How to Clean Dust Off Silk Plants
Silk plants collect dust in their many crevices, making it difficult to keep them clean and glossy. Fortunately there are a few simple methods for keeping your silk plants free of dust so that you can enjoy their many benefits. Silk plants give the impression of a real plant even when conditions such as humidity, air quality, lighting or temperature don't lend themselves to growing real plants. Silk plants are also a good solution for those who don't wish to put the time and effort into regularly watering real plants. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels or rags
- Spray bottle
- White vinegar
- Large paper bag
- Salt or cornmeal
- Dishwashing detergent
Instructions
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Clean dust off silk plants by wiping all exposed plant surfaces with a damp paper towel or damp rag. This is a relatively quick process for plants with large leaves, but can take so long that it's impractical when dealing with small-leafed silk plants.
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Fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Spread paper towels or rags around the bottom of your silk plant to deal with any overspray, and then spritz the entire plant liberally with your vinegar-water mixture and let air dry.
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Remove small silk plants from the planting medium, if possible. Bundle them into a large paper bag, pour in about a cup of salt or cornmeal, roll the top of the bag closed and then shake gently for thirty seconds to a minute. The salt or cornmeal acts as a scrubber to remove dust and debris from even the hard-to-reach surfaces of the silk plant. Shake the plant gently as you pull it out of the paper bag to dislodge any particles of salt or cornmeal that may have lodged in its crevices.
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Check to make sure the bottom of the silk plant's pot or growing medium allows water to drain through it. If it does, set your small or medium sized silk plants in the kitchen sink or shower and direct a gentle spray of water briefly over the silk leaves. Gently shake excess water off the plants, and then let them air dry.
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Fill a basin or tub full of cool water. Add a generous squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent. Swish the plant gently through the water, remove and blot dry--don't rub. For cleaning especially large plants, fill a large bowl with the cool water-detergent mixture and have someone hold the bowl near the plant as you carefully bend the branches down and swish them through the water one or two at a time.
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Tips & Warnings
Spray Armor-All or Endust on a rag, and then wipe the leaves of your silk plants to both clean dust away and make the leaves shine.
Never use hot water to wash a silk plant; it may melt the glue or floral wrap holding the plant together. Never soak a silk plant in water; even if the water is cool, prolonged exposure may dissolve the adhesive holding the plant together.
