How to Make a Floral Bouquet Last

Wash your vase in hot soapy water. Use a bottle brush to scrub the inside surface of the vase to remove any clinging bacteria. Rinse the vase in clean water.

Mix the bleach and water in a large bucket. Soak the vase in the bleach solution for three to five minutes. Remove the vase and rinse with clean water.

Fill the vase 2/3 full of lukewarm water. Add a floral preservative to the water in the vase according to the rate on the package. Mix the preservative into the water with a spoon until it completely dissolves.

Remove the leaves from the portion of each flower's stem that will be underwater in the vase. Discard the leaves. Hold the tips of the stems under running water. Cut the bottom inch off of each stem with a knife or pair of pruning shears. Make the cut at a 45-degree angle. Place the flower stems immediately in the vase of water.

Set your vase in an area with a constant temperature of 65 to 70 F. Keep your vase away from heat sources to avoid premature drying. Position your flowers in a bright room, out of direct sunlight. Choose an area that is well-ventilated, but avoid placing your bouquet in the path of a draft.

Discard the bouquet's water, wash the vase and mix a new solution of water and floral preservative every two to three days. Remove any wilting or dying flowers immediately and discard them. Re-cut the stems each time you change the water.