This is gonna be one of those articles where I’m like ‘best practice is to…’ but in actual fact I rarely do the thing.
The thing, in this case, is cleaning the leaves of your peace lily.
Peace lilies are both a pain to clean (a lot of long, thin leaves) AND one of those plants that, even if you aren’t cleaning your other plants…you should really clean this one.
I have a loooong article on the why and hows of general plant cleaning but this one is focused on peace lilies. Why do they need cleaning more than other plants? A couple of reasons.
- They tend to be put in low light places. They don’t mind that BUT it seems that a lot of low lgiht spots in the home also accumulate a tonne of dust. It’s highly likely that your peace lily is the dirtiest plant in your collection. Mine is, as you will see shortly.
- this links to point 1 but is worth mentioning separately. Since peace lilies are often put in low light spots, it’s of utmost importance that they can get a much light as they can. Removing dust will help with this.
You should clean your peace lily leaves often
Note how it says you. I’m not including me in this. I’m a lost cause when it comes to dusting.
Helps keep the stomata clean
If you think of stomata as being like pores (they’re not exactly, but it’s a solid analogy) then consider that dust may be clogging those pores and causing, er, issues.
Basically it can impede the gas exchange that plants perform (?). Dust won’t stop plants from doing their thing, but they will be more efficient if their stomata are kept clear.
Dust attracts pests
Peace lilies are absolute heroes when it comes to pests. For whatever reason, pests just don’t seem to like them.
THAT BEING SAID dust can attract pests (I’m guessing that extremely dusty plants produce stress hormones that in turn attract pests) especially our old friend the spider mite. Sure they might not stay on your lily but should you have, say, a Philodendron Verrucosum or an Alocasia in the area, they will be ALL over that. Come for the dustry peace lily, stay for the tasty plants.
Clean leaves photosynthesise more efficiently
I have no numbers. I don’t know how much of a difference it ACTUALLY makes (one day, when I’m feeling like a boring project I’ll do an experiment on how much dust impedes growth) but every little helps – especially if your peace lily is in less than optimal light.
There are a few different techniques you can use
Dust gloves
Huge fan!
Look:
(but no judgement please)
I got mine from my local garden centre an I try to keep them for just plants but I kind of enjoy gonig round wiping surfaces and getting all the dust off in one go. I just need some matching mop slippers.
We have a before:
And an after:
Did I clean the whole plant and not just a couple of leaves? I can’t, er, remember.
Soap and water
Before the dust gloves my preferred method of cleaning my plants was an annual (if they’re lucky) wipe down with soap and water. I use castile soap (Dr Bronners for example) because it doesn’t contain anything that might damage your plants. Use the peppermint one for an added pest deterrent.
I like to use those magic makeup cloths but any fine microfibre cloth works fine – the super soft ones, not the ones that feel like they stick to you when you touch them
Shower/hose
Love this method. Next time it’s warm but overcast hoy (that’s Yorkshire for take/throw) all your plants outdide and give them a blast with the hose. Let them dry in the sun and pop them back inside.
Foliar sprays
If you’re a diligent plant person you can buy one of those orchid fertiliser things and spray your plant down weekly. If you keep on top of it, your plants won’t get the chance to acquire dust.
You can absolutely mist with water IF (big if) your plants are healthy and growing. Misting sad plants often just…makes em sadder.
What to avoid when cleaning peace lily leaves
- Leaf shine sprays – they can clog stomata. Unlikely to be an issue in a healthy plant but can increase the chance of scorching.
- Egg, milk, mayo – I’m not saying that it doesn’t work. But you will end up with flies.
How to get peace lily leaves to shine
Peace lilies have naturally shiny leaves IF they’re healthy and dust free. I know, I know, you wanted a magic potion, but alas, there isn’t one.
Further reading on peace lilies:
