Cleaning Artificial Plants

When artificial plants or plants need cleaning "paper or plastic?" is a question you may need to ask, but "silk or plastic?" is really most often the appropriate question. Other considerations are the way a plant is constructed (some artificial plants are a matter of wire with silk leaves, others are a more hardy plastic-coated wire and leaf stems fitted over base stems in a "pop-on/pop-off" fashion.

When regular dusting is no longer enough for a plant that has been around for a while most plastic plants can be given a bath in a sink filled with warm water and dishwashing-liquid suds by tipping them upside down and being careful not to allow the container and "fake soil" to be in the water. Using a hand and/or a strong paper towel, gently washing the surfaces of leaves. Empty the water, refill the sink to give the plant a rinse. Empty the sink again, and further rinse the leaves under a stream of gentle running lukewarm or cold water. Blot leaves dry with a paper towel, and it may help to wrap the foliages in a paper towel until it stops dripping a lot of water. Use any appropriate cleaner for the container, depending on whether its a plastic, glass, clay, or metal container. Basket-type/wicker containers can be wiped clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. A light spray of household cleaner usually won't do much to a basket as long as care is taken to keep the spraying minimal.

Giving plastic plants a bath this way may cause a few leaves to pop off, but you can pop them back on. Of course, over-sized plastic plants can be too heavy for this type of cleaning, so holding a dry paper towel under a section of plant while using a wet paper towel to clean each section can do a more effective job if the plant has to much dust or other dirt on it.