I've read many tips that say to use banana skins or mayo to clean houseplants. I don't like using these or any other such thing on my plants because they leave a coating on the leaves which can block them from getting air and/or water. It also causes them to collect dust and dirt faster.
What I do is I take a gallon size bucket and put no more than 1/2 tsp mild dish soap in. I then take a lint free cloth and wipe each leaf. This cleans all the dust and dirt without blocking their pores. And they are totally clean and will not attract dust and dirt, thereby staying clean longer. I use this method for all my plants that have leaves large enough to wash individually. For all the others, I put them in the bath tub and set the shower to "mist" and give them a good shower for about 10-15 minutes.
Any plants that are too large to pick up I always keep on a rolling tray. That way I can roll it into the bathroom and use a sprayer to spray it down good.
By Cricket from Parkton, NC
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This is such a good thing to do for your plants! The use of the mild soap and water treatment can also act as a pesticide. It was one of the first things Master Gardeners were taught back in the early 90s when I went through the training in FL.
Using it to clean your plants is smart. All the benefits of a clean plant (healthy 'breathing') and the added bonus of making a plant taste yuck to the potential critters!
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