Waaaay OT: Cleaning home question

Ok, so I know this is way OT, but I figured someone might know of a good way to clean silk flowers.  I have a beautiful vase of silk irises.  The vase is very large and has that artificial water in the bottom of it.  There is a bunch of dust on the flowers themselves as well as the "water".  I cannot remove the flowers from the "water" because it is gel-like.  I just don't know how to clean this without damaging the flowers/vase/"water".  It has been in my bathroom, so the humidity helped "seal on" the dust more so than you would find in other rooms.   Anyone have any ideas???  I'm sorry this is so OT, but I didn't get much help when I searched online.  The company didn't have a description for care nor did they get back to me.   TIA!

I'd blow the flowers with the hair dryer on cool. Otherwise try cleaning each flower and leaf with a damp cloth. If these don't work, you may have to replace it.

Connie 

Since you can't remove the flowers, I guess I would use my old stand by. Compressed Air like I clean my computer with.  I do this to flowers, lampshades and if I have it handy I use it to reach places I can't.  Good at getting those dust webs out of the corner of rooms, too.  My silk flowers are all removable and I normally just run some water in it or a large sink and swish them around it it, let them dry and you have clean flowers.  Jacqueline

Thanks Jacqueline and Connie!  The flower vase is very large and there is dust all over the flowers as well as the "water".  I tried to use a cloth on them, but the humidity from the bathroom sort of "glued" the dust onto them.  I will try the hair dryer since I don't have canned air (odd concept if you ask me!), but if that doesn't work, I'll check out the compressed air idea.   Thanks!

Alyssa, Failing what the others have suggested, depending on the kind of vacuum cleaner you have, if you have the old "tank" kind, you might reverse the hose and blow/suck the dust off the plant.  Consider removing the plant from the bathroom for a few days and then "attack" it. Do you have any of those "Swiffer" sheets available?  Those sheets are good for removing all kinds of dirt from the most unusual places. Marti in San Jose (used to be from Gainesville)

As much as a pain as it might be, put it in the tub, spray  with water (not fromt he shower, but like a spay bottle) and then try rubbing with a dry terry towel or one of those micro towels.  I would say run water over the whole thing, but with the gel like water, it might melt!

Hey Alyssa!  Is it gel or is it that solid substance that is made to look like water?   The old trick to clean silk flowers is to put some rice in a bag, put the flowers in and shake it.  The dust supposedly gets knocked off by the rice particles.  I guess the method you use depends on the gel substance in the bottom of the vase.  Here are some other methods I read about online: Dusty Blooms

Does anyone have a good and easy way to clean/wash silk plants and/or silk trees? I have bought the spray that the silk plant stores sell and it doesn't work that great. Any ideas? Thanks. S.

Rice Is Nice

Try rice. Take a paper bag and place a cup or two of white rice (uncooked of course). Place the plant inside and shake. Give it a few good shakes and the rice will dust the plant off. This works great with wreaths and dried flower arrangements too. For the tree this may be harder, maybe you could do a section at a time. It has always worked for me. Chris T. of Sylvania, Georgia

New-Fangled or Old-Fashioned

Take your silk plants outside, where you have an electrical outlet available (or can use an outlet from inside easily ) and take your blow dryer with you. Put the blow dryer on "low" speed and simply blow the dust away! If any dust remains, use one of the new 'Pledge' or 'Swiffer' cloths to gently wipe off the flowers and leaves. This works incredibly well for me.

An older method is to again take your items outside and sprinkle them all over with cornmeal. Place a plastic bag over the item and turn them upside down, shaking them. The cornmeal works as a "scrubbing" effect to remove the dust from the flowers/leaves. When you turn the item upside down and shake, it is supposed to remove the dust by the scrubbing and also remove the cornmeal from the item. H.

Mom's Advice

Here's a good tip that my mom shared with me years ago. I've been using it ever since. Fill your sink about 1/2 full with warm water and 2-3 tsp. of Dawn dish detergent. Take your silk flowers/plants and swish them in the sudsy water several times. Lay on a dishtowel to dry. This method has allowed me to use the same silk flowers for years. They still look great so when I tire of one arrangement, I just save the flowers to use later. They still look new even when they have been used in 2-4 arrangements over a period of about 8 years. Cyndi

Nature's Bath

To clean silk plants and silk trees, I use a mild solution of dish washing soap (1/2 teaspoon or less) mixed with water in a 16 oz. spray bottle, and my garden hose with a showering nozzle. Pick a warm or hot day with a mild wind and move the silk plants and trees to the back patio or shaded area of the back yard. I usually clean them one at a time. Gently mist the plant or tree with the soap solution and then gently shower it with the garden hose until the dirt and soapy solution are removed. My most fragile silk plants come out looking like new. I don't recommend exposing them to sunlight. The warm breeze will dry the plants, trees, baskets or other containers in an hour or so. Carolyn of Richardson, Texas

Salt Shaker

The very best way that I have found to clean silk and even dried arrangements is by putting them in a plastic bag with a few tablespoons of salt and give them a shake. The dried arrangements do better if they have been gently sprayed with an acrylic coating previously (before they begin accumulating dust) so that they are more durable during this cleaning method. A little bit of salt does often stay even after shaking them out later but it shows up a lot less than the dust. Do be careful so as not to shake them right out of the setting! Wendy C

Shower Time

Your shower is the best source for cleaning silk plants. I do my hanging plants and trees the same way about once a month. There is no need for soap or any other household products. Just turn on your shower with a warm gentle spray and let it do the work. All the dirt and dust just rinses away and the "plants" look like new. Robin of Apple Valley, CA

Thanks Cindy!  The vase is too large to do the "rice shaker" idea.  To answer your question, the "water" is solid, but not rock solid.  It's like they used gel to set the flowers/rocks in the vase and then the gel solidified.  I was just concerned about detergents/soaps on tha****er substance.  And I just didn't know if putting water directly on it (like give the plant a shower) would hurt the "water".  It sounds weird writing abou****er hurting "water" but I think you get the idea!  haha!

If the gel is "Wonder Water," you aren't supposed to contaminate it with regular water. Maybe you can use the Swiffer cloths or baby wipes on the plants.  I am stumped though on how to get the dust off the gel.  I read somewhere that the Wonder Water can be reheated and then reused if that's what is in the vase.   Hmmmmmmmm Cindy

Honey, I use this! just spray it on!~ http://www.silkflowers.com/listproducts.asp?idCategory=30&so urce=google&gclid=CPLI2faRrpMCFQuYQAodYS6uog