5 Tips For Plant Cleaning And Care

It’s no secret that plants can make a house feel nicer, fresher, and more vibrant.  

They literally bring ‘life’ into your home! 

But being a plant owner is very similar to being a pet owner:

  • plants need to be fed and watered to be at their best,
  • plants can bring pests into the home,
  • plants can be a source of allergies to some.

With that being said, here are 5 tips on how to be the best plant-owner possible, and on how to help your houseplants ‘live their best lives.’ 

Caring for plants isn’t rocket science. (To be technical, it’s called Horticulture.)

But the point is this—you don’t need to be a scientist to make the experience successful and awesome. 

Let’s dive into it. 

1. Dust Your Plants!  

We all know that dust builds up on furniture surfaces over time (often much more quickly than we realize). 

But this also happens to the leaves of your plants, though you may not think of them when it’s time to dust the house. 

Even if you can’t see dust on your plants’ leaves, if you run your fingers over them and feel a filmy build-up, it’s time to clean. 

For smaller plants, it may be easiest to ‘shower’ off the dust (in your sink or by taking them out to the yard) with a gentle spray from a mister or a low-flow hose.  

If your plant has larger leaves, you may be able to clean them easily with a damp cloth. 

And if the plant has thorns or prickly leaves, try a paintbrush to carefully remove dust particles.

2. If You Can’t Dust, Clean 

Some plants have leaves with sticky or ‘damp’ surfaces that can’t be wiped or dusted. 

For these, you’ll want to use a (very!) gentle cleaning solution, such as a small amount of dish soap (1/4 teaspoon to 1 quart of water), and gently wipe them down. 

Clean the cleaning solution off with a mister, or with a soft spray from the hose. 

Some commercial plant cleaners can damage delicate plants, so always test first!

3. Rid Your Plants Of Pests!  

The sooner, the better.  

If you find a plant with a bug infestation, quickly isolate it from your other plants so the pests don’t spread. 

If you catch it early enough, you may be able to hand-pick the bugs off.  

If only part of the plant is infected, you may also be able to cut away that part and save the rest of the plant. 

For situations where neither of these options is possible, try wiping away the pests with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol or diluted insecticidal soap (2 teaspoons of soap to 1 gallon of water). 

Rinse the infected plant frequently as well.

4. Remove The Dead Or Dying Parts  

Trim away any stalks or leaves that have died and turned brown or shriveled up with sharp scissors or pruning shears. 

You can even remove parts of leaves that have turned yellow (just be careful not to damage the plant in the process). 

Also, be sure to pick up leaves and other detritus that has fallen into the plant container, to remove potential hiding places for pests and to keep any rot from setting into the stalk or roots of the plant.

5. Finally, Call The Professionals! 

RCH Professional Cleaning specializes in thorough cleaning services for homes and businesses in Southwest Missouri.

And yes, that includes plants! 

To keep your plants and your home or business as clean and fresh as possible, contact us today.

Conclusion

There you have it!

5 tips for keeping your plants clean (and those pesky pests at bay) without damaging the plants or going to any more hassle than is necessary. 

On a final note—make sure to check your plants regularly to determine the best possible cleaning schedule. 

Some plants in some environments get dustier faster than others. So it always pays to stay a step ahead of the game, and to create a schedule that works best for your personal plant collection.

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