.
A word of caution, avoid putting your vacuum cleaner directly on the flowers, if the pressure is strong enough, it’ll rip off the petals of the delicate silk flowers!
A better choice is actually a small handheld vacuum cleaner for keyboards or something with lesser suction force. The weaker suction force would allow more room for error and is unlikely to damage your silk flowers.
Blow dryer or hair dryer
If you own neither feather duster, makeup brush nor vacuum cleaner, I hope you own a hair dryer. Use the coolest setting and lowest speed to blow the dust off your silk flowers. Remember, coolest setting! Hot air may melt glue that is holding your silk flowers together.
Damp cloth
Sometimes dust is stubborn, which is annoying but a cool damp cloth will fix that. Gently wipe the extra dusty areas. Another reminder, cool water! Hot water is not friendly to silk. If your silk flowers look too damp and limp after the wipe down, use a kitchen or paper towel and gently press the excess water out.
Fluff your flowers
Similar to real flowers, silk flowers do get wilted over time. On the bright side, it can be reversed. Fluff up your silk flowers but separating the flower petals on by one, allowing the flowers to look fuller and more revived.
How to dry clean your silk flowers at home
Before any of the dry cleaning steps below, you should hold your silk flowers tilted at an angle and gently tap them against your hand to remove as much dust as possible. I’ll advise doing this outside your house, unless you intend to clean your house afterwards. Now moving on to the 3 dry cleaning steps.
Use a bag of rice or salt
Place a few tablespoons to half a cup of uncooked rice in a paper or ziplock bag, then place your flowers inside. Now, gently shake the bag, the rice will act as a gentle abrasive and remove dirt and dust on your silk flowers.
When you are done, remove your silk flowers and store your rice separately for the next dry cleaning session. If you do not have rice, salt is a good replacement.
Use cornmeal
If you do not have rice, lack salt, I hope you have cornmeal. Follow the exact same steps as above, when you are done, use a feather duster or hair dryer to remove any excess cornmeal.
Compressed air
A can of compressed air would save you the steps above. Just aim and spray the compress air at your silk flowers to remove the fine layer of dust. To be honest though, it is not my favourite method. I tried it a few times, but compressed air tends to mess up the silk flower petals significantly.
If you decide to buy a can of compressed air, perhaps avoid using it on delicate silk flowers to prevent them from crumbling.
Can you clean silk flowers with water?
If you can clean silk garments with water, you can clean silk flowers with water. Instead of using a damp cloth to wipe down your silk flowers, you may choose to spritz water over it and wipe of with a dry cloth.
How to wash silk flowers with gentle detergent
I have an entire post dedicated to washing silk flowers with gentle detergent! Here [Link] is the detailed instructions. In a nutshell, for today here’s the gist of it:
Mix cool water and gentle detergent in a basin, agitate until bubbles form. Hold your silk flowers, petals facing down then submerge and swish your flowers. Rinse your flowers the same way until the water runs clear. Hang your flowers head down to dry, or lay them flat on a clean towel.
How to clean white silk flowers
It does not matter what colour your silk flowers are, treasure and care for them the same way. I would advise against coloured washing products that may discolour white silk flowers, but that’s about it.
Can I clean silk flowers with dishwasher liquid
In general, cleaning agents without harmful or harsh chemicals will do in a pinch. But personally, I will still use gentle detergent, it is the safest way to wash your delicate silk flowers.
Can I clean silk flowers with shampoo
Gentle shampoo or baby shampoo does the trick, but your silk flowers may look a little crisp for a few days. Adding some conditioner in the rinse water tends to solve that issue though.
Are there homemade cleaning mixtures for silk flowers
There are alternative water based homemade cleaning mixtures and cleaning instructions that you can take to clean your silk flowers, here are some:
How to clean silk flowers with rubbing alcohol and water
Fill a small spray bottle with 2 parts water and 1 part alcohol. Alcohol evaporates over time, so resist the urge to use a big bottle. Do not use concentrated alcohol either, it is very dehydrating to silk and may damage your silk flowers.
