How to properly wash violet leaves?

The favorites of most Saintpaulia flower growers are the main blooming stars of our windowsills. Not capricious, although requiring special care, they conquer with the beauty of velvet leaves no less than the touching grace of their flowers. Rosettes of leaves in indoor violets look attractive only when the owners do not forget about hygiene. The purity of violet leaves is easy to maintain with regular hygiene procedures. But even with the most careful care, sometimes it is still necessary to bathe Saintpaulias. Washing violet leaves is not difficult and not at all destructive. True, the edge and features of the plant require great care and proper adaptation of the plant after such traumatic procedures.

How to wash saintpaulia (uzambara violet)
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Can (and why) wash indoor violets?

Like any other indoor plants, violets look attractive only when well-groomed, growing in the right conditions. Full care, which includes far from only basic procedures – watering and feeding – this is the main guarantee that you will never have to wash Saintpaulia leaves. Regular cleaning of leaves from dust is just as important an aspect of caring for uzambara violets, as is their timely replanting.

For violets belonging to pubescent indoor crops, cleaning is not carried out using classical methods. Instead of the typical wiping of leaves with a damp sponge or showering on violets, it is necessary to gently remove dirt with a soft brush.… This is not the most interesting and fast process, but it is not difficult either.

By regularly removing dust and other contaminants from the surface of the velvety and so pleasant to the touch violet leaves, most problems with this small but quite demanding indoor crop are prevented. And it’s not just that dust accumulation interferes with normal photosynthesis and respiration. After all, leaf pollution is one of the main factors in the spread of pests and diseases.

Healthy and well-groomed violets do not need other procedures for cleaning the leaves. But there are many factors that go beyond the possibilities of classic care.

Severe contamination of indoor Saintpaulias is quite common:

  • when buying dusty plants and new varieties damaged during transportation;
  • as a result of inaccurate watering or increased humidity, when drops of water fall on the leaves and dirt accumulates in these places;
  • if violets are in a room with a high level of pollution (not only in offices, but also in the kitchen, in the lobby, etc.);
  • when the hair of cats accumulates on the leaves;
  • due to the accumulation of construction dust during repairs, etc.

The most common cause of contamination is a lack of regular cleaning procedures. Some growers refuse to regularly care for the leaves, allow dust to accumulate in such an amount that it will be possible to deal with it later only by bathing. Regular cleaning of the leaves and avoiding heavy contamination is the best option. But if for some reason you do not do this, then in this case, bathing of violets should be carried out with a frequency of at least 1 time in 3 months. The optimal frequency is once a month. But such frequent stress to plants is unlikely to benefit.

If similar problems arise in the development of Saintpaulias, then the list of procedures for cleaning leaves is not only desirable, but also necessary to expand. Regardless of the reason, strong accumulation of dirt and dust on the leaves of the uzambar violets must be eliminated. And for this there is only one way – bathing violets. This procedure for Saintpaulias is significantly different from showering and is more like the process of cleaning up debris from luxurious fabrics, which require them to be very carefully soaked. This is a very gentle, careful washing of the leaves without touching the center of the rosette.

The ability to wash violet leaves does not at all contradict the requirements for care when leaving, do not allow water to get on the leaves when watering, abandon spraying and wiping the leaves. Bathing Saintpaulias is a measure for heavily contaminated plants that cannot be cleaned with a simple brush, as well as a vital condition for maintaining their health and beauty..

You should not be afraid to wash violet leaves. The plant is indeed one of the most common indoor plants with a dense edging on the leaves. Such crops are cleaned with water in exceptional cases. But violets, unlike many other velvety stars, are not at all afraid of bathing. If you carry out this procedure correctly and follow all the rules, washing the leaves will only benefit the Saintpaulias.

How to wash saintpaulia (uzambara violet) leavesHow to wash saintpaulia (uzambara violet) leaves

When can violet leaves be washed?

The only factor that determines the “possibility” of bathing violets is the need to clean them. Violet leaves can be washed whenever you want, regardless of their development cycle. If the plants are very dusty, then it is permissible to wash the leaves during the flowering period. The presence of peduncles will somewhat complicate the process, because keeping flowers from the slightest drops of water without harming them is a task, perhaps, for very neat flower growers. But if necessary, observing accuracy, you can wash blooming violets.

The only limitation to keep in mind when choosing a time for bathing violets is the air temperature in the room.… Violets are not recommended for bathing in winter, when there is a high risk that wet plants will suffer from drafts and low temperatures. But if you have stable conditions in your house, there is a place protected from any changes in room temperatures, you can safely decide to wash the contaminated leaves.

