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How To Clean and Prepare Pine Cones for Crafting

Fresh pine cones in nature come filled with bugs and can grow mold and mildew if not properly prepared for indoor use. This post teaches how to properly wash them in water and vinegar and then bake them until fully bloomed, leaving them suitable for crafting and other indoor projects and decor.
Approximate time depending on air and oven drying6 hours
Keyword: bleaching, blooming, cleaning pine cones, crafting, debugging, DIY pinecones, glaze pine cones, indoor pinecone use, kill bugs, opening pine cones, pine cone crafts, pine cones, pinecone crafts, pinecone projects, pinecones, preparing pine cones, preserving, remove sap, rid of bugs, washing pine cones
Author: Amanda
Cost: FREE

Equipment

  • Sink or Bucket

Materials

  • 1 cup White Vinegar approximate
  • 1 gallon Water approximate
  • 1 sheet Aluminum Foil

Instructions

  • Brush off visible dirt, dust, and debris with a small brush.
  • Soak in a large bucket or sink with warm water and about a cup of white vinegar for 30 min or so.
  • Remove from water and let air dry in a strainer or on paper towels for 1-3 hours.
  • Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 250-275 degrees for 1-2 hours, turning over halfway through.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Notes

The times and amounts listed are all approximate as this is not an exact formula.  If you have an extra large amount of pine cones, simply increase the amount of vinegar.  I'd say the 1 cup/1 gallon ratio works for about 15 medium sized pine cones.