1. Use Soda

A vase of fresh flowers will definitely brighten up a room, but not so when those flowers wither. One of the simplest ways to make cut flowers last longer is to use a mixture of water and soda. Just mix ¼ cup of soda (a clear soda is best – like Sprite) into the water and pour this mixture into the vase. The soda contains sugar that will help cut flowers last longer.

2. Hair Spray

Interestingly, you can keep cut flowers in good shape just by using hair spray. A spritz of hair spray will help preserve your cut flowers as effectively as it helps keep your hairstyle in place. A quick spray on your bouquet or arrangement from a foot's distance will do the trick – be sure to spray well on the undersides of petals and leaves.

3. Vodka

The simple rule to keep cut flowers fresh is to provide them with proper nourishment and take steps to keep bacterial growth minimal. A few drops of vodka will do the trick for you. Vodka, or any other clear spirit for that matter, will keep water clean of bacteria – use a teaspoon of sugar to improve the effects. Keep changing the vase water regularly.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

You can keep cut flowers fresh with the help of apple cider vinegar. Mix a couple of tablespoons of apple cider with at least 2 tablespoons sugar in the vase water. To prolong the life span of your flowers, keep changing the water every couple of days with a new solution containing sugar and vinegar.

5. Aspirin

One of the most effective ways to make cut flowers last longer is to give them a dose of aspirin. The trick is simple: just add a crushed aspirin in the vase water before you put your flowers in it. This method works quite well for roses, but is equally effective for other cut flowers as well.

6. Bleach

Did you know one of the answers to the question how to make fresh flowers last longer is to use bleach? ¼ teaspoon of bleach to 1 liter of water is a suitable environment for your flowers to survive. You may also consider adding 3 drops of bleach and a teaspoon of sugar to vase water to inhibit the growth of bacteria that destroys your flowers.

7. Sugar

Sugar will help keep your flowers fresh and perky. Mix two tablespoons of white vinegar and three tablespoons of sugar into a liter of warm water. Put the solution into a vase, enough so that the flowers are standing in it to a depth of 3-4 inches. The sugar will provide your flowers with the nourishment they need and vinegar will stall bacterial growth.

I hope you try some of these ways to make fresh flowers last longer. Please let us know how they worked for your beautiful blooms. And, do share your own tips and tricks in the comments.