How to properly bathe violets?

The main thing to remember when washing violet leaves is the need to maintain a dry point of growth and the base of the leaves, and even more so the peduncles. With enough experience and dexterity, you can simply cover the center of the bush with your hand and limit yourself to only this measure. But for better protection of indoor violets, additional measures can be applied:

  1. It is better to cover the soil in a container with a flower with a film or a bag so that water cannot get on it.
  2. Before the washing process, try to tilt the violet, work out the position of the hand and find the most convenient options.
  3. Prepare cotton pads, soft sponges, and paper towels to quickly remove water from the center of the outlet or to protect it from getting wet.

The violet leaves are always washed under running, warm water. If there is no access to warm water, then large-volume containers filled with water are used (one container is prepared in advance for washing itself, and the second for thorough rinsing). Water temperature matters a lot: neither cold nor too hot water will work.

Indicators should be slightly higher than the air temperature in the room. It is better to use a spray or shower, but you can also wash the Saintpaulias under low-pressure tap water. Water quality also matters: rinsing with hard water can leave more stains and streaks on the leaves than it did before washing.

Violet bathing techniques are different. Two washing strategies can be distinguished – without contact with the leaves and with careful hand washing of the leaves. The first strategy is simple rinsing under running water. It is used if the contamination is not too strong, there are no streaks or they are easily washed off, and mainly for large leaves, mostly dusty at the edge of the leaf blades.

The second option assumes a more thorough washing and greater trauma, but it also better allows you to cope with strong spots and stains that have affected all the leaves.

Strategy 1. Lathering or wiping.

  1. Each leaf of the plant is washed one by one, slightly tilting the violet for ease of use. You can use a soft pad to keep both hands free to work.
  2. If the contamination is not strong, stains remain from water or spraying, there is no need to use soap, the leaf is washed under low pressure, gently rubbing it with your fingers and trying to move in the direction of hair growth.
  3. If, in addition to dust, there are other contaminants that cannot be washed off with plain water, a neutral soap or detergent (liquid soap, shampoo, dishwashing detergent, organic non-abrasive cleaning agents) foams in the hand and the foam is applied to the surface of the sheet, gently wiping it. The procedure is completed by gently rinsing off the foam with running water.

Strategy 2. Washing with running water without contact with hands.

  1. The violet is gently tilted and cover the flowers and the center of the rosette with a palm or cotton pad.
  2. Contaminated sheets are placed under a weak stream of running water, preventing it from getting further than the middle of the sheet. The sheet is held at an inclination so that water flows freely from its edge.
  3. Gently turning and tilting the bush, wash all contaminated sheets under running water.
  4. The plant is lightly shaken off or placed on paper towels to drain the water.

The most difficult option is contamination not only of the upper side of the leaf blades, but also of the leaf turnover. To rinse the leaves from the back side, the plant will have to be turned over, which requires reliable fixation of the earthen coma and retention of the entire plant. The leaves are washed from the back side carefully, protecting the center of the plant. After completing the washing, the violet must be slightly shaken off to drain excess moisture and only after that turn it over.

Additional measures can be used to speed up the drying process of the leaves. With a soft sponge or paper towel, the surface of wet leaves can be gently blotted, thereby removing excess water and reducing the risk of it spreading into the center of the outlet. Drying with a sponge or napkin is the only way to save the violet even if the center of the outlet gets wet as a result of carelessness.

Drying the uzambara violet (saintpaulia) after washing the leavesDrying the uzambara violet (saintpaulia) after washing the leaves

Adaptation after bathing violets

The most important rule in washing violet leaves is to place them in special conditions after the procedure. Simply returning the bushes to their original place, and even more so to the same lighting, is a huge mistake. Violets need to be completely dry and regenerated before they have to deal with light.

Dry the wet leaves of violets after bathing in the dark or at least in partial shade under diffused soft lighting. They are exposed in mild room temperatures and in a dark place, not watered or subjected to any other manipulations until the leaves are completely dry and their usual velvety edge is restored.

Another important factor is complete protection against any drafts and temperature extremes. Plants literally need to be protected from any traumatic factors.

Bathing Saintpaulias is best supplemented with thorough cleaning of the growing area and other sanitary measures. Cleaning the outside of the pots, cleaning the trays from deposits, cleaning the window sill or shelf on which the plant stands are simple steps that can be conveniently combined with washing the leaves.

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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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