Artificial plants don’t drop leaves and do not need water or fertilizer. But they still need the care to maintain their good-looking appearance. The maintenance is mainly in the form of dealing with dust. Anything that has a surface will collect dust. Artificial Plants are no exception. To keep faux plants looking good, users need to dust them regularly. And people can occasionally clean them more deeply. This article will show you more about how to clean artificial plants.
— How Often Should You Clean Artificial Plants?
Like a natural plant, artificial leaves collect dust and need cleaning. You can include them in your regular dusting routine. Cleaning and caring for artificial plants is quite simple. You can swipe your microfiber duster over the plants in broad strokes around once a week. Cleaning prevents dust from accumulating and becoming harder to rub away. Faux plants also need a deep cleaning once in a while. So, regular maintenance helps to prevent the buildup of a harder-to-remove film of dust. And arrange a deep cleaning of artificial plants about twice a year.
— Can Silk Artificial Plants Get Wet?
Most silk faux plants can get wet. While getting some others wet may cause colors to bleed. Silk trees show better when getting wet than silk flowers. If you intend to try a damp cleaning method on colorful silk flowers, remember to test in an inconspicuous area first. If you do not want to take the risk or notice color bleeding, try a dry cleaning method instead.
— What Clean Materials Are Safe for Artificial Plants?
It is easy to find cleaning material in your kitchen pantry. How to use the materials to clean your artificial plants? Below is the breakdown of how each works.
1. Vinegar
Of all the vinegar types, white vinegar is the most acidic and strongest cleaner. The acid contained within it can cut through grime and stains. It is so powerful, so it’s better to dilute it with water.
2. Hairspray
Hairspray contains alcohol. People can use it to clean the surfaces of faux plants. Like hand sanitizer, it works via alcohol. So it can dissolve grime and kill germs., hairspray’s main ingredient. Just as the alcohol works in hand sanitizer, hairspray helps dissolve dirt; some types can even kill germs. There is only one problem. If you use too much on a plant, it will make the plant look clumpy and even attract more dirt than it removes.
3. Salt
Salt, with its abrasive properties, can be effective in cleaning artificial plants. Throwing salt in a bag can remove the dust that a microfiber cloth couldn’t grab. Trapped moisture can lead to mildew in and around your plant. Salt is absorbent, so you can leave the salt mixed with the plants a little longer than you usually would.
4. Water
Finally, water can match almost every need of your artificial plants. You can solve most cleaning problems with water, from dusty surfaces to dirt spills. Water can reach small and large particles that a dry towel can’t catch. Remember to use cold water to clean artificial plants. Then you can avoid pushing stains deeper into the porous surfaces.
— How to Deep Clean Your Artificial Plants?
Cleaning your faux plants isn’t hard. It is easy for you to find everything you need in your hand. Delicate artificial silk flowers require more exceptional care. But for plastic and polyester plants, you can try one of these three ways below.
1. Take your plant into the shower or outside.
Taking your plants in the shower is one quick and simple way to rinse the dust. Get a garbage bag and your plant, and head to the bathroom. Or, you can take them outside if you have a hose. You can use a small paintbrush or a microfiber duster to dust off the leaves of the plants. You can also try a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust. But, the suction could be too strong for some delicate plants. Wrap a trash bag around any parts of the plant which can not get wet. And don’t forget to seal the top of the bag with packing tape or string. Remember to use cool water from the shower head or hose to rinse off the leaves, surface, stem, or wherever dust collects. Then, dry your plant on a towel or in the shade.
2. Wipe down your plant leaf by leaf.
Cleaning the plant leaf by leaf is a little more labor-intensive. But you can still finish it in a short time. You can get a damp cloth and leave your plants in place right where they are. If the plant is large, you may need a little more time. Just run the cloth under cool water until it’s clean. Then, you can squeeze excess water out until the cloth is damp and continue cleaning leaf by leaf.
3. The Vinegar Method
Add some white vinegar to the mix if you can not clean the pants well with water alone. Mix a half-vinegar and half-water in a spray bottle. Then you can spray down the plants. For really tough grimes, let the vinegar solution sit for several minutes. This method is also suitable for some intricate plants. The vinegar can help you to cut through a built-up film of dust. Then, get a clean damp cloth to wipe away as much vinegar and dust as possible.
— How to Clean Delicate Artificial Silk Flowers?
Artificial silk flowers require special care. Since the way silk flowers are constructed, and the dyes manufacturers use, the liquid cleaning method may cause colors to run. There’s a dry cleaning way that won’t damage your silk flowers. That is to use cornmeal or salt to rub the dust from petals and leaves in a gentle way. If the arrangement of your silk flowers is small enough to fit in a large zip-top plastic baggie, you can refer to the solution below.
Take a large zip-top bag, and fill it with either half cup of cornmeal or half a cup of salt. Add the arrangement to the bag or pillowcase. Seal the bag or twist up your pillowcase and hold the end. Shake your silk flowers around in the bag gently. Then, take off the arrangement and shake off the salt or cornmeal. It is better to do it outside or over a trash can. Then, you can use a hairdryer (in a cool setting) to blow off any remaining salt or cornmeal.
— How To Clean Artificial Plants with Hairspray?
If you want to make, your faux plants look clean in a quick way. You can spray your faux plants with a coating of hairspray, then shake them. The hairspray will clear off some dust and leave behind a sheen. So the plants will look clean and shiny. But the cost of hairspray is only a fraction of the cost of a silk plant cleaner.
— Can You Put Fake Artificial Plants in the Dishwasher?
You can put some artificial plants and flowers in the dishwasher. Remember to check for colorfastness first. Then, you will not ruin your flowers or dye the inside of your dishwasher. Make sure every part of the plant can get wet. Then, choose a gentle setting and don’t use detergent.
— How to Add Shine to Artificial Plants?
For artificial plants, your first priority should be to make them look good as new. Adding some shine can make them appear more natural. Some manufacturers sell plant cleaners designed specifically for silk plants. Many of these types of cleaning solutions can also add shine to the silk. They will come in the form of a spray over the surface. Then, the plants will keep looking fresh and dewy. You can also try to use hairspray like the silk plant cleaner. As we mentioned above, it can make dust melt away and leave behind an impressive shine.
If there are huge leaves that stand out in your artificial plant, you can rub them with olive oil in a gentle way for instant shine. In this way, you can make the entire plant feel refreshed and renewed. Adding a little shine to artificial plants can make them look more realistic and less fake.
— How to Keep Dust off Artificial Plants?
A regular dusting routine is the first line of defense against the dust on artificial plants. You can dust your plants with a duster or cloth once a week. Regular cleaning prevents dust from forming a thick layer that requires deep cleaning. You can also try a leaf shine cleaner that can keep dust from settling.
Artificial plants look realistic like natural plants without any watering or pruning. But it doesn’t mean you can put them away for months. A little care and cleaning of artificial plants will go a long way in maintaining they are good-looking. Just a few minutes every week will give you a shiny artificial plant.
