Cleaning indoor plants.
Every indoor plant needs regular cleaning to keep it healthy and beautiful.
It is easier for plants to breathe, soak up sunlight, and make food through
photosynthesis when its leaves are free of dust and other airborne particles.
Shiny-leaved plants are easy to clean. Simply moisten a soft cloth with warm
water and wipe both sides of each leaf, or wash leaves by misting with water.
To clean several plants at once, set them in the shower under a fine spray.
After washing, use a paper towel to blot excess moisture, which may cause
rot or sunscald.
Fuzzy-leaved plants are sensitive to touch. Washing the fuzzy hairs that protect
the plant in arid conditions can be hazardous to the leaves. Use a soft paintbrush
and gently dust each leaf.
Cacti, with their sharp spikes, can be hard to clean. Many also have a waxy
coating that helps them conserve moisture. If water remains on the coating,
it can act as a magnifier and scorch the leaf. To avoid damaging the waxy
coat, spray short bursts of canned compressed air (used to clean cameras)
to blow away dust and dirt, or use long tweezers to pick off stray particles.