Is There a Fade-Prevention Spray for Artificial Flowers?

It can be frustrating to spend years decorating your home to perfection, only to have it muddled up by easily preventable fading and dust buildup. Artificial plants are among the more troublesome household items to care for, due to their delicate nature, vibrant colors and intricate designs. The good news is that there's a wide range of products that help you keep artificial plants looking new with minimal effort and cost, and that includes fade-prevention spray.

General-purpose acrylic craft sprays like Mod Podge are an excellent choice for protecting and maintaining artificial plants. A 12-ounce can of Mod Podge, for example, usually costs less than $10. After just one coat, plants get a tough, glossy finish that prevents fading, and the permanent, non-yellowing formula won't affect the vibrant color of your flowers. These products dry to the touch in about 10 minutes and you can return the plants to their display location in two hours or less.

Artificial plants that get a significant amount of direct sunlight exposure need protection from a product with extra UV coating. Protecting a non-treated plant with a general-purpose, UV-resistant craft spray like Krylon's UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic coating is an inexpensive way to lend protection to your artificial flowers. You can buy pre-UV-treated artificial plants, but they tend to cost considerably more than standard artificial houseplants. In addition to protecting plants from sun damage, these product help keep plants from bending or breaking too easily. The sprays dry in minutes, leaving a matte finish and providing permanent, non-yellowing UV protection for your plants.

Foliage sealers like Earthflora's UV Outdoor Foliage Spray Sealer are made specifically for use with artificial plants and formulated to revive the original color of silk or fabric plants while filtering UV light to prevent fading and cracking. You can also pay for professional application from some retailers at the time you buy the plant. Running approximately $45 per treatment, it can be a bit costly, but it's still cheaper than replacing an expensive artificial houseplant.

If your goal is simply to prevent fading, using a simple UV sunblock for artificial plants will work better than simply applying treatments that prevent general damage and cracking. Krylon's Ultra UV Floral Protectant works as a sunblock. Simple to spray on, the product dries to the touch in 10 to 15 minutes and can be handled after two hours.