How to clean silk flowers?

[David D.]

Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly because
it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.

Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in general?
Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They are
far too delicate to vacuum them.

- David D.

[Phisherman]

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 10:05:04 -0500, "David D."
<daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote:

>Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly because
>it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
>
>Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in general?
>Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They are
>far too delicate to vacuum them.
>
> - David D.
>
>
A can of compressed air will do a good job (take them outside). You
can purchase compressed air at most computer supply stores.

[Vox Humana]

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:LJWdnV-vtpWJHc3dRVn-uA@comcast.com...
> Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly
because
> it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
>
> Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in
general?
> Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They
are
> far too delicate to vacuum them.
>

You may just be assuming that the arrangements are delicate. If they are
really "silk" flowers, they are made of sturdy polyester fabric and are
quite durable. I have a number of these arrangement. Periodically, I
vacuum them or give them a good blast of air from my air compressor. For a
more thorough cleaning there are several alternatives. If you have a steam
cleaner, you can use that. Simply direct the steam to the leaves and
flowers. You can use a clean cloth to wipe large flat areas to assist is
removing the dirt. The flowers will dry very quickly. You may have to
repeat this a few times until they are very clean. I did this recently to
an arrangement and it worked fairly well.

The method that works best for me is to put some liquid dish detergent and
water into a spray bottle and spray the flowers, thoroughly saturating
everything. Then I use a hand-held sprayer (or garden hose if outside) and
gently rinse them. I hold the arrangement upside down when rinsing to keep
the water away from the container. I then shake them off and leave them
outside to dry in the sun. I have some large ledge garden arrangements that
I actually put in the shower. They get a good spray with the dish detergent
as above, then I use the hand-held shower to rinse them. I don't have to
worry about water accumulating in a container as the arrangements are built
on slabs of floral foam. It is amazing to see how much dirt rinses off them!
An alternative way to clean them is to fill a sink or other large, deep
container with warm soapy water. Dip the arrangement (upside down) into the
water and swish it around. Remove and let it drip and then repeat with
clear water to rinse. It is best to wash the arrangements on warm, sunny
days when there is a good breeze-

You can also buy cleaners in spray cans specifically designed for silk
arrangement. These sprays contain a fast drying solvent. You simply spray
the arrangement and let it dry. The sprays are OK, but not as good as
simply washing the flowers. The sprays can be found anywhere that sells
silk flowers like craft stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Garden Ridge).

Of course, you can't use water on dried natural materials or with paper
flowers. Before cleaning the arrangements, turn them upside down and shake
a few times to make sure that they are constructed well.

[Home Essentials]

You guys will probably think I am totally crazy. But this really does work.
This is a tip from my Home Interior Rep.

Place all your artificial flowers in a brown paper sack. Put a 1/8 of a cup
of table salt in the bag with your arrangements. Fold the top down,step
outside and vigorously shake bag to where you can hear the salt hitting all
inside the bag.

Take each flower or arrangement out and shake out the salt. They look like
brand new flowers. All your dust and lent particles are then in the bag with
the remainder of the salt.




