Houseplants not growing well? Cleaning dust off the leaves in time is key

Some friends keep plants purely to decorate their homes and don't care about their health at all. Usually, only when yellow leaves or root rot appear do they ask fellow plant lovers, why has my plant turned out like this?

(Money tree before and after wiping)

Besides watering and suitable sunlight, ordinary potted plants also need their leaves "bathed." If a plant is to carry out photosynthesis, its leaves cannot retain too much dust, as this will clog the plant's stomata, not only preventing photosynthesis but also making it impossible for the plant to breathe, causing symptoms of yellowing leaves.

1. Below, let me teach you the simplest method for cleaning leaf surfaces

The simplest way is to wipe with a soft cloth or wet paper towel. Do not use a rough cloth. Carefully wipe the surface of the leaf and the back of the leaf. The back of the leaf should be wiped too, so don't overlook it.

This method suits most foliage plants, such as the usual pothos, money tree, snake plant, anthurium, lucky bamboo, and other plants.

2. How should you wipe plants whose leaves are not smooth or that have soft hairs?

The most common one is the African violet. In this case, you can clean it with a calligraphy brush or a soft-bristled brush. These can be bought at stationery shops or garden stores. I once bought one for one yuan.

Gently sweep the brush over the leaf surface to remove dust and dirt. This way you won't damage the leaves, and you can also achieve the purpose of cleaning.

3. What should you do if the dust cannot be wiped off?

Some plant lovers never wipe their plants for years on end, accumulating months or even longer. So how should this be handled?

At this point you need some auxiliary tools. You can mix some beer with water and then wipe with it, which can make foliage plants more glossy and shiny. Using it in moderation is very beneficial.

Common indoor green plants generally need to be wiped once every 1 to 2 weeks. Normally, if the air is dry, you can spray a little water on their leaves to remove dust.

4. Use chlorophyll products with caution

There are many products on the market that make green plants greener. After spraying, the plants immediately become glossy and shiny. In fact, some of them have wax added, which will clog the stomata on the leaf surface, and over time it will easily make the plants sick. So it's better to do more of the work yourself.