How to Eliminate Houseplant Bugs

Indoor plants can sometimes become infested with bugs, but that doesn't always mean that you have throw your houseplant away. Often you can successfully eliminate any bugs on a houseplant and restore it to health. Follow these steps to learn more about eliminating bugs from your houseplants.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Identify the type of bugs or pests that have infested your houseplant and determine if there is a large infestation or just a few bugs.

2. Handpick the bugs off of your houseplant if there are only a few of them and they are easy to find. Types of bugs that are easy to eliminate by handpicking are caterpillars, beetles, cutworms, slugs and snails. Use your hands, a toothpick or tweezers.

3. Eliminate aphids, mealybugs and scale insects from broad-leaved plants by washing the leaves with a soapy water mix made from two tablespoons of mild dishwashing liquid and a gallon of water. Carefully scrub the houseplant with a soft brush or cloth. During a pest outbreak the leaves should be washed every seven to 14 days.

4. Consider using biological controls. Sometimes you can eliminate the bugs by using their natural enemies against them.

5. Use pesticide if there are more than just a few bugs on your houseplants and biological controls are not an option. Houseplant insecticides are poisons and come in the form of soaps, oils and sprays. It is imperative that you correctly identify your bugs before buying a pesticide, because different insecticides are required for different types of bugs.

Tips & Warnings

• Pesticides are dangerous so always follow the directions on the labels.
• Keep all pesticides in a locked cabinet out of the reach of children.
• Treat houseplants with pesticides outside and wear rubber gloves and a dust mask when applying the poison.