We all love having some fresh air around the house. Apart from opening windows to get it, it may be difficult to leave the windows open especially during winter. That is why most of us settle on growing houseplants for that purpose aside from having them for deco. However, the air may not be that fresh if we do not thoroughly clean them or just don’t know how to go about the cleaning routine. Have a look at some guidelines below on how to ensure that your houseplants are always looking clean and healthy.
- Have time for your plants.
Pick a day that you are not that busy or easily distracted by events as a cleaning day just fully for your plants. As you dust your house, some of the dust fall on the leaves of your beautiful plant leaving them looking dusty. You can’t wipe away the whole plant at once as you go. It is best that you concentrated on each individual leaf to make sure that you have rid the entire plant of dust.
- Use a spritz bottle.
When cleaning the leaves of your houseplants, it is advisable that you get one of those spritz bottles and fill it with plain warm water as it is a natural liquid. Have a clean dry towel and spray some of the water on the towel as you clean each and every leaf gently. This mostly applies to any size of leaves. Do not use force as the leaves are fragile. Make sure that you also clean at the bottom of the leaf and the stalk. After you are through with that, get another towel and wipe the flower pot as well. As you do this, check for any mold, plant pests and trim the plant as well.
- Get a paint brush.
You can also use a small paint brush as its bristles are a bit softer. Simply submerge the brush in warm water and run it through the leaves gently. This is the best and fastest way to use for smaller leaves compared to very large leaves as it can fit in between the very thin areas of the leaves that tend to store a lot of dust. An old toothbrush with soft bristles can work as well. This is effective for plants with bristly leaves.
- Use a damp cloth for large plants.
The most effective means of removing dust from those very large leaves is the use of a damp cloth. Dampen the cloth with warm water and wipe the leaf as you are supporting the lower part of the leaf with your other hand. The use of warm water is crucial because cold water might start making the leaves look spotty as it shocks the roots of the plants and damages it. Stuff like the paper towel is not suitable as they can leave some patches on the leaves. As you clean your leaves, remove any dry leaf or one that has fallen on the soil as you check for any webs.
- Wash your plants with running water.
It is advised that you run water on your plants from time to time. Get a handheld shower and spray the leaves of the plant. Do not use a lot of force while doing so. Make sure to check and adjust the water temperature frequently to avoid cold or extremely hot water. After you are through with this step, let the plants air dry in the sun for a while to maintain its natural color and for healthy growth as well. This technique rids them of dust and insects.Avoid using water on cacti plants.
- Swish your plant in water.
For plants with many leaves, this idea will come in handy. Fill a bucket with warm water. You can put a little liquid soap if the leaves are very dusty. Take your plant and turn it upside down as you support the soil with your hand and gently swish it around the water. You can rinse it with plain water then air dry the plant in the sun. Dust doesn’t stand a chance in this method since you are sure that it will all come off and prevent the clogging of pores. Do this procedure more often on the plants in the kitchen area to get rid of grease that might fall on them during cooking.
- Blow dust away.
Another method is to take your dusty plant outside, get a blower, adjust the force to the minimum then hold it a few inches away from the leaves and blow away the dust. This is way much better for cacti plants or thorny plants that may be difficult to handle with bare hands. Those that do not necessarily need water to clean as they survive better without water. This can be done frequently as these kinds of plants tend to attract dust faster than normal. Using a blower on flowery plants is not a good idea at all as it can blow them off the stalk.
- Do not use harmful chemicals on your leaves.
Who wouldn’t want their house plants looking all shiny and sleek? But the use of various plant harmful chemicals to make them look outstanding with their shine may cause harm to your flowers. Use of things like mayonnaise to shine leaves will also attract pests that will attack your plant. Place them where direct sunlight can reach around the house. The sun rays will leave your plants healthy and attain that natural glow.
As you go try some of these steps, make sure to survey your plant for any leftover fertilizer or anything foreign as suggested here just to make sure your plant is fully free of anything that may cause harm towards it and make it dry out and die. Frequent cleaning of the plant will also keep your home looking pleasant and alive.
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