Tablescapes, Home Decor, Thrifting, Cooking

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Cleaning your Silks

For some time now, Gloria at Happy To Be has been asking me to do a post about Cleaning silks 002cleaning our faux flowers/greens.  Honestly, I have been waiting for the weather to warm up because there are a couple of ways you can do this task.

 

I didn’t want to drag it outside but if you have a tall ficus or other sort of faux tree that is causing your nose to run from all the dust (!) the easiest way to clean this is to take it out to the yard.  You can fill a bucket with soapy water to start off with.  Any sort of mild soap will do.  Do not go crazy with the soap, just a squirt.  Oh, and do not squirt the cat or she will no longer be your best friend!    :-) 

 

Another way to clean the really tall trees (I carry them up to 9’ tall) or the smaller one like I have pictured is to take a spray bottle and fill it with soapy water.  You will spray sections at a time of the soapy mixture or just take your prepared bucket and with a sponge wipe off the leaves.  The sponge method works better on a smaller plant such as the one I have pictured.  After you have wet it down with the soapy mixture, take your garden hose and gently rinse off all the leaves of soap.  Use your thumb to defuse the water pressure. You might want to put a nozzle on to control the pressure.  We are gently cleaning here, not using car wash pressure, ok?

Cleaning silks 003

If you have loose greenery up above your kitchen cabinets or even those stuck in baskets or containers, the easiest way to clean these is to run a few inches of water in your bathtub.  Add just a bit of whatever bubble bath happens to be sitting there.  Please do not use bath oil for obvious reasons!!  Oil and dirt do yucky things together!  Now after you have swished them around just a bit in the water, run your bath faucet and rinse them off.  You will want to dry them quickly so they don’t water spot.

Cleaning silks 004

  You may use your hair dryer OR you might want to take them outside in the sun to dry.  The way our winds blow around here, the greens will be dry in seconds.  Watch so they don’t end up in the neighbor’s yard!

Cleaning silks 005

There is a product I sell called Silk ‘n Splendor that is excellent for cleaning your fauxs.  You just spray it on and the dirt literally drips off. You don’t even have to rinse.  If you are doing this inside with a large tree, it is best to have a drop cloth beneath or place the tree in your bathtub because this method can get messy but works beautifully.  It is so easy and they will look new again.

 

 

Cleaning silks 006

 

 

 

Cleaning silks 001

You may be very surprised ~ but I doubt it~ today’s silks are really not silk but actually a blend of poly/cotton.  You may also use the above cleaning techniques for your faux flowers as well.  A little disclaimer here ~~ not everything you own or those you may have had from two decades ago will clean up with 100% success.  I sell the quality stuff and I know my cleaning methods work on those.  Cheaper fauxs from the dime store may “bleed”.  You may want to do a little area at a time to make sure they don’t turn a really pale green! 

 

I hope this post has helped.  Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions I didn’t go over.  Oh!  If you have a dusty dried arrangement, I suggest pitching it in the trash.  They are not attractive filled with dust and I have found no way to clean them.

 

Let me just say Thank You so much for your very nice comments from Monday’s post.  I really wasn’t fishing for compliments!  I just know that I sometimes don’t post as often as I would like, so at times I just feel you give up on me keeping up with my blog.  Occasionally I thinking of pulling the whole thing down, but I just enjoy it too much.

 

Now for a picture of yesterday’s project:Cleaning silks 009

Cleaning silks 008

Until next time  ~~~~~~~

18 comments:

southerninspiration said...

Just one more question....do you do HOUSE CALLS???? ;)
Love the new project, and thanks for the info on cleaning....now that I know how, I guess I need to DO IT!

Suzanne

Millie said...

Another little hint is that if your silks get a little squashed in storage, just hold them over a simmering pot of water and gently reshape the blooms...it works! Thanks for your hints on cleaning...I can attest to them working....

Domestic Designer said...

Thanks so much for the info. I have several arrangements that need cleaning and now I can do it with confidence.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the cleaning tips. Hope you are having a great day.

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Great tips, Donna, and I love your arrangement!!!! :)

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Oh Donna thanks so much for all the great information on cleaning me flowers...I have been waiting to see this...Hey girl don't you dare pull your blog...You have too many peeps that look forward to visiting and seeing you my friend...Now girl I sometimes only do a post a week...because I do have others thing in my life going on..We all do and now with summer coming all us us will have less time to blog...its family time of the year, kids out of school, vacation times etc...and I also will tell you sometimes it takes me a week to get back to comments...I do my blog because its fun for me...I am now retired after working for over fifty years and the day blogging becomes a job to me is the day I quit ha ha!!any way didn't mean to get up on my soap box...just don't want to see you leave...and girl your family should be your first concern...May you have a great day Dear friend...thanks again...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Donna...

