Cleaning flower vases: This is quick and easy

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Dirt and limescale in the vase not only looks ugly, but can also shorten the shelf life of bouquets. With these four simple tips and tricks, every vase will be sparkling clean again.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a single flower or a large bouquet – the vases suitable for them are as diverse as bouquets can be. Sometimes bulbous and round, sometimes high and narrow. What all vases have in common: Due to their sometimes unusual shape or sensitive materials, they are often rather difficult to clean, as you cannot simply put them in the dishwasher or the opening is so narrow that you cannot reach the inside with your hands.

Thorough cleaning is essential to extend the life of a bouquet. Unfortunately, just rinsing the vase with water after use is not enough, because rotting bacteria like to settle on the bottom or the inside, causing flowers to wilt faster.

4 tips for quick cleaning of flower vases

Especially for narrow vases, but also extravagantly cut models, where you cannot completely clean the inside with a cloth, sponge or dish brush, you need other tools and tricks - with these clever household tips, every vase will be thoroughly clean:

1. Cleaning pearls made of stainless steel: The small pearls, which really reach every part of the vase, work without any aggressive cleaning agents. They are simply filled into the vase, hot water added and gently shaken and rotated until the bottom and walls of the vase are clean.

2. Bottle brush: Ideal for tall, narrow vases, as you can use it to reach the floor. Above all, bottle brushes with flexible heads and soft bristles not only remove all dirt completely, but also leave no unsightly scratches on the glass.

3. Rice, coffee powder or baking powder: These eco-friendly home remedies are based on the same principle; the mini beads gently "scrub" the dirt particles when the vase is shaken. To do this, put either two to three tablespoons of rice, coffee grounds or a packet of baking powder in the vase, add hot water and shake for a while - then leave it on for about an hour and then wash it out well.

4. Vinegar and denture cleaner against limescale: unsightly and, above all, stubborn limescale deposits can be easily removed with a little vinegar essence or a denture cleaning tablet. Simply dissolve the agent of choice in warm water at the bottom of the vase and then fill up to the edge of the limescale, leave to work for about an hour and rinse thoroughly.

You should be careful with aggressive and chemical cleaning agents, because these could destroy the often thin glass or the glazed coating of the vase. You should also be careful with the water temperature: Please do not fill in boiling water - that could cause the vase to burst!