Caring for pothos plants in your home will be a good experience. These are pretty plants that can be grown indoors all year.
Sometimes you might notice that your pothos leaves will get a bit dirty. They might get some dust on them when sitting on a shelf somewhere in your home.
How should you go about cleaning the leaves? Is there a safe way to do it without harming the plant?
Read on to learn how to clean pothos leaves. This will ensure that you do things right so your plant can continue to thrive under your care.
Dust Can Be Harmful to Plants
Cleaning the dust off of plants is important. If you don’t clean the dust off of the leaves of the plant it could cause problems with photosynthesis.
Dust will continue to pile on top of the leaves if you fail to take action. A thick layer of dust will make it difficult for the plant to utilize sunlight.
If the plant can’t absorb sunlight properly due to being dirty, it’s going to harm the health of the plant. Pothos plants are hardy enough that this won’t be a huge concern.
Even so, you want to clean the leaves now and then. Allowing dust to remain on the leaves is not a good idea.
Thankfully, cleaning the leaves won’t be difficult. There are a few simple ways you can go about doing this.
Clean the Leaves by Hand
Cleaning the leaves by hand is a great way to get things done. This allows you to safely clean the leaves and remove dust, dirt, and other types of debris that might be stuck to them.
To do this safely, it’s recommended to purchase a non-abrasive sponge. You don’t want to scratch the leaves or harm them in any way.
It’s also fine to use a standard microfiber cloth to get the job done. These microfiber cloths are easy to use and they won’t hurt the plants.
Make a simple cleaning solution using lukewarm water and dish soap. You only need to use a drop of dish soap to get the job done.
Swirl the solution around a bit and then dip your sponge or cloth in the water. Now gently wipe the leaves to remove dust, dirt, and grime.
Use one hand to support the leaves while the other holds the cloth or sponge. Be careful when wiping the leaves so you don’t accidentally tear them off of the plant.
This does require a gentle touch, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it. Do this whenever you need to clean the pothos plants in your home.
It’s also good to know that this same basic idea for cleaning the leaves will work for other types of houseplants. You can keep your plants looking nice if you take action regularly.
Simple Dusting
Sometimes you can get by without mixing up a cleaning solution. If the pothos plant leaves only have a fine layer of dust, it’ll be easy enough to dust them.
You can use a microfiber cloth or a standard duster. Wipe each leaf individually the same way you would if you were using the cleaning solution method mentioned above.
Support the leaves with one hand and dust them with the other. Do your best not to be too rough so the leaves won’t suffer any damage.
Just dust the plant every so often to keep things safe. You can do this whenever you dust your shelves if you want to.
How Often Should You Clean the Leaves?
You don’t have to clean the leaves every single day. It isn’t even necessary to clean the leaves weekly.
It’d likely be fine to clean the leaves once per month, but it’s easier to just clean them when you’re watering the plant. Try to get in the habit of cleaning the leaves off whenever you need to water the plant.
You might not water a pothos plant on a consistent schedule. On average, you’ll need to water a pothos plant every two weeks, but this can differ based on various factors.
For instance, the plant might need to be watered more or less often depending on how hot it is and how much sunlight exposure the plant has. You’re supposed to check the soil to see if the plant needs to be watered.
Always check the soil with your fingers. If the soil has dried out, it’s time to water the plant.
You don’t want to water the plant too much so it’s always best to check the soil. After watering the plant, you can simply take the time to clean the leaves.
Trim the Pothos Occasionally
Sometimes you might notice that certain leaves will turn brown or yellow. Damaged foliage should be removed to promote new growth.
If you don’t trim the plant, it’ll continue to waste energy on the damaged foliage. Every so often, it’s good to prune the plant a little bit.
Use a sharp pair of gardening shears and cut away the damaged or dead foliage. You can also use trimming as a way to promote branching.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of a pothos plant isn’t that difficult. These plants are so hardy that they won’t have a tough time thriving even if the leaves get a bit dusty.
Regardless, the dust isn’t good for the plant. You don’t want to leave the dust on the leaves for too long.
It’s also not good to let the plants get dirty or grimy. You can easily clean the leaves off by simply using a non-abrasive sponge or a microfiber cloth.
If the leaves are really dirty, you can mix up a cleaning solution. Use a bit of dish soap and lukewarm water to make this solution and then dip your sponge or cloth in it.
Wipe the leaves carefully and support them while doing so. You can remove dust, dirt, and grim with this method.
Sometimes you won’t need to use anything to get rid of the dust. You can just wipe the leaves off with a microfiber cloth or duster and all will be well.
Try to remember to clean the leaves often enough. It’s good to do this each time you water the plant.
Now that you know that cleaning the leaves is easy, it won’t be hard to keep the plant looking nice. The pothos plant won’t have problems photosynthesizing when you keep the leaves clean.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.