Does it work: Fresh flower test | Home & Garden

 If you get a bouquet of flowers, you probably want to keep them around as long as possible. Online I found several common household items that may just do the job but which one really works?

To find out I conducted my own fresh flowers test. I grabbed six roses and tried out a different ingredient on each one.

1. Hairspray

I sprayed the first one with hair spray and placed it in water. According to ReadersDigest.com it should preserve your flowers just like it preserves your hairstyle.

2. Bleach

Realsimple.com claims bleach will prevent mold which kills flowers. So I put a few drops of bleach in the water for the next rose.

3. Lemon-lime soda

 A little soda was added to the third vase. Learn2grow.com says colorless lemon-lime beverages have citric acid and sugar which can be a good preservative.

4. Apple cider vinegar and sugar

According to WomansDay.com, apple cider vinegar and a little sugar should help stop the growth of bacteria and keep sweet smelling gifts fresher longer.

5. Penny

 In the fifth vase I added a penny to the water. I read on Ehow.com how the copper coin could increase the acid levels in the water.

6. Just water

The last rose was simply put in plain water to see how it stacks up to the rest.

After one day, spots formed on the petals of the rose in vinegar and it looks dry. All of the roses were drooping except the one in the Sprite. At the end of our test on day three, the bleach is actually turning this rose stem white and the petals black. The petals on the hair sprayed rose look shiny but it’s still in bad shape. The rose in plain water just didn't fare too well.

 I have two favorites though, the ones that look the best: the one in the vase with the penny and the one in vase with the soda.