How to clean fake plants?

[shortbun]

I've posted before about my sick, bachelor cousin. I'm trying to get his place cleaned up. He has four very dusty, dirty, fake plants in his apartment. I can not stand to look at them anymore. Seems like the dishwasher might work but they are kind of big. I'm tempted to throw them out. When I walk in this place, my skin starts to itch because it's so dusty and I'm allergic so I have to do it little by little. I have a carpet cleaning set for next week.

 

[Acklander]

I think bed bath and beyond has a spray bottle of fake plant cleaner. Not sure how it works, as I only have real plants, but definitely saw it near the fake plants at the store.

 

[joviroxx]

Wish I had a way to clean them all at once. Ive only ever just sprayed each leaf and cleaned them one by one. I would love to hear if anyone has a better way.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Are they silk or plastic? If they're plastic, put 'em in the bathtub, spray 'em down with soapy solution 'n then just hose 'em off. If they're silk, just pitch 'em, get him a live plant that needs li'l care.

 

[cabanafrau]

If you're dealing with something you don't want to get wet or scrub individually, try putting it in a bag, hopefully paper grocery bag if possible, toss in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt, close the bag tightly & shake. The friction w/ the salt should pull off most of the dust.

 

[lizabu]

I've sprayed them off in the bathtub before

 

[Uncle Remus]

If you're dealing with something you don't want to get wet or scrub individually, try putting it in a bag, hopefully paper grocery bag if possible, toss in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt, close the bag tightly & shake. The friction w/ the salt should pull off most of the dust.

Hey, that's a really good idea.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've sprayed them off in the bathtub before

That's what I've always done when I've helped clean someone else's home. (I won't have 'em in my house. . .fake plants just give me the heebies for no good reason.)

 

[cglaura]

To get the dust off, take it outside and spray w/ compressed air (like you'd use for cleaning the inside of a computer). This gets just about all the loose dust and webbies off.

For the leaves, the only way I've found that does a good job (if you can't get it all wet) is cleaning one by one. I use furniture polish, similar to Pledge, this keeps the leaves shiny and makes them easier to clean next go around.

That said, I only have one fake in the house, a Ficus tree, and I usually pay dd to do all those leaves

 

[LuvOrlando]

I think I've heard that putting silks or plastics in a big bag with salt and shaking does a good job. If there is grime on them then maybe putting them into the bathtub or shower, spraying them down with Fantastic, letting them soak a few minutes then a wipedown & shower would work.

BTW, you are a genuinely kind soul to do this for your sick bachelor cousin

 

[a1tinkfans]

The salt thing works for small ones.

If it is a Big plant, and you can lug it outside near an outlet, a blow dryer will Blow it off, BUT, honestly, if it is grungy and grimy it is prob not worth it.
I am not a fake plant lover for this particular reason. I do however have one in a planter type thing above the kitchen cabinet and I put it outside and basically shake it off. Maybe I am "trying" to ruin it, to justify ditching it

Hope your cousin is happy with the changes and all your efforts!

 

[shortbun]

The salt thing works for small ones.

If it is a Big plant, and you can lug it outside near an outlet, a blow dryer will Blow it off, BUT, honestly, if it is grungy and grimy it is prob not worth it.
I am not a fake plant lover for this particular reason. I do however have one in a planter type thing above the kitchen cabinet and I put it outside and basically shake it off. Maybe I am "trying" to ruin it, to justify ditching it

Hope your cousin is happy with the changes and all your efforts!

Thanks everyone!!! I'll try the salt thing. I hate fake plants too and I'm NOT cleaning them leaf by leaf. Where do I get fake plants, anyway? If the salt thing doesn't work,and it probably won't, I'm throwing them away - one by one.

Oh, and he probably doesn't appreciate anything I'm doing but tough beans. I'm doing it more for me than him. I can't stand seeing him live like this. He's not healthy, always had allergies when we were growing up and I'm doing it. He's never said a word about my cleaning his frig, bathroom or kitchen. I'm interviewing someone to come in twice a month to keep things clean so I never have to do it again.

 

[SandrA9810]

I hate them too. All they're good for is collecting dust, and then they just look nasty as can be.

Fake flowers are good for putting at a graveside or for a holiday decoration (then they get pitched in the garbage).

And the one time I did clean one, I took it outside and hosed it down best as possible and still didn't get all the dirt off of it.

 

[ChrizJen]

If you have to replace them, Garden Ridge and Michaels are good places to get fake plants.

 

[FlyingDumbo]

You mentioned he was sick? Did you ask if he wants em? I think tossing them is your best bet, if he is sick he certainly doesnt need the dust pileup they are going to create.

I hate fake flowers, I might be biased.

 

[shortbun]

You mentioned he was sick? Did you ask if he wants em? I think tossing them is your best bet, if he is sick he certainly doesnt need the dust pileup they are going to create.

I hate fake flowers, I might be biased.

If I ask permission to do anything, he says no. If I just do it, he won't notice. I'm not usually dishonest by ommision but sometimes...it just has to be done.

 

[bumbershoot]

...it's so dusty and I'm allergic so I have to do it little by little.

If the allergic reaction is just your skin itching this won't help, but if it's also respiratory... When I'm in a highly allergic phase, to do any dust-cleaning (or baking with flour) I will wet a bandana (and wring it out) and tie it around my nose and mouth. Breathing through that seems to keep the dust out of my airways and lets me work longer.

And you get to feel like a bandit.

 

[shortbun]

If the allergic reaction is just your skin itching this won't help, but if it's also respiratory... When I'm in a highly allergic phase, to do any dust-cleaning (or baking with flour) I will wet a bandana (and wring it out) and tie it around my nose and mouth. Breathing through that seems to keep the dust out of my airways and lets me work longer.

And you get to feel like a bandit.

Mine's more a skin allergy. I have those dust masks for my son to wear when he cleans his room or mows the lawn. LOL, he still has to do his chored though.