How to Clean Monstera Leaves for a Thriving Greenery

You can spray the water on the stem, then carefully wipe it up to the leaves to ensure the grime is all lifted. Don’t forget to look up on the underside of the foliage.

Spotting your Monstera leaves pile up with dust and dirt that makes them look shabby? Maybe it is a sign that you must clean them up as soon as possible.

Not only do these impurities make them look dull and unattractive, but it turns out that they also inhibit your plant’s biological and physiological processes.

Especially photosynthesis and respiration. But the question is, how to clean monstera leaves from the grime?

Luckily, it is not tricky! You can clean it with water, vinegar, and even milk. Whoops! How come?

To answer this, you need to keep reading this article to the end, so you don’t miss the pro tips to care for your Monstera leaves and various interesting information about these plants.

Let’s dig in!

Key Takeaway

Cleaning Monstera leaves is important for plant health and attractiveness.
Use a mixture of water and dish soap, vinegar, or milk to clean the leaves.
Regular cleaning helps prevent pest infestations and supports photosynthesis.
Wiping, brushing, or offering a brief shower are effective cleaning methods.
Clean the leaves at least once a week, or more frequently if the plant is in a dusty area.

Why Do You Need to Clean Monstera Leaves?

As they have broad leaves, Monstera is more at risk of investing more dust and dirt on their leaves which can lead to other serious issues that will make them unhappy.

Hence, cleaning Monstera’s leaves shares many benefits for your plant and must be included in your plant care routine.

So, why should you clean your Monstera leaves? What are the benefits? Check the answers below!

Keep the plant healthy. The dirt and dust buildup on your monstera leaves can block the pores, inhibiting photosynthesis and respiration, which may be harmful to them. Hence, wiping the leaf surface is necessary to ensure the two processes go normally.
Repel the pests. As indoor plants, people think that Monstera is free of pests. However, they can still be affected by thrips, spider mites, and scale, especially if the tops of the leaves are very dirty. The dirt and dust accumulating will make it difficult for you to identify those culprits. Thus, clean them up before the manifestation spreads, and it’s too late to save your plant.
Make them attractive. Besides repelling the pests and keeping them healthy, cleaning off your monstera plant leaves makes them look way more attractive. In fact, they can offer endless greenery in the void spot of your indoor spaces.
Physiologically satisfying. For some people, having plants with clean dark green leaves, like Monstera plant leaves, will give a happy mood all day long. Especially if they are active indoors.

What Can I Clean Monstera Leaves with?

Although it seems unnecessary, cleaning Monstera deliciosa leaves is important to prevent their tiny pores from getting clogged by dust accumulation.

In general, leafy plant lovers like Monstera will use water and a piece of cloth to clean the leaves.

However, there are several other ingredients you can try to keep their leaves healthy.

Here’s a mixture formulation that you can try to make at home:

1. Soap

It is the most common material to make cleaning spray for your Monstera leaves.

Prepare a bowl of water and add 1-3 drops of dish soap. Mix it well. Then, dip the end of the clean cloth into the mixture and wring it out. Now, you can use it on your plant.

2. Vinegar

Vinegar has long been recognized as one of the natural herbicides to repel pests, such as aphids and spider mites. And interestingly, you can use it to clean your Monstera leaves.

To make the solution, add a tablespoon of vinegar to two cups of water, then stir it. Next, pour the mixture into a bottle to use with a microfiber cloth. Or you can also keep it in a spray bottle to apply it directly on the leaves.

3. Milk

Another ingredient you can use is milk. As much as it is safe for humans, the milk also works great to remove dirt and keep Monstera’s leaves shiny.

You just need to grab milk, take a half cup of it and mix it with 2/3 cup of water. Then, pour the solution into a spray bottle.

And you are all set!

Actually, you aslso can use vegetable oils to wipe Monstera leaves.

On the other hand, it is too risky because their fats can clog tiny pores on the leaf surface. Meanwhile, leaf shine sprays, considered to be able to make the surface of the leaves shiny, are also not suitable for long-term use for fear of side effects for plants.

Furthermore, you will also need some equipment to help you clean your Monstera. What are those?

Cloth. Of course, you will need it to wipe the leaves after spraying water, milk solution, or dish soap mixture. Don’t let the water sit on the foliage for too long to avoid water spots.
Soft-Bristle Tools. This one is additional equipment you may need to brush off the dust accumulation before wiping with a clean cloth.
Mister or Spray Bottle. Both are necessary if you prefer spraying over wiping with a damp cloth. In fact, they are more efficient and simple.
Trimmer. Some people prefer to clean up and also trim dying leaves. If you are one of those, you must prepare scissors or sharp shears.

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How to Clean Monstera Leaves? The Best Way to Clean Them

Alright! We are jumping to the most important section to answer the question, “how to clean Monstera leaves?”

You can try several methods as you prefer to remove grime from their leaves, such as:

1. Wipe Leaves Surfaces

We can say that it is one of the easiest and most popular ways to clean your Monstera leaves from dust and dirt.

You only need to prepare a clean cloth, dish soap and water, and mister (optional). Spray the water on the stem, then carefully wipe it up to the leaves to ensure the grime is all lifted.

Don’t forget to look up on the underside of the foliage because that part is generally where the pests inhabit. Suppose you spot pests (spider mites, for example). In that case, you can use vinegar or lemon juice solution with water as a cleaning agent.