"Vox Humana" <vhumana@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sf04c.1186$8G2.754@fe3.columbus.rr.com...
>
> "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:LJWdnV-vtpWJHc3dRVn-uA@comcast.com...
> > Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly
> because
> > it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
> >
> > Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in
> general?
> > Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They
> are
> > far too delicate to vacuum them.
> >
>
> You may just be assuming that the arrangements are delicate. If they are
> really "silk" flowers, they are made of sturdy polyester fabric and are
> quite durable. I have a number of these arrangement. Periodically, I
> vacuum them or give them a good blast of air from my air compressor. For
a
> more thorough cleaning there are several alternatives. If you have a
steam
> cleaner, you can use that. Simply direct the steam to the leaves and
> flowers. You can use a clean cloth to wipe large flat areas to assist is
> removing the dirt. The flowers will dry very quickly. You may have to
> repeat this a few times until they are very clean. I did this recently to
> an arrangement and it worked fairly well.
>
> The method that works best for me is to put some liquid dish detergent and
> water into a spray bottle and spray the flowers, thoroughly saturating
> everything. Then I use a hand-held sprayer (or garden hose if outside)
and
> gently rinse them. I hold the arrangement upside down when rinsing to
keep
> the water away from the container. I then shake them off and leave them
> outside to dry in the sun. I have some large ledge garden arrangements
that
> I actually put in the shower. They get a good spray with the dish
detergent
> as above, then I use the hand-held shower to rinse them. I don't have to
> worry about water accumulating in a container as the arrangements are
built
> on slabs of floral foam. It is amazing to see how much dirt rinses off
them!
> An alternative way to clean them is to fill a sink or other large, deep
> container with warm soapy water. Dip the arrangement (upside down) into
the
> water and swish it around. Remove and let it drip and then repeat with
> clear water to rinse. It is best to wash the arrangements on warm, sunny
> days when there is a good breeze-
>
> You can also buy cleaners in spray cans specifically designed for silk
> arrangement. These sprays contain a fast drying solvent. You simply
spray
> the arrangement and let it dry. The sprays are OK, but not as good as
> simply washing the flowers. The sprays can be found anywhere that sells
> silk flowers like craft stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Garden Ridge).
>
> Of course, you can't use water on dried natural materials or with paper
> flowers. Before cleaning the arrangements, turn them upside down and
shake
> a few times to make sure that they are constructed well.
>
>

[David D.]

I'll give it a try.

- David

"Home Essentials" <bsandy_1982@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Wu-dnVAGlOBKec7dRVn-vg@fidnet.com...
> You guys will probably think I am totally crazy. But this really does
work.
> This is a tip from my Home Interior Rep.
>
> Place all your artificial flowers in a brown paper sack. Put a 1/8 of a
cup
> of table salt in the bag with your arrangements. Fold the top down,step
> outside and vigorously shake bag to where you can hear the salt hitting
all
> inside the bag.
>
> Take each flower or arrangement out and shake out the salt. They look like
> brand new flowers. All your dust and lent particles are then in the bag
with
> the remainder of the salt.
>
>
>

[eliquint]

Not so crazy, that's how I have always cleaned mine. Rice if salt supply is
low will also work. Also you can put the flowers in a net lingerie bag &
put in dryer on air fluff for 20-30 min.'s that really works well, but you
may have to put a few petals or leaves back on, these usually only take a
minute to replace w/ a little white glue to make sure they stay put.
So I guess you can call me crazy too!! LOL


