How To Make Floral Water

When winter arrives and the flowers go into hiding awaiting the first thaw, your home can benefit from a touch of early spring to brighten it up as well as cheer its occupants. One way is to fill your home with vases of fresh flowers so you can be reminded of their beauty during the long winter months ahead. Another way is to bring the smell of spring into your home with sweetly scented floral waters. Although you can buy floral waters online, it’s quick and inexpensive to make floral water of your own. This allows you to customize the fragrance to suit your preferences as well as the personality of your home. Here’s how to make floral water.

 

There are actually several ways to make flower water. Here are two of the easiest:

 

Make floral water: Use fresh flower petals

 

If you have access to fresh flower petals, you can use them to make flower water with only a few simple supplies. To make floral water, mix distilled water with alcohol in equal parts in a large glass bowl. In a separate glass bowl, place a cup of fresh flower petals. After thoroughly mixing the alcohol and distilled water, pour it over the flower petals until they’re completely covered with the liquid. Place the glass bowl in a warm place to allow the fragrance to permeate the water/alcohol mixture. Allow it to remain undisturbed for seven to ten days. At that time, strain it throughly a fine muslin cloth and pour into pretty glass bottles. It’s best to keep the bottles refrigerated to prolong the life of your flower water.

 

Make floral water: Using essential oils

 

The advantage to this method is you don’t have to wait for the petals to steep in the water. Visit your local health food store and choose your favorite floral essential oils. Keep in mind that floral fragrances may have different properties. For example, lavender essential oil promotes relaxation. Once you have the essential oils, fill a glass measuring cup with distilled water. Carefully add fifteen drops of your chosen fragrance oil and stir thoroughly. Add two drops of vitamin E oil to act as a natural preservative. Place into glass bottles and store in the refrigerator. Periodically, agitate the bottles to disperse the fragrance and shake the bottle well before using.

 

 

How to use your flower waters

 

Now that you have floral waters, what can you do with them? There are a myriad of ways to add a touch of spring with these simple-to-make fragrances. Pour floral water into a spray bottle and use it in place of a commercial air freshener. It will smell sweeter and be far healthier than the ones you buy in the store. Use it to spray your pillows or sheets as well as your drawers to give them a fresh scent. Just a little bit can add personality to a room. Keep a bottle handy and spray the air when you want to get a whiff of floral. It’ll give you the little lift you need until the snow melts and the beautiful springtime flowers reappear.