2. Brush The Foliage

Besides wiping, brushing is also a perfect method for those who don’t have much time to clean by pruning or showering.

You will need a feather duster or rag to start. Then, hold your monstera plants to support the structure while you brush off the dust. Since sometimes brushing can’t be cleaned thoroughly, it is best to combine it with wiping.

3. Offer Brief Shower

You may never think that Monstera plants also like to take showers as we do! Surprisingly, you can offer a quick shower to flush down the dirt.

Simply turn on your shower with a slow flow. Put your fingers under the flow so that the falling water hits the leaves too. However, you cannot give excess water because it can trigger root rot.

4. Prune Their Dying Leaves

One of the ideal ways to keep your Monstera healthy and clean is to prune the dying leaves. The signs you might see from such leaves are the green pigment turning yellow or brown.

You can use sharp shears or scissors to cut them. Furthermore, be aware that too many dead leaves may signify root rot.

How Often Should You Wipe Monstera Leaves?

To keep your Monstera happy and healthy, it is necessary to at least clean the leaves once a week. You can also do it every day to prevent dust investment on the dark green foliage.

However, the frequency of cleaning depends on where you place your potted Monstera.

If you keep it outdoors, for example, on your patio, you may need to clean it more frequently than those sitting in the living room.

Moreover, consider not placing your Monstera plants in an area near cupboards or other types of furniture where dust and dirt generally accumulate.

Final Thought

The easiest and simplest way to clean your Monstera leaves is by spraying them with a mix of dish soap and water or other ingredients, such as vinegar or lemon juice.

In addition, you must wipe them at least once a week. But if you place them near dusty areas, you may need to clean them daily.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Should I wipe Monstera leaves?

You should clean monstera leaves from dirt and dust to keep them shiny. Besides, cleaning can help your plant leaves to have unimpeded photosynthesis.

To do this, take your damp cloth, then gently wipe their foliage one by one every time you see the dust and grime buildup. Or, you can do it at least once a week.

How do you make Monstera leaves shiny?

Try to wipe your monstera leaves to keep them shiny with a damp cloth.

If you want to treat them better, you can use a mixture of distilled water and detergent-free soap. Then, pour it into the spray bottle. Next, spray it on the leaves, then wipe them with a microfiber cloth.

Why are my Monstera leaves not shiny?

If you notice your Monstera leaves look dull and not shiny, it is perhaps due to a pile of dust and dirt that has not been cleaned in a long time. Therefore, cleaning monstera leaves is very important.

In addition to making them look shiny, the leaves will look more attractive.

Moreover, clean monstera leaves also allow the plant to perform photosynthesis better as the stomata (pores) are not clogged.

Can you use olive oil to shine plant leaves?

Some people use olive oil to make their plant’s leaves shine.

Well, it is okay if the olive oil is diluted with water before transferring it to the spray bottle. However, the undiluted one is not recommended as it will clog the pores on the leaves.

If the issue persists, it will hinder your plants’ respiration and transpiration. It also inhibits the process of water filtration in your plant.

Can you use vinegar to clean plant leaves?

Besides being a natural herbicide, vinegar can work great to clean dirty leaves by removing the dust and dirt invested in them.

How? Just mix one tablespoon of vinegar into two cups of water. Then, pour the solution into your spray bottle. Spray it on the leaves and wipe with a damp cloth.

In addition, this mixture will repel aphids and other pests from inhabiting the plant. However, some plants that don’t prefer acid may not be suitable for using vinegar spray to make the leaf shine.

Can you use baby wipes to clean Monstera leaves?

Generally, you can use baby wipes to clean Monstera leaves.

Nonetheless, it contains chemicals, including methylisothiazolinone and parabens (not recommended), which may harm your Monstera.

Instead of baby wipes, using a damp cloth that you can use repeatedly is safer for your plants.

Can you use coconut oil on Monstera leaves?

Although you can clean Monstera leaves with coconut oil, we don’t recommend it. The oil may clog the pores of the leaves, hindering the plant’s respiration process or even making it incapable of doing so.

In addition, the clogged pores also slow photosynthesis, eventually disrupting the energy formation process.

Can you clean Monstera leaves with milk?

Milk is good for humans, so as for plants. Hence, your Monstera plants can receive milk to clean up their leaves. It can remove dust, dirt, and other contaminants adhering to the leaves.

If you are interested, prepare a bowl, then pour a half cup of milk into it. Next, add 2/3 cup of water and mix them well.

You can use it in a spray bottle or simply take a microfiber cloth, dip it in the mix, and wipe it on the leaves.

Does leaf shine harm plants?

Leaf shine products can indeed make your plant leaves look healthy and shiny. But apparently, they actually harm your plants because they contain chemicals.

Although it doesn’t kill them immediately, the substances will clog the pores that inhibit photosynthesis and plant respiration. So, it is wiser to make the leaves shine with water or mix it with vinegar.

Which oil is good for plant leaves?

Basically, you can use vegetable oil for plant leaves to wipe off the dirt. Some of the most common vegetable oils that are widely used by plant lovers are olive oil and coconut oil.

However, those oils risk blocking the pores on the leaves. Hence, it is better to dilute it with water first before using it.