My friend, I'm so happy that you stopped by...long time no see! Hehe! I know that everyone is getting busier and busier with the summer months now here! Anyway, it was such a pleasant surprise to find your sweet, sweet note...thank you so much for all of your kind compliments and well wishes!!!

Girl, I just love this post that you've done...good for Gloria for asking! I have so many faux plants and florals and cleaning them can be such a chore! I was wondering if I was doing it right...guess I am! I follow the same techniques that you suggested! I was wondering how the faux cleaner worked...it sure would be easier to use!

Girlfriend...your latest project turned out fabulous!!! I love the florals and mix of fruits and berries! It's so pretty!!! You are such a talented lady, Donna!!!

Thanks again for stopping by...Have a wonderful Wednesday Darlin'!
Chari

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna, So happy to have you visit. Squirting the cat with the hose is a past time of mine :). I wish I could convey how much Nags Head means to me...I just love the place so much and feel at peace when I am there. As soon as I cross that bridge over Currituck sound leading to the ocean I feel my troubles just sliding off of me. I hope we will get back in the Fall. xo Lynn

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Donna, I'm so glad Gloria talked you into doing this post. I definitely need to do some silk cleaning at my house. Thanks for all of the tips! And don't you dare quit blogging, because I might follow right behind you. I'm sure I post less often than you. laurie

Miss Laura Lu/RMS4291960 said...

Great tips! and don't you dare think of shutting down! I'd feel like I lost a good friend! Remember we're sisters in the fight for your fauxs! (LOL) God Bless! Lauralu :)

kate said...

your florial came out beautifully
to clean mine silks, i ususally take them outside and spray with hose, lightly and let dry in the sun....
thanks
kate

Justabeachkat said...

Hi Donna

Thanks for your sweet comment this morning! I'm so glad you left one 'cause I was able to find your fun blog. I've sure enjoyed my visit here this morning.

Kat
http://startingover-justabeachkat.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna! You've inspired me to go clean my "fauxs"!lol (well maybe tomorrow!lol) Pretty floral arrangement too! As far as your blog being "lame" don't even think that! I always have fun when I visit!!! (but I relate!) How pretty would some "faux" ivy be coming out of that memoriable box!!?? I am kicking myself every day because I had my dad's old work lunch box and because I was a stupid younger person I got rid of it when cleaning the garage! I urge you to hold onto this as long as possible!!!! Have a great weekend - Sincerely, Jeannette

Melissa Miller said...

Donna thank you so much for teaching us this method!

I do have some cleaning to do ASAP. I'll look for that product. I have terrible allergies and probably should have no florals or greenery and have all hardwoods only.
I suffer constantly with my sinuses but I just don't want to load up on medicine either. Sigh...
They get better at different times of the year. I know cleaning the greens will help me out.

Thanks for your kind words on our home office as well. I'm glad you know what a "me wall" is. I didn't want to seem like I was bragging. Our husbands careers become a big part of us military wives.

The drapery package said they were available online in different lengths. Mine are the 84". I'm not sure how long you will need having 10 ft ceilings.
I hope you get them! I am really happy with quality as well the bargain price.
Maybe one day after his retirement I'll try some custom...Dreaming here. :)

Your newest arrangment is gorgeous!

Talk to later my friend.
~Melissa :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna! Oh, thank you for the tutorial on cleaning up our little fauxs! That kitty couldn't get away fast enough, could she? :)
Thanks for popping in to see me and be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Hi Donna! Thanks for the good info! I must have some of th echeap stuf since I picked up some things from Goodwill and you are right...they did bleed! I will try th espray you recommend. that sounds like a good bet! Love your arrangement! About the tablescape...I'm running out of plates! lol Sooo...I'm taking a break until I get some more! Have a great weekend...hugs...Debbie

Tootsie said...

thanks for the tip!

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

To begin with I went out and bought that WONDERFUL body wash you recommended a couple of weeks ago (I think it was) and the Simple Pleasures rinse and I am delighted with both of them. I didn't use the body wash for awhile as I wasn't used to it..and then I grabbed it. It was just sitting there on the tub...and I LOVE THAT STUFF! I am totally hooked on both products.
So...point being...you have a believer here!
Now I find hints on how to clean my faux plants! YOU ARE THE GREATEST!
Thanks so much, Donna!
~smiles~
Mona