Looking after your arrangement, simply.

Dust gently, every few weeks.

The single biggest difference between an arrangement that looks new for years and one that goes flat is dust. Every few weeks, take a soft makeup brush, a clean dry paint brush, or a microfiber duster, and gently work through the petals and foliage. Top to bottom, soft sweeping motion. Five minutes is plenty.

Keep out of direct sun.

Faux florals will gently fade over time under direct UV. Indoor light is fine — what we avoid is a north-facing window in summer with sun beating directly on the petals for hours. If that's the spot you love them in, rotate the arrangement 180° every few weeks so the fade is even, or move it slightly back from the window.

Avoid steam and high humidity.

Don't put faux florals in a bathroom that fogs up, directly beside a kettle that steams every morning, or on the same surface as a steam diffuser. Humidity slowly damages the petal coating and can cloud the glass vessel.

For light dust: soft brush or microfiber.

For heavier dust (say, after months without attention): a hairdryer on the cool, low setting, held about 30 cm away. Sweep across the arrangement at low pressure. The dust lifts off. Don't use heat — it can warp the petals.

For the glass vessel: a dry microfiber cloth wiped around the outside is usually enough. If there are smudges, lift the arrangement out, wipe the glass with a barely-damp cloth, then dry it before replacing the arrangement.

A soft brush, every few weeks. That's the whole secret.

Over time, gravity gently settles the foliage. To restore the original shape:

1. Stand a metre back and look at the silhouette.
2. Gently lift any drooping stems back to their natural angle with your fingers.
3. Fluff the petals on peonies and hydrangeas by gently spreading the outer petals with your fingertips. They're designed to be touched.
4. If a stem has moved out of position in the vessel, lift the whole arrangement out, re-position the stem, and replace.

Two minutes, twice a year. The arrangement looks fresh again.

If you're moving house, redecorating, or storing seasonally:

• Original box if you still have it. Tissue around the petals, bubble wrap around the stems.
• Otherwise: a deep box, with the vessel sitting upright and the arrangement supported by crumpled tissue paper around the foliage.
• Store in a cool, dry place — not a hot garage, not a damp shed.
• Don't lay arrangements on their side for more than a few days. Stems take a set.

The short list of things that will shorten the life of an otherwise indestructible arrangement.

• Don't submerge in water or attempt to machine-wash. The petal coatings and stem wrappings aren't designed for it.
• Don't use detergent, solvent, or chemical cleaner on the petals. A soft brush is all you need.
• Don't use a feather duster — the barbs catch on stems and can dislodge petals.
• Don't use compressed air at full pressure. Cool hairdryer on low is the only powered tool worth using.
• Don't apply heat to the petals. A hairdryer's hot setting will warp them.
• Don't keep in a steamy bathroom, directly beside a kettle, or on the same surface as a diffuser.
• Don't lay arrangements on their side for more than a few days. Stems take a set and remember the shape.
• Don't take them outside as a permanent home. Indoor styling only — UV, wind and weather all reduce lifespan dramatically.

With reasonable care — out of direct sun, dusted a few times a year, no steam — you should expect a Faux and Fabulous arrangement to look genuinely fresh for five to ten years. Premium pieces well-kept can last longer.

Signs it might be time:

• Petals have lost their colour saturation, even after a careful dust.
• A stem has fractured at the base and can't be re-seated.
• The vessel has clouded permanently from prolonged steam or hard-water exposure.
• You've simply changed the room around it, and the arrangement no longer fits.

If yours has been with you a long time and is starting to look tired, we love to hear about it. Send us a photo to hello@fauxandfabulous.com. We'll usually have a suggestion for a refresh, or a discount on a replacement piece.