How to look after artificial plants

Artificial plants need very little looking after: shape them when they arrive, dust them every few weeks and keep them out of strong sun unless they are UV-stabilised. This guide covers each of those steps, plus cleaning by material, bathrooms and kitchens, weighting tall trees and storing seasonal pieces.

After delivery: unbox and shape

Plants and trees are packed tightly for delivery, so most need a few minutes of shaping before they look their best.

1. Unpack on a clear floor and remove any packaging from the leaves and stems.
2. Stand the plant upright and decide which side will face the room.
3. If the stems or branches are wired (the product description says so), bend them outwards and slightly down, working from the bottom of the plant to the top.
4. Turn the leaves so they face in different directions rather than all pointing up.
5. Step back, look at the plant from across the room and close any gaps by moving the stems beside them.

Some plants need no arranging at all: some of our yuccas, for example, have plastic leaves that sit in the same way as a real yucca's. Our article on fluffing and shaping artificial plants after delivery shows the technique step by step.

Potting up

Many of our plants and trees arrive in a weighted plastic starter pot, ready to display. To hide it, stand the starter pot inside a decorative planter whose opening is a few centimetres wider, then cover the top with gravel, bark or moss. Our planter size guide explains how to match a planter to a starter pot, and repotting into a decorative planter covers the details.

How to clean artificial plants by material

Dust is the main thing that makes an artificial plant look tired and less real. A light dusting every few weeks and a more thorough clean now and then keep the colours clear. Before you try a new method, test it on a leaf at the back of the plant.

Every few weeks: dry dusting

Work from the top of the plant down with a soft brush, a feather duster or a microfibre cloth, supporting each leaf with your other hand. For dense foliage and flowers, a hairdryer on its cool setting, held well back from the leaves, lifts dust out of the gaps. Don't use the hot setting.

Plastic and real-touch leaves

Plastic and real-touch leaves can be wiped clean. Use a soft cloth dampened in lukewarm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, wiping each leaf from the stem to the tip. Wipe again with a cloth dampened in clean water, then let the plant dry fully before you put it back.

Some of our product descriptions say the plant can be hosed off in the garden. If yours does, use a gentle spray rather than a jet, try to keep water out of the pot and let the plant dry out of direct sun.

Silk leaves and flowers

Silk is a fabric, so keep it dry. Dust silk leaves and flowers with a soft brush or a hairdryer on the cool setting rather than wiping them wet. For a small mark, dab lightly with a barely damp cloth and let the leaf dry.

Wood trunks, moss and gravel

Several of our trees have natural wood trunks or canes, and some pots are topped with moss or fixed gravel. Clean these with a dry, soft brush and don't soak them.

Planters and vases

Wipe planters with a damp cloth and dry them afterwards. Take stems out of glass vases before you wash the vase.

If you aren't sure what the leaves are made of, check the product description. If it doesn't say, treat them as silk and dust them dry. For more ideas, see our article on how to clean artificial plants.

Flowers, stems and hanging plants

Artificial flowers and foliage stems collect dust in the same way as leaves, but their petals are more delicate. Hold each stem by its base, turn it upside down and shake it gently, then finish with a soft brush or a hairdryer on the cool setting. Reshape the petals with your fingers afterwards.

Wired stems and trailing plants can be bent to sit well in a vase or to fall naturally over the edge of a shelf. Some of our product descriptions say the stems are easy to cut shorter with a pair of wire cutters if required; ordinary scissors will struggle with the wire.

Hanging plants are easiest to clean when you take them down and lay them on a clean surface. When you hang them again, check that the hook or bracket is secure and that the trailing strands don't brush against a door or a walkway.

Reviving a tired plant

A plant that has stood in the same spot for a long time can start to look flat. Before you replace it, try the following:

1. Give it a thorough clean, following the method for its leaf material.
2. Reshape every stem as you did on delivery, opening out any branches that have been pushed back against a wall.
3. Refresh the top of the pot with new gravel, bark or moss.
4. Try a new planter, or move the plant to a different spot where it is seen from a new angle.
5. Turn it so that any side that has been facing a window moves away from the light.

Our article on making tired artificial plants look new again has more ideas.

Sun and fading

Strong sunlight gradually fades artificial foliage and flowers that are not UV-stabilised. That includes sun through glass, so a south-facing window, a conservatory or a sunny windowsill can fade a plant that never goes outside.

• UV-stabilised products are made for sunny spots and for outdoor use. UV-stabilised products are guaranteed against fading for one year. Browse our UV-stabilised outdoor plants and UV-stabilised outdoor trees.
• All our other products are for indoor use or a covered spot out of direct sun. If one has to stand in bright light, turn it every few weeks so that one side doesn't fade faster than the other, and close the blind during the strongest sun where you can.

Only UV-stabilised products belong outside. Our outdoor artificial plants guide covers positions, wind and winter, and our article on how to stop artificial plants fading in sunlight has more on placement indoors.

Bathrooms, kitchens and damp rooms

Artificial plants need no watering, which makes them a practical choice for bathrooms and kitchens. Steam and cooking both leave a film on the leaves that holds dust, so plants in these rooms need cleaning more often.

• For the steamiest spots, choose plants with plastic or real-touch leaves, which you can wipe with a damp cloth. Keep silk away from splashes.
• Stand plants away from the shower, the bath taps and the hob, where they will be splashed or spattered.
• If a plant gets wet, pat it dry with a towel and let it dry fully before you put it back.
• Choose planters that cope with moisture. Our woven-effect and seagrass-style composite planters are described as suitable for humid locations such as bathrooms.

For plant suggestions room by room, see our guide to artificial plants by room.

Weighting tall trees and wind

A weighted starter pot keeps most plants upright indoors, but a tall tree with a wide canopy can still tip over if it is knocked. Give it more weight at the base:

• Stand the starter pot inside a heavier decorative planter and pack the gap with stones, gravel or sand.
• Top the planter with gravel or bark, which hides the pot and adds weight.
• Keep tall trees out of busy walkways and clear of doors that swing open.

Outdoors, wind is the main risk to UV-stabilised trees and topiary:

• Use a wide, heavy planter and add ballast, such as stones or bricks, around the starter pot.
• Where you can, choose a sheltered spot against a wall.
• As a rule of thumb, use outdoor planters with drainage holes so rainwater doesn't collect.
• Bring plants inside, or lay them down somewhere safe, before a storm.
• Brush off dust, pollen and fallen leaves from time to time.

Storing seasonal pieces

Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and seasonal flowers spend most of their time in storage. A little care when you pack them away means less reshaping when they come out again.

1. Dust each piece and make sure it is completely dry.
2. Pack it loosely in a box big enough that the leaves and flowers aren't crushed. Wrap delicate flower heads in tissue paper.
3. Lay wreaths and garlands flat, or hang them if you have space.
4. Store the boxes somewhere cool, dry and dark. As a rule of thumb, avoid damp garages and sheds, and lofts that get hot in summer.
5. When you unpack, reshape the stems as you did when they were delivered.

Browse our Christmas range and artificial wreaths.

Warranty and fade guarantee

Our products carry a one-year warranty. The one-year fade guarantee applies only to UV-stabilised products; foliage that isn't UV-stabilised will fade in strong sun, so follow the placement advice above. If something isn't right, contact us with your order number and a photo, and we will help.

If you are still choosing, our guides to the most realistic artificial plants and how to style artificial plants will help you decide what to buy and where to put it.