Spray your silk flowers, misting them lightly. Then, use a small clean cloth to wipe the flowers dry. Repeat these steps until your silk flowers are entirely clean, remember to change clean cloths when necessary!
How to clean silk flowers with vinegar
Use an equal mixture of white vinegar and water, spritz that on your silk flowers. After a couple of minutes, use a clean soft cloth to wipe your silk flowers gently.
How to clean silk flowers with vinegar and lemon juice
Prepare and mix one cup water, 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1 tablespoons of lemon juice. You may half or even quarter the amounts of each if you do not have a lot of silk flowers. Fill the mixture into a spray bottle.
Now you may spray your silk flowers, wipe down the delicate petals and leaves, it is that simple!
Can I use cleaning sprays for silk flowers
Cleaning sprays are the undoubtedly foolproof and safest but also most expensive method to clean your silk flowers.
How to clean silk flowers in a vase or pot
If your silk flowers are stuck in a pot or vase and are a hassle to remove, you can still clean your silk flowers easily. You can pack the pot of vase full with plastic or paper to prevent the contents inside from shifting. Then, cling wrap the base or tie a plastic bag securely around it.
Now, turn the entire thing upside down – silk flowers and pot or vase. The washing instructions do not differ, but do remember to support the vase or pot securely if you are drying your silk flowers upside down.
How do you clean dusty silk flowers?
It really depends on how dusty your silk flowers are. If the layer of dust is fine, you can easily get away with using a feather duster or makeup brush. If that does not work, you may need to look into dry cleaning methods at home, or even washing it.
How to clean dusty silk flower arrangements
The same way you would deal with any dusty silk flowers! It is slightly tricker, but take the silk flowers out in small manageable bunches, tie them together, clean and dry them in said bunches.
The trick lies in putting them back in the arrangement. It is helpful to take a photograph before hand so you know where each bunch of flowers were before.
If it sounds too much of a hassle, you can also mist the floral arrangement with a diluted alcohol or vinegar, then wipe each flower down individually. It takes more time, but this method will ensure that your floral arrangement stays neat.
How do you deodorize a silk flower?
Sometimes, brand new silk flowers may have a slight odd odour to them, depending on how they were stored in the shop. Ensure that the colour does not run, then use a mixture of water of rubbing alcohol or vinegar to deodorize. Follow the dilution instructions above!
In the event that the colour runs, try airing your silk flowers under indirect sunlight for a day or two.
How to Get the Musty Smell Out of Silk Flowers
If deodorizing your silk flowers do not work, perhaps there are mould or fungus spores on your silk flowers. Here’s how you can kill these spores:
- Avoid dusting your musty smelling silk flowers, you do not want any spores flying around your house!
- Prepare a mixture of one cup water, 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1 tablespoons of lemon juice in a spray bottle.
- Place your silk flowers spaced out on a clean surface
- Spray the mixture liberally, in between the petals as well.
- Let it dry, if it still smells mouldy, spray again!
- If the smell of the white vinegar and lemon juice bothers you, you can spritz your silk flowers with water and wipe them down with a clean cloth.
How can I clean mould from silk roses?
First, kill off the mould with a spray mixture of water vinegar and lemon. Finish off by washing your silk flowers with gentle detergent to reduce and hopefully remove any areas stained with mould.
Can I use kitty litter to clean my silk flowers?
Kitty litter absorbs liquids very well, if you have spilled water or liquids over your silk flowers, you can use kitty litter to absorb the spillage. But if you intend to use it in place of rice or cornmeal to remove dust, it is not as effective as kitty litter is much larger in size.
Can I avoid cleaning my silk flowers
Short of putting it in a sealed glass jar, away from direct sunlight, I am not too sure how cleaning is avoidable. With so many methods of cleaning silk flowers, I am sure there would be one that is suitable for you.
Personally, I like dusting my silk flowers, but if they start to look a little sad or too much dust has gathered on it, then I would give it a quick wash. Let me know if you clean your silk flowers another way!
