15 Tips and Tricks for the Professional Florist and Floral Designer

Spray oasis glue can tops and bottle caps with leaf shine inside so you can take them off again to refill instead of accidentally gluing them shut. This will work well on pretty much all types of glue bottles or tubes. It's better to exercise some forethought than to deal with a messy business later.

Rub a good, long lasting hand lotion into your hands before using oasis glue or paint that might get on your hands to help it wash off later with a lot less scrubbing

If your hands get really disgusting use a wet, soapy microfiber dusting cloth to clean off paint, pine sap or goo - moisturize well afterwards- it's like an exfoliating beauty treatment!

Apply a healthy dab of baby oil or petroleum jelly under and on your fingernails before using paint to make it easy to clean off stray paint later.

Remove pollen from petals and clothing by brushing gently with a folded pipe cleaner or chenille stem.

Remove stubborn candle wax from candelabras (and most anything else that isn't glass) by blowing with a hairdryer set on high or a heat gun set on low.

Improvisation

Take a broom or stick and wad up tape so it's all sticky side out, apply to the end of the stick or broom handle and start poking at your "lost" balloon to retrieve it from the ceiling. Sticky floral clay or chewing gum can also do the job instead of wadded up tape.

Keep sand bags and extra hand towels in your delivery vehicle to secure unusual shaped or heavy arrangements and to wipe up the spills if something does tip over on the drive.

Use a vase with stones or marbles to fashion a homemade bridal bouquet stand if you can't find or just plain don't have one. Insert the bouquet holder into the vase and fill the vase generously with marbles or stones to wedge the holder in. A heavy stone or ceramic vase can also be used alone or with a towel or cloth to wedge the handle tightly into the top.

Use a children's glue stick to help hold bridal ribbon or fabric handle wrap in place while you style or pin it on to the handle of a hand-tied bridal bouquet. It's almost as good as another free hand.

Hot, Wet or Wrinkled

Keep a change of shoes and socks handy in case you get yours wet. Icy water is always waiting to pounce into your shoes at a flower shop, especially in the winter.

In the heat of summer, or when you'll be working extra long hours on the job keep your spare shoes in the floral cooler for a soothing and refreshing boost. You'll be surprised how well this cools a body down.

Take a curling iron to the church with you to freshen up limp or travel wrinkled pew bows when you set up wedding decorations.

Use dry cleaner wire hangers or cheap plastic hangers to hang up bows in your delivery vehicle to avoid wrinkled bows in the first place.

Carry a spray bottle of Downy Wrinkle Releaser or a similar product to use at party venues to remove fold lines and crinkles in tulle or organdy fabric used as decorations.

For more tips check out these articles:

10 Tips and Tricks of Professional Florists and Floral Designers

Fresh Flower Care for Floral Arrangements and Cut Flowers