How Do You Spruce Up Artificial Flowers?

Spruce Up Your Home With Artificial Flowers

Artificial flowers can be a beautiful addition to the aesthetics of a home, office, or even worship centre. However, when covered with dust, they can make the place where they are kept untidy, outdated, and unclean.

While faux flowers do not require special care as much as real-life flowers, they need regular cleaning to look their best. This article will guide you through select methods for sprucing up your artificial flowers to make them look clean, beautiful, and classic all year round.

How To Make Your Artificial Flowers Look Real

Making your faux flowers look natural is something that can be done quickly. We all want our flowers to bloom. If you are an avid home decorator, you may want to try out these tips for yourself and your clients.

In this section, we’ll share with you some tips on how to make your home beautiful with faux flowers and plants. You should know that not all artificial plants and flowers are manufactured equal, so the first step to getting your decoration right is by sourcing the most beautiful and realistic faux flowers available.

So, how do you make these artificial flowers appear natural and beautiful to all? Here are the answers!

Put the flowers in a beautiful vase

Just because the flowers aren’t real doesn’t mean they are totally maintenance free when compared to real flowers. If you have got some fake flowers for your room decoration, buy some stunning vases to place them in. When shopping for a vase, remember that it is not just a container; you should go for one that is designed with quality material.

Your vase should also feature a beautiful shape so that it brings out the aesthetic value of the flower. Keep in mind that regardless of how beautiful your flowers are, a bad-looking vase will automatically devalue your investment. Also, avoid fake flowers made out of cheap materials.

To get the best look out of your faux flowers, you need a high level of professionalism and craftsmanship. Ensure that the flowers you buy are designed to look like real ones and that they are not just there as sub-standard alternative.

Place some of the flowers outdoors

You can also use your fake flowers outside for outdoor decoration. This does not mean you should make an entire garden out of them. You can place one or two of the artificial flowers in an outdoor planter. People won’t be able to tell the difference if you place artificial flowers outdoors because not everyone expects to see them outside. Just remember to give them a quick spray with uv protectant before you place them outdoors.

Combine the flowers with vintage decorations

Faux flowers and vintage decoration go hand in hand. By choosing the right decoration, you can make your artificial flower arrangement look fresher and more realistic. Instead of placing your artificial flowers in a run-of-the-mill vase, you can add some care and creativity to your decoration by turning a bouquet into a vignette.

You can also utilise the space around the flower for decorative boxes, wall arts, figurines, and vintage lanterns. All these add to the beauty of the decoration. The materials you use as your vintage decoration are as crucial as the type of flower. Going for distressed finishes adds a roughened, weathered look to make your artificial flower look like they are weathered in a good way.

Using artificial materials such as shiny plastics around the flowers will make the decoration too fake. It is best to go for neutral woods, raw textures, and galvanised metals as they will complement the flowers, making them look natural.

Blend the flowers with furniture

You wouldn’t want to keep real flowers hidden in some corner where no one will see them. The same applies to artificial flowers; you do not want to hide them in a back corner either. Instead, treat the flowers like you picked them from your garden, gifted by a loved one, or just bought from a nearby florist.

The point is to keep your flowers in a place in front and centre where everyone can see them. It can be on the kitchen table, console table, coffee table, etc. When you love your artificial flowers, it will show in the manner and place you keep them.

Some other ways of making your artificial flowers look natural include:

Inspect before buying

If you are really keen on getting artificial flowers that look like real ones, you have to spend some time finding quality flowers. Sometimes, it may be necessary to inspect them before buying. Buying artificial flowers without inspecting them to see if they are as natural as possible may lead to disappointment.

Go for wired stems

It has been proven that artificial flowers with wired stems make it easier to create a natural flower position. Ensure that you buy artificial flowers that come with wires or other support components.

Add some real flowers

One easy way to make your artificial flowers look natural is having them mixed with real flowers. This creates an illusion in people's minds that all the flowers are real. Adding one or more blooms to a bouquet of artificial flowers can make the flower look so lifelike.

The rule here is to ensure that you get the same species as the artificial flower so that the colours match.

Trim the stems

A little trimming of the flower's stem can have a significant impact on the aesthetic. Reduce the length of the stem by a few centimetres or inches so that only a tiny section of the stem shows above the vase. If the artificial flowers come with leaves that do not look real, you may need to take them out.

How To Clean Your Artificial Flowers

Cleaning your artificial plants and flowers does not have to be complicated. You can always make your flowers look great and beautiful with a simple and regular cleaning routine. Our strongest recommendation for cleaning is using a damp, clean, micro fibre cloth. If you definitely want to use something different here are a few more options based on what we have heard various people use over time.

Removing dust from your artificial flowers

The best way to always keep your artificial flowers and plants clean is through regular dusting. Dust builds up over time on the surface of these flowers, and the more dust builds up, the harder it is to remove. As a best practice, we recommend weekly dusting of your artificial plants and flowers.

The materials you will need to keep your plant clean include a dust brush and a small soft-bristle paint brush.

Procedure

• Use a can of compressed air to eliminate dust from the surface of the plants. Ensure that you hold the can about 15-20 cm away so that you do not damage the petals.
• Remove the majority of the dust using a dust brush and carefully dust the entire plant.
• Conclude by using a soft-bristle paint brush to remove dust in tiny regions in the blooms.

Cleaning artificial flowers with detergent

You can also significantly improve the look of your faux flowers by cleaning them with gentle laundry detergent. This is especially applicable to vinyl flowers and plants but do not use this method to clean silk flowers as the detergent can cause the dyes to bleed.

The following materials will be required to properly clean your flower: A trash bag, gentle detergent, microfiber washcloth, warm water, cloths, and clips.

