Silk plants and silk flowers are becoming increasing popular as items of interior decoration. Many people, particularly those who are very busy, prefer them over natural houseplants because they don’t need regular watering, fertilizing or pruning. They will neither wilt nor fade. Here we will consider silk flowers and silk trees along with other types of artificial plants. Although artificial plants need less care than the natural ones, they need to be taken care of and cleaned regularly to keep them looking good and adding to the beauty of your interiors. It is very easy to take care and clean silk plants, silk flowers and trees at home. Here we will discuss a few silk plant care and cleaning tips.
You should avoid keeping artificial plants in direct sunlight. Although they are known as silk most silk plants are not made of silk but from synthetic fabric and their color will fade over time if kept in direct sunlight. Don’t keep the artificial plants and flowers inside your kitchen. If kept near open flames they can pose a fire hazard. Moreover the artificial plants and silk flowers kept in the kitchen will get a layer of grease from the kitchen air and become very difficult to clean. You have to regularly replace the ones kept in the kitchen with new ones. This it is advisable to avoid keeping artificial plants, particularly those made from fabric in the cooking area. If you really want to keep them in your kitchen then use plastic ones because they are easier to clean. But keep them away from open flames and heat.
All artificial plants including silk plants are designed to last for many years but they need occasional care and cleaning to continue to look bright and beautiful. They tend to gather dust after some months and start looking very dull. You need to clean them without losing any leaves or upsetting their beautiful arrangement. There are some simple cleaning steps that you can follow to keep them looking great all year round. Cleaning constitutes dusting at regular interval and occasional thorough cleaning with water, a home made cleaning solution or a commercial cleaner. For regular upkeep of the plants and flowers simply brush them off with a feather duster at least once weekly along with the dusting of the containers. To minimize dust collection, either every week or on alternate weeks, you can spray your artificial flowers and plants. lightly, to coat them with a thin layer of clear disinfectant (like Lysol).
Even if you dust your artificial foliage and flowers regularly some dust remains behind and this will build up over the months. If you find that even after dusting you don’t get a bright plants and they has dulled considerably you will need to clean them thoroughly with water or a cleaning solution, every 3 or 6 months. Irrespective of whether it is an silk plants, silk trees or silk flowers you have to first test whether it will stand washing with tap water. First remove a leaf from an inconspicuous portion and rinse it under tap water and shake out the water. After some time inspect its condition. If it is OK then you can take the whole plant outside and dust it thoroughly to prepare it for cleaning. Then inspect the pot and the filler material. Sometimes the filler is made from paper that can get damaged if it gets soaked. It is best to take the plant out from the pot for cleaning or else the containers and fillers may get satined. Even brass and copper pots can get tarnished by water and lose their shine.
Most artificial plants can be cleaned under running water. Make sure that no glue or decorations are used that can be damaged by water. It is advisable to get this clarified at the time of purchasing it. However most silk and plastic plants and flowers can be washed wit water. Prepare a sudsy bath in your sink with warm water and dishwashing liquid. Take the plant or flowers out of the pot and dip them inside the sink. Gently wash the surfaces by hand or with a strong paper towel. Empty out the dirty water and refill the sink. Rinse the plant and empty the sink again. Rinse the leaves again with running lukewarm or cold water. Take the plant out and give it a good shake. Finally blot the leaves dry with a paper towel or let it air dry. In this process some leaves may get detached.
You can put them back. If you wish you can also clean the plant outside on a cemented walk or patio. Use a garden hose and mild spray nozzle to clean the plant thoroughly by keeping it tipped. After the plant is thoroughly cleaned leave it to dry in a sunny and airy place for a few hours. Depending on whether the container is clay, plastic, glass or metal use the appropriate cleaner. Wicker or basket type containers can be cleaned with a damp cloth. There are many commercial cleaning products available in stores for cleaning artificial plants. However there is not much difference between them and ordinary household cleaners. Strong cleaning chemicals also may damage the color of the leaves and flowers. The household silk flowers and silk plants cleaning tips described here are adequate enough to keep them looking fresh for years.
