To prolong the look, shape, and feel of your beautiful fresh flowers, read this quick guide on how to preserve flowers with wax!
Best Flowers for Preserving With Wax
Wax is one of the easiest, hassle-free, and not to mention a less expensive way to retain the natural shape and feel of your favorite flowers indefinitely. You can pick any blooms but always opt for those who are in their prime, fully open, and fresh. Some of the flowers suitable for wax preservation are:
- Rose
- Tulip
- Ranunculus
- Gerberas
- Peony
- Marigold
- Dahlia
- Aster
- Delphinium
- Chrysanthemums
How to Preserve Flowers With Wax?
Flowers will lose their appearance within a week or so, if they belong to some cherished times or you want to save their beauty to brighten up weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays, waxing is the last resort. With the help of wax, you can preserve them easily to retain their natural look. Let’s take a look at how to preserve flowers with wax below.
Supplies
- Flowers of Your Choice
- Large Saucepan and a Smaller Metal Pot (For Double Boiler)
- Soy Wax Flakes
- Glass Soda Pop Bottles
- Clothespins
- Candy thermometer
- A Spoon
- Water
Directions
- First, make sure to put newspaper on your work surface to avoid dripping wax mess.
- Pour water into a large saucepan until it’s a quarter full and put it on the stove. Next, place the smaller metal pot filled with soy wax inside the saucepan to create a double boiler. Heat it over medium heat until the wax melts properly. Keep its temperature between 120-130° F (48-54° C).
- Once it melts, take out the container from the stove and put it on the work surface.
- Now, grab a fresh flower, strip any wilted leaves or petals. Leave its stem around 8-9 inches long for finished vase displays.
- Next, place a clothespin below the bloom to protect your fingers from burning.
- Dip the flower into the wax far enough to cover the entire bloom head and lift it out immediately.
- Next, hold the flower horizontally, slowly swirl it over the wax container for a few seconds, so the wax droplets get into all the petals, and shake it off to remove the excess wax droplets.
- After that, place the flower upright into a glass soda pop bottle until the wax dried.
- Once it’s done, your preserved flower is ready to display its beauty.
- Repeat this process for the remaining flowers.
Notes
- Re-dip the flowers to get a complete and even wax coverage of any missed areas.
- Handle the melted wax carefully to avoid any mishaps.
- While preserving the flowers, it’s vital to maintain the temperature of the melted wax. A cloudy appearance in the container means wax is getting cool, reheat it immediately.
- After dipping the bloom and placing it on the soda pop bottle, if the flower’s shape is deformed, adjust it with a q-tip or toothpick.
How Long do Wax Preserved Flowers Last?
Flowers preserved through soy wax will last long for 30-45 days. If you don’t have soy wax flakes, paraffin wax and beeswax are the best organic alternatives. Simply follow the above steps and notes as mentioned to save the beauty of your lovely blooms.
Final Thoughts
At first, the above DIY seems hard, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll get an endless supply of fresh blossoms all year round. Besides, you can also try out the borax method to preserve your wilted flowers. If you found this article helpful, share it with your family and friends.