Tips & How To’s

How to Clean Artificial Palm Trees & Keep Them Shiny

Tim Parry

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how to clean artificial palm trees

No one can understate the difference that greenery has in a room, but real plants are not meant for everyone. So for anyone who doesn't want the commitment of caring for real plants but wants to add a touch of green in the living room, artificial plants are welcome and make up for their real counterparts.

However, although they don't need a lot of care, they still need some care because they seem to collect dirt and dust faster. To keep your artificial plants looking alive, you should regularly dust them and occasionally clean them. So do you know how to clean artificial palm trees? Dive in for the steps.

1. Take the Debris

Due to the wind, strong pressure or high traffic, some petals, leaves, or stems may fall off and get stuck in the silk plants. Pick any debris you will find to keep your silk flowers or plants tidy and clean, and you could also come across debris in the plant container.

2. Dust Using a Soft-Bristle Paint Brush

Regularly clean and dust your silk plants or palm trees once a week using a soft bristle paintbrush and start cleaning your silk plants or fake trees from the top. Work to the bottom so that dirt doesn't fall on the fake plant parts you have already cleaned.

Using a paintbrush is recommended since it's gentler than a feather duster and other dusting equipment when cleaning fake plant corners and difficult nooks. Also, if you don't dust the silk trees regularly, it will form a layer on the foliage, hard to remove.

3. Blowing Compressed Air

Blowing compressed air using a hairdryer over your fake plants is the easiest and fastest way of cleaning your artificial plants, and it's a simple method compared to the paintbrush method. If you can transform your silk plant or fake plants, spray the compressed air as the process blows and make the whole space a dusty mess.

4. Use a Damp Cloth

If your artificial plants have developed stains or marks on some stubborn dirt layer, use a damp cloth to wipe them down. Before using some water on the artificial plants, ensure you check it for colorfastness, then wipe a small area of the leaf with the damp cloth but check the spots for any fading. Use a dry towel to dry the foliage to avoid any breakage that may get rid of the shiny finish.

5. Clean the Container of the Palm Tree

When you clean artificial plants, you should also clean the plant container using a cloth. However, since planters are made using different materials, if your palm trees are in delicate containers, you should gently dust to remove dust.

How to Deep Clean Your Artificial Palm Tree

Cleaning artificial plants is not a difficult job, and most probably have everything you may need in your house. Notably, the if you have delicate palm trees, they will need special care, but for polyester, silk foliage or plastic, you can try some of the methods below:

a). Shower Method

If you can fit your fake plants in the shower, this qualifies as an easy way to rinse all the dust. Grab a duster, paintbrush or vacuum cleaner, trash bag and your artificial plant and head to the bathroom. Alternatively, if you have a hose, you can take them outside, then follow the following steps.

  • Dust off the leaves of your faux plants using a microfiber cloth or a small paintbrush. Alternatively, you can use a vacuum cleaner using the brush attachment to suck the dust but be keen since the suction could be too strong for the delicate artificial plants.
  • Wrap the garbage bag around the fake plant portions that shouldn't get wet like moss in the plant's pot, and seal the bag's top using a packing tape or string.
  • Using cold water from the hose or shower, rinse off the silk plant leaves, stem, or anywhere dust collects.
  • Place your plant on a towel or outside in the shade to allow it to dry.

b). Leaf-by-Leaf Method

This method of cleaning artificial plants is more labor-intensive, but it can still be done fast. Use a damp cloth, then leave your plants where they are.

  • Using a damp cloth, wipe down your artificial plants' leaf by leaf.
  • If you have a large palm tree, you might need to rinse your dusty cloth before you finish. First, run the microfiber cloth under cool water until it's clean for the most part, then squeeze the excess water out. When the cloth doesn't have more water and is just damp, continue to clean leaf by leaf.

c). Vinegar Method

If water alone doesn't seem to be cleaning the grime on your artificial plant, or you have an intricate palm tree, you may need to add some white vinegar to the water to make a cleaning solution. Vinegar can cut through built-up film of dirt and dust.

  • Create a cleaning solution with half water and half vinegar ratio and mix it in a spray bottle.
  • Spray your faux tree using the cleaning solution and for tough build-up, allow the vinegar solution to sit on the artificial trees for a few minutes.
  • Using a clean damp cloth, wipe away as much vinegar and dust from your artificial plant.

Additional Tips To Clean Fake Plants

  • Dip an old toothbrush in rubbing alcohol to remove grime in the tight spots
  • Use a silk plant cleaner, a silk flower cleaner or a furniture polish for quick cleaning and allow it to set
  • Silk plants don't always need maintenance, but it's good to avoid having a hard time cleaning after a long time.

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Tim Parry

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