--
Ms E Quin - eliquint designs
quin the crafter at columbus dot rr dot com

"Home Essentials" <bsandy_1982@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Wu-dnVAGlOBKec7dRVn-vg@fidnet.com...
> You guys will probably think I am totally crazy. But this really does
work.
> This is a tip from my Home Interior Rep.
>
> Place all your artificial flowers in a brown paper sack. Put a 1/8 of a
cup
> of table salt in the bag with your arrangements. Fold the top down,step
> outside and vigorously shake bag to where you can hear the salt hitting
all
> inside the bag.
>
> Take each flower or arrangement out and shake out the salt. They look like
> brand new flowers. All your dust and lent particles are then in the bag
with
> the remainder of the salt.
>
>
>
>
> "Vox Humana" <vhumana@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:sf04c.1186$8G2.754@fe3.columbus.rr.com...
> >
> > "David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in
message
> > news:LJWdnV-vtpWJHc3dRVn-uA@comcast.com...
> > > Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly
> > because
> > > it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in
> > general?
> > > Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust.
They
> > are
> > > far too delicate to vacuum them.
> > >
> >
> > You may just be assuming that the arrangements are delicate. If they
are
> > really "silk" flowers, they are made of sturdy polyester fabric and are
> > quite durable. I have a number of these arrangement. Periodically, I
> > vacuum them or give them a good blast of air from my air compressor.
For
> a
> > more thorough cleaning there are several alternatives. If you have a
> steam
> > cleaner, you can use that. Simply direct the steam to the leaves and
> > flowers. You can use a clean cloth to wipe large flat areas to assist
is
> > removing the dirt. The flowers will dry very quickly. You may have to
> > repeat this a few times until they are very clean. I did this recently
to
> > an arrangement and it worked fairly well.
> >
> > The method that works best for me is to put some liquid dish detergent
and
> > water into a spray bottle and spray the flowers, thoroughly saturating
> > everything. Then I use a hand-held sprayer (or garden hose if outside)
> and
> > gently rinse them. I hold the arrangement upside down when rinsing to
> keep
> > the water away from the container. I then shake them off and leave them
> > outside to dry in the sun. I have some large ledge garden arrangements
> that
> > I actually put in the shower. They get a good spray with the dish
> detergent
> > as above, then I use the hand-held shower to rinse them. I don't have
to
> > worry about water accumulating in a container as the arrangements are
> built
> > on slabs of floral foam. It is amazing to see how much dirt rinses off
> them!
> > An alternative way to clean them is to fill a sink or other large, deep
> > container with warm soapy water. Dip the arrangement (upside down) into
> the
> > water and swish it around. Remove and let it drip and then repeat with
> > clear water to rinse. It is best to wash the arrangements on warm,
sunny
> > days when there is a good breeze-
> >
> > You can also buy cleaners in spray cans specifically designed for silk
> > arrangement. These sprays contain a fast drying solvent. You simply
> spray
> > the arrangement and let it dry. The sprays are OK, but not as good as
> > simply washing the flowers. The sprays can be found anywhere that sells
> > silk flowers like craft stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Garden Ridge).
> >
> > Of course, you can't use water on dried natural materials or with paper
> > flowers. Before cleaning the arrangements, turn them upside down and
> shake
> > a few times to make sure that they are constructed well.
> >
> >
>
>

[eliquint]

David,
If you have heavily soiled flowers, like mine that fell right in the gravy
boat. (Greasy mess every where) Try using "Woolite Foam Rug cleaner" just
spray on and vacuum off after the foam drys. Try putting an old nylon hose,
panty hose type on the end of the vacuum cleaner with a rubber band, that
way the dust & dirt go down the tube but not any loose flower parts that may
come off. I got peanut butter grease stains (kids food fight) off white
real silk (not rayon) flowers with a little "shout" stain remover on a
q-tip. And last but not least, there's the old cold water & laundry
detergent method. Just like laundry don't mix the color's that may bleed
together though. Reds, blues & some greens will bleed the color in the wash
water, and the next color you wash may pick up that color. Swish the
flowers around in the water, then in rinse water, then take outside & shake
off the excess water and let stand til dry. You can even spray them with
spray starch & form them around a mold (i use drinking glasses etc, anything
the shape I want them to be) then allow to dry like that.
Hope this helps!


--
Ms E Quin - eliquint designs
quin the crafter at columbus dot rr dot com

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:LJWdnV-vtpWJHc3dRVn-uA@comcast.com...
> Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly
because
> it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
>
> Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in
general?
> Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They
are
> far too delicate to vacuum them.
>
> - David D.
>
>
>

[MaryL]

"David D." <daviddiamond.remove-if-not-spam@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:LJWdnV-vtpWJHc3dRVn-uA@comcast.com...
> Silk flower arrangements become tired-looking after a while, mostly
because
> it is difficult to get all of the dust out of them.
>
> Any suggestions on restoring such arrangements, and dusting them in
general?
> Blowing on them, or feather dusting, only gets the surface dust. They
are
> far too delicate to vacuum them.
>
> - David D.
>
>
>

I know you were talking about silk flowers, but I also have a number of silk
foliage plants -- large ones like artificial palms and ficus trees. I just
put them in the bathtub and run the shower over them. I have an extra
shower head on a flexible hose that I use for my hair, and I also use it on
the foliage plants. Works great! Let the plant drip dry, and it's ready to
go.

MaryL