Long live your flowers! Beautiful bouquets from the grocery store deserve to be kept alive in the beauty for as long as possible. Here are some tips to help keep those flowers.

Prepare a vase with four inches of cool to room-temperature water. Add the floral food if small packets of it are provided.

Flower stems should be cut diagonally about one inch from the bottom. This allows for more surface area so that water and nutrients are easily absorbed. Don’t remove the thorns.

Remove any leaves found under the water line. If you don’t, harmful bacteria can develop and cause your flowers to wilt faster.

Let your flowers hydrate in the vase for several hours before you move them around.Keep the floral arrangement in a cool area and away from direct sunlight or blasts of air. Make sure to change the water in the vase every 24 to 48 hours.

Add a penny to make use of copper’s natural antibacterial features.

Add aspirin or sugar to fight signs of aging, gain more nutrients, and retain water better.

Bleach, vinegar, and alcohol serve as disinfectants against mold.

Soda also provides nutrients to the plants.

For clear vases, use clear liquids like white-vinegar, lemon-lime soda, or vodka.