Plants - How To Clean It

Houseplants are a great addition to any home. They can brighten up the room and can add more oxygen and light in as well. There are also many types of houseplants that you are able to choose as well. You will need to take care of the plants by watering them and giving them enough sunlight. But you also need to know the best way to clean the leaves of your houseplants to keep them safe. When you notice that your plants are getting dusty, there are several methods you can use to clean them up. You can wash the plant, mist it with a spray bottle, or dunk it into water. If the plant is too big to clean with these methods, wiping them off or using a soft brush can be a good solution. There are different methods that you can use to help clean your plants and make sure that dirt and dust do not sit on them for very long. Let's take a look at some of the options to see which one is best for your houseplants. What's the Best Way to Clean Houseplant Leaves? Cleaning your houseplant leaves will be a great way to help them stay in good shape and to remove some of the dust and debris that gets them over time. The first step that you can take here is to gather the equipment and materials to help here. When it comes to equipment, you will need a stiff brush to clean the pots, a soft duster or brush, a damp cloth, a bucket, a sprayer nozzle or a hose, and a spray bottle. Regarding other materials that can help with cleaning the plants, you will need plastic wrap, household bleach, and dish detergent. Once you have these items, you will be ready to start. 1. Wash the Plant The easiest method that you can use for cleaning your large or medium houseplants is to move them over to a shower or sink or take them outside and then hose them off with a sprayer nozzle. You do not want to use high pressure on this. Test the water first before you do the spray to help make sure that the water is lukewarm. Using cold or hot water could damage the leaves of the plant. As you spray the leaves, you should support them to ensure they do not get bent. 2. Mist with a Spray Bottle There are some plants that you have that won't be able to handle the force of a spray nozzle. When this happens, you will need to bring in a spray bottle. This works great with bonsais, cacti, and a succulent because they are not strong enough to work with a spray nozzle. The spray bottle can make it simple to clean the leaves. You can use light pressure here to get the leaves wet and then wipe them off a bit if the dust or dirt seems to be stuck in place more than normal. 3. Dunk the Plant in Some Water You can clean your smaller plants by holding onto the base of the plant, holding it at soil level. You can then invert it into a bucket of water and swish the leaves under the water. You may need to water the soil a bit before you start to help prevent it from falling out as you invert the pot. Remember that this is best for really small plants, as it may be hard to do with some of the bigger ones. This is also a good place to add plastic wrap. You can take the plastic wrap and put it around the base of the plant to keep the soil in place. You must use lukewarm water here not to damage the leaves of the plant, and then let the plant drip before you put them back into their normal position. If you notice that the plants are really grimy, then it is fine to use a solution of diluted soap. You can add ¼ tablespoon of dish soap to a quart of water. You can spray this onto the leaves of the plants and wipe them off to help remove the grime. 4. Wipe the Leaves There are some plants that you will not be able to move because they are too large. These plants can just have a damp cloth wipe them off. This is a good method to use for those that have just a few leaves, like a banana plant or snake plant. After you finish the initial cleaning on these, you can help keep the dust from building up by using a soft duster on them whenever you dust the rest of your home. 5. Use a Soft Brush Some plants may have fuzzy or sticky leaves that are difficult to clean with the other methods. And some plants do not like it if you get their leaves wet at all. This means that wiping, spraying, and dunking will not work. A soft brush is a good option for these plants. Just be gentle on them, and you can get the dust to remove easily. Keeping your Plants Clean When you bring plants into your home, you may be surprised to discover that dust and dirt can attach to the leaves of the plants. When this happens, you will need to make an effort to clean them off as quickly as possible. Depending on the type of plant that you have in your home, there are different methods that can help keep them clean. As you are cleaning off the plants with one of the methods above, take some care of the plants at the same time. If you see that there are some yellowing, brown, or dead leaves, then you need to remove them. Never pull on leaves that are firmly attached. You can even clean the pot or container the plant is in to make it as good as new.