Yes, plant leaves need to be cleaned, otherwise they collect all the dust in the room. Dust prevents the leaf from absorbing light, thus forming chlorophyll, thus turning green… So many good reasons to clean houseplants regularly with a few simple grandmotherly tricks!
The best solution is probably olive oil can also give back all their shine to our indoor plants. The method? We put a few drops of olive oil on a damp cloth and again, we gently wipe the leaves to clean them. By the way, olive oil is a perfect natural repellent and keeps many pests away, including aphids.
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Why use olive oil to clean the leaves of your plants?
Dust can build up so quickly on the leaves of houseplants… The result: your plants become dull and lifeless. To take care of them, nothing could be simpler: a few natural and inexpensive tricks to make them shiny and in great shape. Of course, we forget about chemical products, and we prefer grandma’s tricks!
A few drops of olive oil on a damp cloth are enough to clean the leaves of the plants and make them shiny.
Moreover, aphids are greedy for flower leaves, but hate olive oil. To enjoy the benefits of this product from the south of France, simply add a tablespoon to the soil.
How to clean your leaves with olive oil?
Very easy, you just have to take a towel or a cloth and soak it with olive oil, then, you just have to rub delicately the leaves of your green plant until they are shiny.
Do not hesitate to change the cloth or to add oil if too much dust accumulates on it.
Of course, there are other solutions (we give you 6 others just below), but olive oil is by far the most interesting. The reason is that olive oil is also a very powerful repellent against aphids, and many other pests!
6 other ways to clean the leaves of your plants
1. Beer for the leaves
Grandma’s best-known trick for cleaning plant leaves is this: a rag soaked in lager to make the leaves shine while getting rid of dust.
A trick regularly used by florists to restore the shine of plants and ensure a nice green color. Be careful, though, to wipe gently, with one hand behind the leaf to avoid damaging the plant… for the rest, nothing too complicated, just take the time to do it!
2. Plants in the shower
No time to get fancy? With houseplants that don’t mind a good bath, put the pot in the shower tray and spray the leaves with a shower head to eliminate dust.
Then let them dry before wiping the pot cover and reinstalling them. For more fragile green plants and in the absence of beer, we replace the shower head with a simple spray of mineral water before wiping with a cloth. As a last resort, a soft, damp cloth can also do the trick.
3. Milk for plants
Yes, the leaves of green plants also like milk, as long as you cut it. Prepare a mixture of half water and half milk, then soak a cloth in it and wipe the leaves one by one, always with care. The most patient gardeners can finish by polishing with a soft cloth to boost the shine of the plants.
4. Brushing leaves
Not all leaves are smooth, and on fluffy leaves, the rag is useless… even though, like the others, these funny hairy leaves collect dust. The solution?
A brush. Wipe the leaves with a soft brush, why not a fan, paint or makeup brush. They get all their freshness back without damaging the plant!
5. A hair dryer on the leaves
Note that this tip should be used with care, only on plants that are not very fragile, with a hairdryer set to minimum power and above all, with cold air! If all the conditions are met, the device can save us time and effort by dislodging the dust into the folds and creases of the leaves.
6. Beer and milk
According to a grandmother’s trick, you can add either a few drops of beer to your water solution or milk. This will make the leaves shinier (glycerin). Wipe with a natural sponge. That’s it! Don’t worry, your plant will not be drunk or cheesy.
