How to Clean up Pollen
Pollen is generally sticky, even when "dry", which is the reason why you should never try to brush pollen off with your hand; the natural oils present on your skin will smear and "set" the pollen into fabric, or simply beautify your skin with a lovely orange-yellow cast.
If pollen is on your skin, such as an arm, flicking a soft cloth or brush on the grains can generally remove it. In the field, we've used the end of a clean tractor towel to knock the pollen off jeans, not nearly as effective as a brush, but good for emergencies.
It is a simple thing to gently pull off the dangling anthers with your fingers before they fully open, or use a tissue to remove open ones and keep your fingers from turning yellow. With a dry artist brush, you can sweep off any dropped pollen grains on the petals to tidy the flower, but only if the petals and pollen are dry. Lily pollen grains are generally too sticky and large to blow around upon the wind, but can stain open flowers in the garden after rainfall, especially on white lilies.
Related Blog Post: Help Winter Lily Pollen Stains
It is a simple thing to gently pull off the dangling anthers with your fingers before they fully open, or use a tissue to remove open ones and keep your fingers from turning yellow. With a dry artist brush, you can sweep off any dropped pollen grains on the petals to tidy the flower, but only if the petals and pollen are dry. Lily pollen grains are generally too sticky and large to blow around upon the wind, but can stain open flowers in the garden after rainfall, especially on white lilies.
Related Blog Post: Help Winter Lily Pollen Stains
