How to Care for Artificial Plants in Summer?

Artificial plants might not need water or sunlight to survive, but they do need some love, especially in the summer.

Our faux plants are designed to be low-maintenance and can withstand hot temperatures, intense sunlight, and unobstructed exposure to outdoor conditions, even in the South.

Since opening our warehouse and showroom in Florida, we’ve come to understand how non-committal you need to be when decorating your outdoor space. Whatever you put outside, it’s bound to last for a few months in the heat before it breaks down.

But since we don’t like replaceable decor and love continuity and stability in design, we make sure our artificial plants don’t meet the same fate.

So, whether you’re planning on using fake plants indoors or outdoors this summer, we’ve got tips to give them a little seasonal attention and keep them fresh.

Here, we’ll walk you through practical, easy-to-follow tips for keeping your artificial plants in top shape during the warmest months of the year.

Let’s dive in.

Why do Artificial Plants Need Care in Summer?

Artificial greenery is becoming more and more popular across the US because it offers a low-maintenance way to bring lushness to indoor and outdoor spaces.

But just because they don’t need traditional plant care like watering or fertilizing doesn’t mean you should leave them alone during the scorching summer months.

June, July, and August bring intense sunlight and heat waves across the country, but even more so in southern states. In fact, the Guardian reports that the US will face another summer of extreme heat, which cements the notion that you need to prepare yourself and your home.

If you want your high-quality faux plants to keep their vibrant look through it all, a little seasonal TLC can go a long way, and we’ve got just the tips for it.

4 Steps to Care for Artificial Plants in Summer

While there are many things you can do to sustain your artificial plants in summer, we’ve outlined 4 easy steps to keep your fauxliege looking its best:

1. Dusting and cleaning

Even the most realistic artificial plants can look dull and dirty if they’re covered in dust or grime. Just like real plants, you’ll need to occasionally wipe down your fauxliege to remove any accumulated debris. Since your fake plants don’t move around much, they can fall victim to dust.

In the summer, airborne dust and dirt can build up quickly, especially on artificial plants outdoors. So, you’ll need to dedicate a few minutes every few weeks to clean your fake plants.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Use a feather duster or a soft cloth for light dusting

• Get a hairdryer set on cool or a can of compressed air to remove loose debris

• Use a damp cloth for a gentle wipe down

• For hard-to-reach spots, use a shower head and then let the fauxliege air-dry

If you need detailed information, we’ve got a full guide on cleaning artificial plants.

In the end, you need to clean your plants regularly to sustain their appearance and prevent premature fading. Plus, having a dusty fake plant doesn’t really do your space any favors.

2. Protecting from sun damage

Direct sunlight can fade the color of your artificial plants, especially if they’re not treated with UV-resistant technology. When your faux plants fade, they turn a dull bluish color and look fake from a mile away. If they’re not UV-resistant, they’re especially vulnerable.

To combat this, our artificial plants come with built-in UV protection as part of our proprietary UV-Tex technology that embeds resistance during manufacturing. Still, under intense sunlight, it’s always best to provide additional protection.

Here’s what you can do:

• Invest in high-quality UV-resistant artificial plants made to withstand the sun without fading or cracking, like those from our UV-proof collection

• Use a bespoke UV protection spray on non-UV plants after cleaning them

• Keep fake plants under partial shade and turn them around to extend their lifespan even more

3. Preventing heat warping

No matter how well-made your outdoor decor is, excessive heat can still warp certain materials.

While this is more common in cheaper, lower-quality decor (and artificial plants), it’s a risk you should mitigate as best you can before it causes issues. Since our summers are getting hotter, you need to learn a few tips to prevent heat warping in your fake plants, such as:

• Moving indoor artificial plants away from windows, radiators, or direct light sources

• Not leaving artificial plants in spots that get hot enough to weaken the material

• Placing your outdoor fake plants in partially shaded areas or rotating them to reduce prolonged exposure on only one side

If you’re planning to decorate a barbecue area with fake vertical garden panels or faux hanging plants, reach out to our team for advice on how to do it safely and avoid fire risks.

In the end, appearance is not the most important aspect; safety is. For such cases, we recommend looking at our fire-resistant artificial greenery that’s tested and certified to NFPA 701 Standards.

4. Refreshing the look

If you’re anything like us, you give your home a summer refresh with lighter linens and brighter tones every year. Well, just like that, your artificial plants deserve a seasonal glow-up too.

Since heat, dust, and time outside can dull their appearance over time, you’ll need a few small tweaks to have them looking as stunning as the day you unboxed them. Some ways to revive your faux greenery include:

• Switching up their location and moving them around the garden to fashion a new look without buying anything

• Reshaping leaves and stems by gently bending them and positioning them exactly as you want

• Fluffing and fanning out the foliage from the base up to restore volume and a natural appearance

• Cleaning or upgrading the planter and placing your plant in a decorative pot for a style upgrade

• Adding seasonal touches like fairy lights, pebbles, faux moss, or driftwood to give your plants more personality

Freshening up your plant doesn’t take much, but the payoff is a cleaner and more inviting space and artificial plants that stay beautiful for many summers to come.

Finishing Thoughts

Artificial plants in the summer may not need daily watering or pruning, but they’re still fans of seasonal care like dusting, UV protection, and movement.

Hopefully, you can use our tips to keep your faux greenery fresh and lifelike for years. A little effort goes a long way here.

So, if you want to upgrade your summer setup, explore our range of premium UV-resistant fake plants, trees, and green wall panels, and rest assured you’ll have a consistent appearance for a number of future summers.

For bespoke advice, contact our customer service teams fora free consultation. And in the meantime, follow our social media pages, where we post inspiration photos, project breakdowns, and tips for caring for your artificial plants in any season.