How to Dry Flowers in Borax
Dried flowers are used for a variety of decorative purposes like enhancing a scrapbook, customizing a wrapped present, preserving a successful bloom in the garden or even creating vibrant frames. One of the most effective ways to preserve the blossoms is to use borax---an inexpensive, natural mineral typically used as a cleaning agent. With this desiccant and a couple of other supplies, you can easily dry your own flowers to create beautiful and distinctive crafts.
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Things You'll Need
- Flowers
- Large container
- Rubber gloves
- Bowl
- Borax
- White or yellow cornmeal
Instructions
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1
Decide on the types of flowers that you are going to dry. Delicate plants, such as honeysuckle, need a diluted borax solution to delay the drying time and to prevent petal discoloration, while flowers like roses have stronger petals that can dry more rapidly.
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2
Find a container, such as a shoe box or plastic, that is large enough to hold your blooms. Make sure that the container has a lid that fits on top.
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3
Wear a pair of rubber gloves to protect your skin. Mix in a bowl one part borax to one part white or yellow cornmeal to dry non-fragile blossoms. Combine one part borax and three parts cornmeal for a slower drying cycle. Make enough solution to cover from the bottom of your container to the top of the flowers.
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4
Pour up to 1 inch of the mixture inside the bottom of the container, then position the flowers on top. Situate any level-face flowers, such as daisies, face down. Make sure that the plants do not touch each other.
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5
Pour the remainder of the solution in and around the flowers, while trying not to disturb the petals' natural arrangement. Cover the container with the lid when finished.
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Leave the flowers in the container for one to two weeks. Remove the flowers when the petals are firm and dry, but not crumbly when touched.
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Tips & Warnings
Never handle borax with bare hands because this mineral can cause skin reactions with prolonged use.
