The next time you go through your house with a duster, dust your houseplants as well. That may sound very strange, but just like on furniture, it doesn’t take long for dust to accumulate on leaves. So to keep them looking their best and to help them thrive, you should clean indoor plant leaves from time to time. In this article we’ll explain why you need to dust your houseplants and how to do it.

Why you need to dust your houseplants

Plants absorb sunlight through their leaves, to produce nutrients for themselves. That process is called photosynthesis. But if there is a layer of dust on the leaves, they don’t get enough sunlight and that reduces the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Over time, this puts a strain on the health of plants and prevents them from growing properly. Eventually they can even die. So in addition to making your plants look much nicer without a layer of dust, it’s also very important for their health.

How to dust houseplants

So in addition to watering, you should also dust your plants from time to time. But how do you clean indoor plant leaves? There are several ways to do it:
• Simply wipe the leaves off with a damp cloth.
• Spray the leaves with a plant sprayer. After this, wipe the leaves with a cloth, otherwise it will simply dry again.
• If your plant likes water, you can shower it. Some plants love rain showers, and a shower is like that!

Know that you don’t have to dust all plants. Succulents, for example, have a special coating on their leaves that protects them from direct sunlight.

Also read: How to help your plants survive the winter: 3 tips