How can I safely clean silk flowers?

Suzanne Burns
by Suzanne Burns
These flowers are in an arrangement that is probably 30 years old and belonged to my mother. I love them and they really still look pretty good. I just have noticed how dusty they are. Not dirty, but dusty.

  13 answers
  • Jcraw Jcraw on Feb 27, 2018

    with great patience and microfiber dust cloths. First vacuum with a stocking over the nozzle brush.

  • Chubby58 Chubby58 on Feb 27, 2018

    Try some canned air, or a blow dryer. Hold on to the stems. You can also use a large make up brush or soft paint brush and brush the flowers off. I use a paint brush to brush the dust off my living plants in the house.

  • Dianacirce70 Dianacirce70 on Feb 27, 2018

    my ex mother in law used to make a mix of find table salt and baking soda and put it in a baggie, put the flower hear in the baggie and close the sipper around the stem as much as possible and shake it to get dust off her imitation flowers

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Feb 27, 2018

    Craft stores sell a silk flower cleaner

  • June Turnbull June Turnbull on Feb 27, 2018

    about twice a year give them a good shower and leave them to dry in the shower.

    • See 1 previous
    • Blaire Simpson Oslander Blaire Simpson Oslander on Apr 23, 2018

      Check first for color fastness. I had some red tulips that bled all over the place! I go for the table salt in a paper bag route. You will have to use a blow dryer or canned air afterwards to remove the last of the salt, but if you're careful you can put the entire arrangement into the bag and keep the arrangement in place.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Feb 27, 2018

    Put them in a plastic bag with salt, close it and shake. Then shake off any remaining salt, you are done, flowers all cleaned.

  • Emily Emily on Feb 27, 2018

    Since this is an arrangement it must be rather large is that true? I would probably take it to the sink, turn it on its side on the counter and spray the flowers with a gentle spray from the sink hose(turning to get all sides). That is how I clean my eucalyptus and fake ivy. Then place in sun for further freshening. I have straw flowers that are over 50 years old and I wash them!

  • Suzanne Burns Suzanne Burns on Feb 27, 2018

    Thank you for taking time to reply. Do the flowers go limp after a shower? These are silk. Suzanne

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Feb 27, 2018

    Most of the flowers from 30 years ago, are polyester "silk". You can safely remove them from the arrangement, and dip in sudsy water (dish soap) and rinse gently. Then lay them on a towel to dry. That is how I have been doing mine since the 1980s.

  • June Turnbull June Turnbull on Feb 27, 2018

    Mine have never gone limp however if they are very dirty I would shake the heads in some soapy water and then rinse them off in the shower.

  • Missy Burch Missy Burch on Apr 23, 2018

    I clean mine with canned air- works like a charm. Short bursts from a foot away.

  • Ginny Ginny on Apr 24, 2018

    I wash my silk flowers in a mile solution of Dawn and warm water. Take them outside to shake out excess water; put on the deck railing to dry and voila they're clean.

  • Galena Galena on Apr 24, 2018

    Sticky Paper will work, just don’t get in a hurry