How to Press Flowers in the Microwave

Have you ever tried to press your own flowers? Maybe, the traditional way, in an old book with something heavy on top to weight it down? Or, maybe you’ve even built your own flower press? But, have you ever pressed flowers the quick and easy way – in the microwave? 

This is a project I’ve been wanting to try for months. I first saw it mentioned on Instagram and decided to give it a try!  If you like instant gratification and projects that don’t take a long time, this one’s for you!  

Why press flowers?

• It’s a great way to preserve flowers that you don’t want to dry – like delicate roses or lilies.
• Pressed flowers can be used in artwork, such as cards, paintings and collages!
• It’s easier to press flowers than it is to dry flowers
• Using the microwave for flower pressing is faster than heavy books and waiting a while for the drying process to take place
• You can do more than just a few flower petals at a time
• Use these flowers in a gift for Mother’s Day, an anniversary or other special occasion
• It’s cheaper to use this way than other traditional methods when you have to buy a traditional press

What kind of flowers should I press?

For my flowers, I went out to a local flower farm where you can pick your own bouquet. I love doing that in the summer months! But, you could do this with a bouquet you purchase from the grocery store or flowers in your home’s landscape.  

I picked several varieties including Zinnias, Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan), Snapdragons, Celosia, Caryopteris, Salvia, and a few more. 

But you can use whatever kinds of fresh flowers you have on hands and ones that you prefer.

This would even be an an easy and quick way to preserve some flowers from a wedding bouquet, anniversary or other sentimental flower bouquet.

The best flowers to press are ones you actually enjoy the look of 🙂

Do I press flowers with the stems?

I brought them home and I cut the flowers off the stems. Now, you can definitely press the flowers with the stems, but I wanted to create a collage of all of the flowers, so I removed the stems.

What do I use to press the flowers?

Now, to press these beauties, you will need some paper towels and either some heavy books or something heavy that is microwave safe. 

Several articles I read said you could use a microwave-safe plate or a brick. Because I wanted to press a lot of small pieces at once, I used a large, old book that I got at a yard sale years ago. 

What you need to press flowers in the microwave

• Your favorite fresh flowers or greenery
• Paper towels
• A heavy book or other microwave safe container to act as your weight
• Kitchen microwave

How to set up

Prep your flowers then grab you book and open it up to the middle. Open a paper towel to cover the two pages. 

Then arrange several flower pieces and/or a single layer of petals on the right side. 

Carefully fold the left side of the paper towel over to cover the flowers, and then carefully close the book. 

Repeat the process until all of the flowers have been sandwiched between paper towels and sections of book. 

PRESSING THE FLOWERS

In this photo, you can see how many flowers I put on each paper towel and you can see the paper towel edges sticking out of other pages in the book.  

Now, here’s where the microwave comes in. 

You place your book in the microwave and “cook” in 30 second increments.  The thinner petaled flowers, like the snapdragons, pressed and dried out very quickly. 

I began by carefully checking the flowers after 60 seconds. 

The Black-Eyed Susans and Zinneas, took the longest time to fully press and dry out. 

Pro Tip: You do need to be careful because the book could end up catching fire! See my book below after I ran it through several 30 second increments without checking!

Yikes!!! The book was sooooo hot! The blue stain is from the center of the Black-Eyed Susan! 

So, don’t use a book that has any value to you! 

When you open the book to check on the flowers, be very careful. 

Pro Tip: Some petals were sticking a bit to the paper towel and when the flowers are completely dry, they are very fragile! I broke tips off a few flowers and some of my leaves cracked when I picked them up.  

How to display pressed flowers?

Of course, you lose some of the vibrancy, but I love these muted tones for fall! To display my pressed flowers, I used a hinged frame with glass on both sides and has a chain for hanging.  It’s a frame I’ve had for years, but I believe I originally purchased it at Home Goods. 

I opened up the frame and arranged the flowers on the glass. I did use a tiny bit of glue here and there to secure some of the small pieces.  

For a first time project, I’m pretty happy the result! It was fairly inexpensive, and I didn’t need any special materials!  And, it’s a beautiful way to display some different flowers!

What different methods can I use if I don’t want to use a book?

If you don’t want to use a book to press your flowers in the microwave oven, you can use a brick with the flowers still inside of a paper towel. You can use any heavy object like a few small wooden boards, even a glass container or other microwave safe container that would be big enough to cover your flowers safely would be a good idea.

What if I don’t want to use paper towels?

Instead of paper towels, you can use other things like cotton rags or cotton liners. You can even use some wool pads between your cotton covers and your heavy object on top. This will help keep the flowers from getting mashed as you press them.

Are there any tips for making sure that my flowers look their best?

Yes! Before pressing your flowers, make sure to remove any dirt or debris and lay them out flat on a piece of paper towel or other absorbent material.

Tips for displaying your flowers

• Be sure to keep your pressed flowers away from direct sunlight and heat, as this will cause them to fade.
• You can coat the pressed flowers with a thin layer of wax or shellac to seal the color in for a longer-lasting effect.
• It’s completely normal for your microwaved flowers to lose color a bit and not be the flowers with the bright vibrant colors that you started with.
• Some flowers may require more or less time and this is very dependent on the thickness of the flowers and the size of the flowers that you want to press. Thicker flowers may require more a few more short bursts in the microwave. Flatter flowers require less time when using the book method or whatever heavy object you choose.
• If your flowers are smaller, you may need to use tweezers t remove the pressed flowers if they have become stuck to your paper towels during the pressing process.

Using the microwave to press your flower really is the easiest way to preserve delicate flowers. Enjoy such an easy project to creat the perfect gift for you or a family member or friend.

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