Q. What is the best way to clean a silk plant?
Howard Rothberg
Encino, CA

A. If dust has accumulated on a silk plant, first use a clean microfiber cloth or a vacuum on a low setting with a brush attachment to remove the dust from each leaf.

Once you have removed the dust, use an all-purpose cleaning solution and a clean microfiber cloth to wipe down each individual leaf. Make sure to use a cleaner without bleach, says Mimi Rasamee, owner of Pany Silk Flowers, in New York City. Then let dry.

If the idea of wiping down each leaf sounds tedious or if you have silk trees, take the plant or the tree outside and cover the bark and the bottom of the plant with a plastic bag. Rinse the plant lightly with a garden hose, and let it dry for 30 to 45 minutes before bringing it back into the house, says Kris Nolan, president of Artistry in Silk, in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

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