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How to Clean Monstera Leaves – These 5 Tips Will Help You

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Monstera deliciosa, also known as the split-leaf philodendron or Swiss-cheese plant, is a species of flowering plants originating in Southern Mexico.

This plant has been introduced to many tropical areas all around the globe. It has become a popular and widely grown houseplant in many temperate regions.

Monstera became famous for its large, vibrant leaves and unique form and keeping these leaves clean is important to keep the plant healthy. In eastern culture, monstera leaves represent longevity, respect, and honor.

Monstera leaves have become a total hit among masses for their heart-shaped young leaves, which develop into larger leaves with dense foliage and unique cut-out design.

The holes and splits in Monstera leaves are termed as fenestrations. The vibrant color and air purifying property can make it a perfect indoor plant; however, not knowing how to clean Monstera leaves properly can be challenging.

We will show you how to clean Monstera leaves and keep them healthy in this coming guide.

How to Clean Monstera Leaves
via Flickr

How to Take Care of Monstera

Monsteras are beautiful, easygoing houseplants whose outstanding leaves are adorned with unique holes. Monsteras are creeping plants like vines and love to climb over the pot or a stake or grill.

In this guide, we will share how to water a Monstera, its lights, humidity, and temperature preferences and further tips on cleaning Monstera leaves and keeping them healthier.

Soggy Soil Is a Big No!

Monstera prefers light moisture in the soil and dries out between watering. A mix of sandy soil can provide good drainage for the better sustainability of this plant. The roots of Monstera are aerial, which means they are sensitive to over-watering, so they do not want to sit in soggy soil.

Watering

Monstera needs to be watered every 1 to 2 weeks. Allow the soil to dry out between watering. If you live in a hotter and brighter environment, your Monstera may require more frequent watering. Once the top 2 to 4 inches of the soil are dry, your plant might use a drink again.

Sunlight

Too much Sun is not friendly to your Monstera plant. Monstera grows best in bright to moderate indirect sunlight. Too much direct sunlight will damage your leaf baby.

Temperature

Monstera thrives best in a temperature range of 65°F to 85°F (18°C-30°C). It’s best not to let the temperature drop below 60°F (15°C).

Humidity

Normal room humidity will do for Monstera; however, it’s better to have a more humid environment. You may use an air humidifier or a fine-mist sprayer to achieve desired humidity.

Diseases And Pests

The Monstera is a laid-back plant and is usually pest-free. Pests can be easily treated and avoided by spraying natural pesticides like neem oil and wiping down the leaves every week.

Precautions

If cats, dogs, or humans chew the leaves of Monstera, it may irritate them. Therefore, it is advised to keep your Monstera out of range from pets and children.

How to Clean Monstera Leaves

The star of the Monstera plant is its big, vibrant leaves that can bring life to your interior. However, these large leaves tend to accumulate more dust. Cleaning the leaves can give this plant a very fresh look and is important in keeping them happy and healthy.

Why Is Cleaning Monstera Plant Leaves Important?

Monstera is a plant with large, wide leaves prone to accumulating dust quite easily, leading to a large array of problems. Cleaning Monstera leaves is crucial to keeping the plant healthy and ensuring its healthy growth. It is important for the following few reasons:

  • Health: Clean leaves allow better photosynthesis and air exchange
  • Pests: Frequent cleaning allows you to look for pests and remove them before they can do any damage.
  • Appearance: Getting rid of dirt and dust makes your plant feel and look good. It will grow much quicker, about lusher leaves.

Cleaning Frequency

A good general principle is to clean your Monstera plant at least once per week. However, how frequently you need to clean your Monstera depends on several factors such as the position of the plant in the house, location of the house and the aeration around the spot.

If your Monstera is in a well-aerated spot, it is more likely to gather dust, increasing the frequency of cleaning it. You can judge on your own how much your plant gathers dust and then clean it accordingly, twice per week or every other week.

Tools You Need

Following are some helpful and easily available items required to clean Monstera leaves.

  • A piece of cloth or a micro-fiber towel will work great for your plant’s weekly wiping.
  • A fine-mister or a watering can help water your Monstera.
  • Feather dusters and other soft-bristle tools clean dusty leaves efficiently.
  • A  pair of sharp shears or scissors help prune dying leaves, which steal water from healthy ones.

5 Godsend Tips on How to Clean Monstera Leaves

Cleaning of leaves refers to the watering, dusting, wiping, or trimming of the leaves of a plant. Cleaning encourages the healthy growth of a plant and makes it look luscious and eye-catching. Here are 5 excellent tips that will help you clean your Monstera leaves.

1.     Giving Monstera a Shower

Just like us, plants also love to shower. You can shower your Monstera but make sure the water pressure is not too harsh, and the water temperature isn’t too hot or cold. Preferable water temperature is lukewarm.

Gently clean the leaves under the shower, and don’t forget about the undersides!

2.     Wiping Down the Leaves

Wiping is the easiest way of cleaning a Monstera leaf. Use a damp cloth or a sponge and gently wipe both sides of the leaves while supporting the other side, which isn’t being wiped at the moment.

3.     Brush the Leaves

Dust your Monstera regularly with a cloth, feather duster, or even a makeup brush. Just like when wiping it down, make sure to support each leaf while cleaning.

This method is great for cleaning plants, like Monstera, with large leaves.

4.     Trimming the Brown Leaves

It is important to trim and prune the plant for its healthy growth. It would help if you trimmed brown, yellowing or withering leaves as soon as possible otherwise, they’d slurp away important nutrients from the plant body. You could easily do trimming with a pair of clean, sharp scissors.

5.     Cleaning the Pot

Thorough clean-up of your Monstera pots every other season is quite helpful to ensure there are no rotting roots or soggy stems and to aerate the soil. It can also help detect salt deposits and any signs of fungus or other diseases.


Conclusion

Monstera plants are beautiful and easygoing when you know how to take care of them. This article has covered all the information on taking care of your Monstera plant. Now you know how to clean Monstera leaves and keep them healthy.

If you haven’t cleaned your Monstera in a while, go and give it a good cleaning. Don’t forget to leave your feedback in the comment section if you find this article helpful!