
Plants, especially indoor plants, are subject to the accumulation of dust and dirt that occurs naturally in virtually all environments. In outdoor settings, the rain regularly cleanses the leaves with its clean water, but this does not happen when we grow our plants indoors. Keeping them clean is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also an important source of health for the plant and for us.
if you want to learn how to clean plant leaves indoor and outdoor, but mainly the former, keep reading us in this practical article from EcologíaVerde.
Why should we clean the leaves of plants?
Obviously, nobody likes to see their plants with gray leaves or full of marks of lime or dirt: they can give an even worse impression than that of a somewhat dirty floor or furniture. However, this is not even the main reason to take care of and keep the leaves of your plants clean.
In the leaves are the stomata, which are the pores through which the plant breathes. Here you can learn more about what the stomata of a plant are. Dirt can clog these pores, complicating the plant’s photosynthesis process. A layer of dust or accumulated lime also reduces the insolation that the leaf receives, again damaging the vital process of photosynthesis that allows the plant to manufacture its nutrients.
clean the leaves Regularly will keep your plants in their best condition, but beware, they cannot be cleaned in any way, and improper cleaning can do more harm than good, damaging the plant or causing the appearance of diseases in it.
Do you want to meet some tricks to make plant leaves shine without putting your health at risk and improving it? These are some of the most used methods.

How to clean large leaf plants
These are the simplest of all, as large, smooth leaves tend to be strong and tough, and also collect highly visible dirt. follow these steps to clean large leaves of plants:
- Prepare a microfiber cloth, which has a very soft texture and will not damage your plant. Moisten it in water without lime. Do not use the tap, which would end up leaving stains on the leaves or even damage them: distilled or filtered water is much better, or even rainwater harvesting.
- Carefully pass the cloth along the sheet, from the base to the end, supporting it with your hand from below, without applying pressure.
- Leave the plant in a bright area without direct sun so that the moist leaves dry without burning.
Here are some products to clean the leaves of plants that you can use instead of water.

How to clean the leaves of plants with milk
Water isn’t the only option for cleaning plant leaves, and in fact, it’s not even the best for a good finish. Here we explain how to use milk to clean dirty plant leavesas this will give them a shiny finish, and also has an antifungal action that will protect them against fungal attack.
- Moisten the cloth in milk (the type doesn’t matter).
- Rub the leaves gently with it.
- Let it air dry, that is, you do not need to pass another dry cloth or anything.
How to use beer to clean plant leaves
As with milk, beer can also be used to cleanse plants as well as strengthen them. The barley from the beer acts as a foliar fertilizer, so in addition to leaving them shiny, you will be providing them with very beneficial nutrients. Apply the beer to clean the leaves of plants So:
- Dip the rag or cloth in the beer and wring it out so it’s just damp.
- Gently wipe the leaves with the cloth, removing dirt and leaving them shiny.
- Let the beer air dry on the surface of the leaves.

How to use banana peel to clean leaves
Another widely used method for clean the leaves of large-leaved plants is to use a banana skin. Follow these simple steps:
- You can use the skin of any banana that you have recently eaten, just separate it and take a single strip.
- Gently rub the inside of the banana peel against the surface of the leaf.
- You don’t need to clean up afterwards, just carefully remove any banana residue that may have stuck. You can do this with a cloth dampened with water.
Not only does this not attract insects or pests of any kind, but it also leaves the leaf very shiny and provides it with a large amount of nutrients, acting as a foliar fertilizer, like beer.
How to clean small leaf plants
With small or delicate leaves, it is best to use a small soft bristle brush. follow these steps to clean small leaf plants:
- Moisten the brush or brush only based on the plant’s moisture needs. If it is a plant that does not appreciate environmental humidity, it is better to use the brush dry or slightly moist to remove dirt.
- Always brush the leaves gently from the base to the tip.
- Remember never to rub the flowers, which are very delicate and we can inadvertently damage them. Of course, the bracts are not petals, and these can be cleaned normally.
How to clean cacti and succulents
Cacti and succulent plants are doubly difficult to clean because not only can they be very delicate, but some also have thorns that make the job difficult. However, not cleaning them should never be an option. learn chow to clean cacti and other similar plants with these steps:
- Use soft brushes or brushes, which allow you to keep your fingers away from the thorns and reach their small nooks and crannies without damaging the fleshy texture of these plants.
- Moisten the brush or brush very little with water and go through all the nooks and crannies you can, but do it very carefully so as not to damage the fleshy part but also so as not to break the thorns that protect the plant.
- Let the little water you have used dry completely so you can see the result and go over some nooks and crannies if necessary.

How to clean hanging plants
Hanging plants can be cleaned as we have explained in the previous cases, but sometimes this is not enough or else, they have many small leaves and the task is very long. Thus, there is also an ideal method for clean the leaves of hanging plants:
- Fill a large enough container or the sink with warm water.
- Take the pot of your hanging plant and, very carefully, turn it over holding the substrate so that it does not fall.
- Dip the leaves of the plant gently, and leave them for a few seconds before removing them, letting most of the water drip off.
- Put it to dry later in an area where it does not burn or accumulate too much moisture.
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