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How to Clean Artificial Plants

February 19, 2020 By Lisa Sharp Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

Not sure how to clean artificial plants? There are several things you should know that will help you keep your artificial plants looking great. This post has been sponsored by Nearly Natural. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

collage with pink peonies in glass vase and red flowers in pot on porch

Artificial plants are extremely low maintenance, that’s one of the reasons I love them. While you don’t need to water them or make sure they are getting sunlight you do need to take care of them. 

Nothing makes an artificial plant look faker than it being covered in dust. That’s also not great for your health either. Don’t worry, there are some simple ways to keep them looking great and clean.

Considering how bad I am at keeping plants alive in the house I’ve been collecting more artificial plants from my favorite plant store Nearly Natural. I’ve got indoor and outdoor artificial plants from them and love them all.

I recently got some artificial flowers from Nearly Natural because I love having flowers but other than during the spring months when my outdoor flowers are blooming it’s hard to have a lot of real flowers all of the time. These flowers look real but I only have to buy them once and they last forever.

That also means I’ve been cleaning artificial plants a fair amount. I’ve learned some tips and tricks along the way that I want to share with you.

How to Clean Artificial Plants

pink peonies in glass vase with milk glass and rose gold candle

Dust Them Often

If you dust your artificial plants often it’s a lot easier to keep up with. I like to dust mine with a microfiber duster once a week. This will take care of most light dust.

If you have spots that are hard to get to a soft paintbrush can also be useful. Don’t forget to dust the containers they are in as well. I prefer to use containers that are glass or glazed ceramic so it’s simple to just wipe them down with a bit of all-purpose spray.

You also want to dust off any moss, stones or other items in the containers with your artificial plants.

Deep Cleaning Individual Flowers

If you have individual flower stems that can be taken out of their container, you can place them in a paper bag or pillowcase with about a cup of table salt.

Simply place the salt and flowers in the bag or pillowcase and gently shake. The salt will help knock the dust off of hard to reach areas. 

Gently shake the flowers outside of the bag to remove the salt, you can also use a soft paintbrush or toothbrush to get it off. Just be sure to be very gentle with the whole process.

pink flowers in pot on porch

Deep Cleaning Other Artificial Plants

For plants attached to their planters or larger ones, you can use a microfiber cloth to dust the plant. Again a soft paintbrush or toothbrush can be used in smaller areas.

If the dust is really set into the plant you can lightly dampen the cloth to get the dust and dirt off of the plant. Don’t use hot water and in general, it’s best to avoid cleaners if you are going to use a cleaner be sure to test in a spot you can hide.

desk with laptop, tape dispenser, and pink and yellow daisy in glass vase

 

Shine The Artificial Plants

After removing any dust and dirt you can also shine the plants with a bit of natural furniture polish. I always recommend testing in an area you can hide just to be sure but this should be fine on most plants. 

A lightly dampened cloth can also help make plants shine if you’d rather skip the polish. Just rub the plant with the cloth gently and remember no hot water.

red flowers in pot on porch next to blue metal chair

Assuming you buy high-quality artificial plants like the ones from Nearly Natural and you take care of them you can get many years out of them. 

The photos in this post show some of my plants from Nearly Natural. I get so many compliments on them and often people don’t even realize they aren’t real.

It’s amazing how much a plant can make your space look better and it’s so nice to get that without having to remember to water the plants and worry about sunlight.

Artificial Plants Featured

If you are interested in any of the plants you see in these photos these are the ones I have featured-

  • Peony in Glass Vase
  • Daisy with Glass Vase (Set of 3)
  • Geranium in Rectangular Planter
  • Geranium in Farmhouse Planter

Be sure to check out the full selection of artificial plants available at Nearly Natural. They are beautiful and extremely high-quality. 

More Resources on Artificial Plants

  • The Benefits of Using Artificial Plants
  • How to Use Outdoor Artificial Plants
  • How to Make Fake Plants Look More Real
collage with pink peonies in glass vase and red flowers in pot on porch

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Welcome to my blog! My name is Lisa and I'm the Retro Housewife trying to live a greener life. I share my love of all things vintage, homemaking and green living here on the blog. To read more, click here.

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