Dusting is an important household chore to rid the house of potential allergens and improve the appearance of your home. However, one often-overlooked part of the house that can benefit from occasional dusting is your houseplants. The leaves and flowers of houseplants can get very dusty and actually affect the health and growth of your plants too.
Here are some tips for dusting indoor plants and how to clean houseplant leaves in the easiest and most efficient ways possible.
Why Dust Houseplants?
Dusty houseplants make a room look unkept and unclean. It’s important to keep plants clean because they are focal points in a room and naturally draw the attention of guests to admire them.
The layer of dirt and dust that accumulates on plants can also hinder their growth. This is because those dusty layers get in the way of the plant absorbing sunlight and feeding itself through photosynthesis.
Microfiber Cloth or Feather Duster Method
If you keep up with occasional dusting and your layer of plant dust isn’t too bad, you might be able to simply use a dry microfiber cloth or feather duster on your houseplants. All you need to do is gently run the cloth or duster over the leaves whenever you dust the rest of your house. However, this method doesn’t work as well for fuzzy leaves or on very delicate flowers.
Dry Paintbrush Method
If you have delicate plants or ones with fluffy leaves, such as African violets, try using a soft and dry paintbrush for dusting. This will work better than getting the leaves wet or submerging them in water. You can also use a soft-bristle toothbrush or a pipe cleaner if you don’t have any paintbrushes around the house.
Sponge and Soapy Water Method
Another way to clean your houseplants is to use a soft sponge to wipe down the leaves with a mixture of ¼ teaspoon of dish soap per quart of warm water. You can also mist your plants with water from a spray bottle to dust them, which works great for cacti and succulents.
Kitchen Sink or Shower Method
Smaller, portable plants can be moved into the kitchen sink or shower to do a thorough cleaning when they become very dusty. Use a detachable showerhead or sink nozzle to gentle rinse off plant leaves and watch dust and debris disappear. Blot the leaves dry before moving them back, or let them air-dry if you don’t need to use the shower right away.
Hire a Housekeeper for Help with Plants
Keeping houseplants alive and healthy is a lot of work and maybe something that you don’t have time for in your daily life. But this can be frustrating if you love being surrounded by plants in your home and enjoying the benefits of a little extra oxygen and greenery in your indoor space.
Household Staffing International can help by setting you up with a great housekeeper who can take care of all the little details around your house, including plant care. Our housekeepers are experts in all aspects of cleaning and household maintenance, which enables you to focus on what’s most important to you and not worry about tedious chores that feel like a burden.
Contract us at 212-683-7722 to learn more or fill out our online form to start your housekeeper search today!