Dusting Houseplants

by Feb 4, 2025Education

My favorite winter gardening activity happens on a slow Sunday morning, as the low light of the winter sun streams through my window. With a damp microfiber rag in hand, I gently dust each leaf of the Sansevierias, Pothos, and Arrowhead plant. 

Without natural rain and breezes, indoor plants (just like your bookshelf!) tend to gather dust on their leaves. This dust blocks sun and oxygen from reaching the chlorophyll and stomata on the leave’s surfaces. This would be like only ever breathing dusty air all day and night.

While everyone seems to have their own method of dusting their houseplants, there are a few common themes to consider. 

I’ll start by sharing the lazy houseplant owner way: wash the houseplant off in the shower. It’s a 2 for 1 deal- dust and water the plant at the same time. There is some concern that over time, mineral deposits in the water will collect on the leaves. To prevent this, you can fill a spray bottle with distilled water and go crazy spritzing the leaves as the water washes the dust off. Or, during monsoon season, take the plants outside for a refreshing rain shower. They love this!

The preferred method among houseplant enthusiasts is to simply wet a microfiber rag (distilled water is best) and gently wipe each leaf. As you do so, support the leaf with your other hand. Sometimes you’ll even hear of people using whole milk diluted 1:1 with water. The protein and fat in the milk give the leaves an extra shine, and has even been reported to help with powdery mildew. However, since the goal of dusting is to remove build-up on the leaves, I would maybe do this once or twice a year if you decided to.

Last of all, if you are interacting with a cacti, or any plant with sticky, fuzzy, or hydrophobic leaves, a good method for dusting is a soft paintbrush or makeup brush. You could even try gently vacuuming, or a soft air compressor. But I repeat- be gentle with the power tools!

Whatever method you choose, pay attention to how the houseplant responds to your dusting method. They are alive, and will give you clues as to whether they are enjoying the method, or if it’s time for a different method. When the plants are happy, the humans are happy! 

Sarah Armanovs is the Gardens Manager at The Arboretum at Flagstaff.

Sarah Armanovs