Procedure

• Add water and a tablespoon of the detergent into a jar and mix vigorously.
• If you have unpotted artificial plants and flowers, immerse them into the water and allow them to stay for about a minute, then gently swirl the water.
• For potted plants, cover them with a trash bag. Tie it firmly around the flower base so that nothing falls off. Then turn the flower upside down into the water and turn gently to remove all dirt.
• Use a washcloth to remove any remaining dirt from the plants.
• Hang the flowers upside down by the stem on a clothesline using a clip. For potted flowers, allow drying with the trash bag on them to protect the potting material from absorbing water.

Cleaning artificial flowers with salt

You can use salt to remove dirt from your artificial flowers because salts are abrasive but do not damage flowers.

The materials required include a half-cup of salt, pillowcase, plastic trash bag, and a big resealable bag.

Procedure

• Put the half-cup of salt into the trash bag.
• Put the flowers into the trash bag.
• Close the trash bag tightly.
• Shake the flowers and the salt gently for about six minutes
• Open the trash bag and bring out the flowers.

Cleaning artificial flowers with alcohol

Alcohol presents an easy method of cleaning artificial plants and flowers that have large leaves. If you are going to be cleaning cloth flowers, test the alcohol solution on a small, hidden area to be sure that it does not bleach the colour of the flower.

The materials you will require are as follows: a spray bottle, two soft cloths, a half-cup of rubbing alcohol, and a cup of water.

Procedure

• Mix the rubbing alcohol with some water in a spray bottle.
• Spray on a small inconspicuous area and watch to observe if the mixture bleaches the flower. If it does, stop using the solution. If it does not, continue to the next step.
• Spray the mixture on all of the leaves and vinery.
• Wipe down the leaves and vinery using a soft cloth.
• Use the second cloth to remove any remaining residue that may be left after the first wipe.

Cleaning artificial flowers with white vinegar and lemon juice

You can combine white vinegar and lemon juice and use the mixture as a homemade solution for cleaning artificial plants. Remember to test the mixture on a small, hidden flower area to make sure that the colour does not bleed.

The materials to use in this process include the following: a cup of vinegar, two cups of water, two tablespoons of lemon juice, a spray bottle, and two soft microfibre cloths.

Procedure

• Mix the above-specified quantity of water, lemon juice, and vinegar in the spray bottle.
• Spray the mixture on a small, hidden area to test. If the colour bleeds, stop using the combination. If it does not bleed, continue to the next step.
• Spray the mixture on every part of the flower that needs cleaning.
• Wipe down the leaves and other greenery using a cloth.
• Use the second microfibre cloth to remove any residue that may be left after the first cleaning.

General Decorating Tips For Artificial Flowers

Arrange to mimic real flowers

We all know that for real flowers, their leaves and stems are not perfect. When decorating with artificial flowers, it is better to arrange them in such a way that they will mimic real flowers. The stem does not need to be perfectly arranged or placed symmetrically as long as it comes close to the real thing.

Research on real flowers

Before you purchase an artificial flower, it is essential to know what the real flower equivalent looks like. You can search for pictures online or, better still, visit the nearest florist show near you.

Every flower has a unique leaf shape, texture, and vein type. Makers of artificial flowers are also upping their game to create artificial flowers that look almost real. When shopping, look for colourful and most realistic flowers. If you search very well, you will be amazed at the number of real-looking artificial flowers available. So, do proper research before buying a fake flower.

Separate the flowers if need be

Just because artificial flowers are sold in a bunch does not mean you cannot separate them during decoration. You can divide the bunch into stems. All you need to achieve this is a pair of wire cutters to split the bunch into individual flower stems.

Do not use scissors as this will damage the blade. Once you have split the flowers, arrange them the way you would arrange fresh flowers. If using a glass vase, it is vital to separate them so that the stems are not seen together in the vase through the glass.

Bend the stems

An artificial flower should look like a real one as much as possible. Since a real flower does not stand perfectly on its stem, you should also make the artificial flowers look the same. Use your hand and bend the wire stem a bit so that it can look like a real flower.

Add water to the Vase

If you are using a glass vase for your fake flowers, it is necessary to include water and fillers in the vase. This will give the appearance of water, making the fake flower appear real. Cut off the metal end of the stem with a wire cutter if visible and then place it in a water-containing vase. This will also prevent rust marks from appearing on the glass vase.

Go for single colour artificial flowers

Many fake flowers you will find in stores today are sold as mixed bouquets. It is always challenging to make a bouquet of different flowers appear real. So, while shopping for your artificial flowers, go for one that is of one type and the same colour. Find one artificial flower in your preferred colour and fill the vase or container with them.

Take off a few buds or petals

Natural flowers do not stay the same all through; they shed flowers from time to time. So, while decorating with fake flowers, drop a few blossoms or buds on the table so that they can look real.

Buy flowers that are in season

One old convention about artificial flowers is that if you want to make your artificial flowers appear natural, it is best to buy one that is in season. While we agree with this concept, it is essential not to allow it to prevent you from buying beautiful artificial flowers when you see one.

For instance, there is nothing wrong with buying a beautiful pink tulip just because it is in the middle of winter. These days, you can purchase any type of flowers from a florist or flower shop at any time of the year.

Keep in plastic bags

To store artificial flowers, keep them in containers with large plastic garbage bags covering the bloom. This will ensure they remain clean all year. Remember to always dust them regularly. You can even run them under water periodically and allow them to dry.

Seek Professionals For The Right Artificial Flowers

The most important thing with decorating your home or office with artificial flowers is to shop for a quality product. You need artificial flowers that look as real as possible. Whether shopping online or in a physical store for flowers, remember to always go for artificial flowers that are of good quality and look like real flowers. Alternatively, talk to professionals, and ask for their guidance to point you in the right direction.

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