How to clean and care for dried and preserved flowers
Dried and preserved flowers need no water, just a good spot and a quick dusting. Here's how to clean them, where to put them and what to skip.
The short answer
To clean dried and preserved flowers, use a hairdryer on its cool setting, held about a foot back, or a soft, dry brush. Never use water or a damp cloth. Kept indoors, out of direct sun and away from steam, they stay beautiful for a year or more.
- Dust with
- A cool hairdryer or a soft brush
- Never use
- Water or a damp cloth
- Best spot
- Indoors, out of direct sun
In this article (5 sections)
Here is how to dust them in two minutes.
- Set a hairdryer to cool and low.
- Hold it about a foot back and sweep the air across the bouquet, top to bottom.
- For roses and tight blooms, use a soft, dry brush, like a clean makeup brush.
- Hold the arrangement by its base, never by the blooms.
A quick dusting every few weeks keeps the color bright. A rose under a glass dome skips this step entirely.
Where should they live?
Any indoor room works, as long as it is dry and the flowers sit a few feet back from a sunny window.
| Spot | Good spot? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Living room, bedroom or office | Yes | Dry, indoors and easy to keep out of direct sun. |
| A few feet back from a bright window | Yes | Light is fine. Direct sun on the petals is what fades them. |
| A sunny windowsill | No | Sun is the one thing that fades color. |
| The bathroom | No | Steam softens the petals and makes them droop. |
| The kitchen window over the sink | No | Same problem: steam and splashes. |
| Next to the fireplace or candles | No | Dried flowers are dry by design, so keep them away from heat and open flames. |
| A porch, a patio or a hot car | No | Heat and weather can undo a year of preservation in a week. |
Here is what to skip.
- Water of any kind, including a spritz to "freshen them up."
- A damp cloth, for the same reason as water.
- Bending a stem into a new shape, since preserved stems are strong but not bendy.
- Anywhere outdoors, even for one afternoon in the sun.
How do you store them for a move or a season?
Wrap the arrangement loosely in tissue paper and set it upright in a box. Keep the box somewhere dry, like a bedroom closet. Attics and garages get hot and humid, which is exactly what preserved flowers don't like.
Here are the questions people ask us most.
Can preserved flowers get wet?
No. Water damages preserved petals, so keep them away from spills, steam and watering cans.
How do you keep dust off dried flowers?
Pick a spot away from open windows and air vents, and give them a cool hairdryer pass every few weeks. A glass dome keeps a rose dust-free with no effort at all.
Do preserved roses need any care?
Barely. A good spot and a dusting every few weeks are all they ask for.
Are they safe around pets?
Every arrangement is preserved with non-toxic, plant-based ingredients. A few flowers, like lavender, eucalyptus and hydrangea, aren't for snacking, so keep them out of reach of pets that nibble.
What if something arrives damaged?
Send us a photo within 3 days of delivery and we'll send a replacement. For local delivery, that window is the day it arrives.
