The Problem with That Trendy Dried Flower Look — And How to Fix It

While a vase of fresh-cut flowers is lovely, there’s only a short window of time before those precious petals start to wilt. And since no one enjoys throwing out shriveled or soggy blooms, it explains the current craze with dried florals: They never die. From fluffy pampas grass to bleached ferns, you can’t scroll on social media without seeing some variety of dried blooms. Both practical and pretty, you can find them in just about any texture or hue, all of which will lend a bit of boho beauty to your space. 

Even though their long lifespan trumps that of their fresh counterparts, they do come with one serious drawback: They tend to get dusty, like really dusty. And anyone who has dared to clean the brittle petals of dried flowers knows this will reduce them to a pile of ashes faster than a vampire in sunlight. So what’s one to do? It turns out there are several ways you can preserve your dried florals and keep them from turning into dust magnets, and these three are my favorite. 

One thing you quickly realize when arranging dried flowers is just how fragile the petals are. Any amount of movement could cause them to crumble and contribute to the dust issue. By spraying them with a clear sealant, it coats the petals, making them hardier and less likely to fall apart. 

There are special floral protectant sprays you can buy, which are essentially a clear lacquer or acrylic sealant, or you could also use an extra-hold aerosol hair spray. One advantage the floral sprays carry over hairspray, though, is they offer UV protection to keep the color from fading. But if you follow the golden rule of dried flowers, which is to keep them out of direct sunlight, either option will work.

Once you’ve sprayed your dried flowers with a clear sealant, it should help repel some dust for a bit. But it won’t keep them clean over the long haul. For this, you’ll need a different kind of spray formulated to clean faux or dried flowers. 

It’s a water-based product designed to be applied once a month. When you spray it on your dried flowers, it freshens them up and makes any dust invisible. And there’s no need to wipe afterward, either. Just be sure to spray from a distance of 12 inches so as to not harm the petals with the strong bursts of air. 

If spraying your dried flowers with a cleaning spray once a month sounds like too much maintenance, you could just use a hair dryer to blow any dust off whenever it becomes noticeable. You’ll want to use the cool setting, of course, and set the air flow to low. Then hold the hair dryer approximately 10 to 12 inches away from the flowers and blow the dust away.