How to Make Floral Waters by Christine

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

If you have access to fresh flower petals, you can use them to make flower water with only a few simple supplies. To make floral water, mix distilled water with alcohol in equal parts in a large glass bowl. In a separate glass bowl, place a cup of fresh flower petals. After thoroughly mixing the alcohol and distilled water, pour it over the flower petals until they’re completely covered with the liquid. Place the glass bowl in a warm place to allow the fragrance to permeate the water/alcohol mixture. Allow it to remain undisturbed for seven to ten days. At that time, strain it thoroughly through a fine muslin cloth and pour into pretty glass bottles. It’s best to keep the bottles refrigerated to prolong the life of your flower water. The alcohol that I personally use is very cheap vodka, it almost has no smell to it.
Using Essential Oils

The advantage to this method is you don’t have to wait for the petals to steep in the water. Visit your local health food store and choose your favorite floral essential oils. Keep in mind that floral fragrances may have different properties. For example, lavender essential oil promotes relaxation. Once you have the essential oils, fill a glass measuring cup with distilled water. Carefully add fifteen drops of your chosen fragrance oil and stir thoroughly. Add two drops of vitamin E oil to act as a natural preservative. Place into glass bottles and store in the refrigerator. Periodically, agitate the bottles to disperse the fragrance and shake the bottle well before using.
How to Use Your Flower Waters

Now that you have floral waters, what can you do with them? There are a myriad of ways to add a touch of spring with these simple-to-make fragrances. Pour floral water into a spray bottle and use it in place of a commercial air freshener. It will smell sweeter and be far healthier than the ones you buy in the store. Use it to spray your pillows or sheets as well as your drawers to give them a fresh scent. Just a little bit can add personality to a room. Keep a bottle handy and spray the air when you want to get a whiff of floral. It’ll give you the little lift you need until the snow melts and the beautiful springtime flowers reappear.

How to Distill Floral Waters:


Things You'll Need:

* flower petals: rose, lavender, or whatever highly fragrant flower petals you have.
* distilled water
* enamel lined pan
* glass lid for pan
* ice
* 2 small heat-proof bowls
* stove

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Step 1

Gather the petals for your flower water as early in the morning (about 2 hours after the dew has dissipated) as they have opened. You'll need about two cups worth of petals.
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Step 2

Take enamel pan and put one of the small bowls upside down inside the pan. Take the second bowl, right side up, and stack it onto of the other bowl. (Both bowls stacked on top of each other must fit inside the pan with the lid on.
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Step 3

Pour distilled water in pan to the height of the first bowl. Add flower petals to the water.
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Step 4

Turn the lid upside down on the pan. (the knob in the center of the lid is facing toward the bottom of the pot.) Reposition the bowls so that the knob is is directly over the top empty bowl.
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Step 5

Turn stove on Med-High until the water starts to boil. Turn down to a simmer and fill the lid with ice. Once the ice melts you can pour it out and refill the lid again.


You'll do this until the empty bowl is full of fragrant flower water.  

[Mabon-Witch]

That's pretty slick Christine, your own little distillery in the kitchen.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings to you.