An easy tip could keep flowers looking fresher for longer (Image: Jena Ardell via Getty Images)
As we navigate through the final month of winter, with cold and wet weather still on the horizon, a vase of vibrant can add a touch of warmth and comfort to our homes.
For those who enjoy a lovely bunch of cut flowers, there are numerous tips and to keep them looking fresh for as long as possible.
Typically, a bunch of will only last between seven and 10 days, but, David Denyer, a flower expert at , has revealed a household item that could extend the life of your bouquets, and it costs as little as 79p.
The secret ingredient – denture tablets!
By dissolving one tablet in your vase water (and adding a new one each time you change the water), you could significantly increase the lifespan of your .
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Denture tables contain agents similar to those found in conventional flower food (Image: Getty Images)
Denture tablets contain many ingredients found in common household cleaners, including peroxide-based bleach, oxidisers, salt, and bicarbonate of soda.
While they’re designed to clean porcelain and acrylic dentures, many people also use them to clean household surfaces like porcelain sinks and glass.
If you’ve ever struggled to get your vases sparkling clean after housing an arrangement for a while, denture tablets can be even a great solution for cleaning up cloudy vases.
Surprisingly, denture tablets can be used to extend the lifespan of your cut flowers. This is due to the sterilising ingredients found in denture tablets, typically dilute sodium hypochlorite, which acts as a mild bleach.
This agent is similar to those found in conventional flower food, helping to neutralise and kill harmful bacteria and pathogens in the water.
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Essentially, dissolving denture tablets in your flower water could mimic the effects of flower food by acting as a disinfectant and preventing bacterial growth that could clog the stems and shorten the life of your flowers by inhibiting proper water absorption.
Denture tablets offer a cost-effective method for keeping flowers alive for longer, with a pack of 30 available to buy for around just £1 or less.
To fully reap the benefits of using denture tablets, it’s important that proper flower care must still be maintained from the start. This should include regular stem trimming and water replacement every other day.