How to Clean Indoor Plant Leaves: A Complete Guide
Knowing how to clean your plant leaves is an essential part of their care. Clean leaves play a vital part in the overall appearance and health of your plant. Getting it right will allow your plants to photosynthesize effectively as dust and dirt can hinder this. There are lots of ways for how to clean indoor plant leaves!
Overtime, indoor plant leaves will accumulate dust and dirt - this is an issue that every plant parent will experience. These build-ups can block sunlight which will reduce your plant's ability to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Therefore, it will slow down the plants growth!
Don't panic though! It is easy to include cleaning your leaves as part of your care routine. Many people simply incorporate it into their watering routine.
By regularly cleaning your leaves you can also look out for any signs of pests or diseases. This can mean you spot any pests before they spread or breed further.
How to Clean Houseplant Leaves
We would recommend cleaning your plant leaves every 1 - 2 weeks. This may be more depending on the location, type and the size of your plant. For example, a larger plant will typically accumulate more dirt and dust, so may need to be cleaned more frequently.
Not sure what to clean your houseplant leaves with? Here are our top tips and advice:
How to clean leaves on houseplants – Tip 1
Use a specialist leaf shine spray:
If your plant has dust and dirt on it, it will block the amount of sunlight your plant receives which in turn affects its ability to grow and look great.
A specialist leaf shine product is designed to remove dust and dirt from your plant leaves. It also adds a fresh and clean look to your leaves. Plus, it also adds a range of essential nutrients to your leaves as well!
Using a leaf shine product is simple! The product is directly sprayed on the leaves, targeting the dust and dirt right at the source. Once the spray has been applied, using a soft, lint-free cloth, you need to carefully dry the leaves. Make sure you support each leaf from underneath when doing this.
As well as removing the dust and dirt, the action of drying your plant leaves will also add a glossy shine to your leaves.
How to clean leaves on indoor plants – Tip 2
Use a specialist houseplant myst spray:
Another great way to remove any dust or debris from your indoor plants is by the using a houseplant myst spray.
It is suitable for a wide range of houseplants. It is a quick and easy way to remove dirt and dust from your plants. Plus it has a number of other benefits too! With a range of essential nutrients, the spray, will clean your leaves but will also help your leaves to flourish too!
This product can also be used to mimic the higher humidity levels that many plants crave such as tropical varieties.
To use, you simply spray the leaves. This should remove any dirt or dust. If there is any remaining, the careful use of soft, lint-free cloth can help wipe away debris that remains. Supporting each leaf from underneath is vital here if you do use a cloth.
How to clean house plant leaves – Tip 3
Use a spray bottle or mister:
If you are looking for a way to clean your plant leaves, but to increase humidity at the same time, then a spray bottle or a mister bottle containing water is an ideal solution.
This technique can be particularly helpful in warmer months, when your plants will benefit from a top up of water as well as having clean leaves.
During warmer months is when your plant is most likely to be actively growing. Therefore, keeping it clear of dust and debris will allow it to reach it full potential of obtaining the most amount of sunlight through its leaves.
Spray bottles and misters are also of particular use for larger plants. You can adjust the nozzle on a spray bottle or mister to adjust the intensity of the spray. Therefore, you can easily spray a wider area or target a particular of your leaves.
How do you clean the leaves of indoor plants – Tip 4
Use a soft, lint-free damp cloth:
Our final tip to remove dirt and dust from your houseplants is to wipe them with a soft, lint-free damp cloth. The use of sprays however offer more benenfits as it adds nutrients to a plants leaves as well as humidity as well as cleaning them.
Final Thoughts on How to Clean the Leaves of Houseplants
By using our tips and advice in this blog you can help keep your plant leaves clean and healthy.
Cleaning your houseplants leaves is a rewarding and beneficial process that not improves their appearance but also ensures that they can carry out their process of photosynthesis effectively.
Remember that the best way to clean houseplant leaves will depend on size and type of plant. Be mindful of individual care requirements for each plant and adjust your cleaning routine accordingly.
