CLEANING HOUSEPLANT LEAVES WITH NEEM OIL | pest prevention for houseplants

i'm sharing my ideal leaf cleaning solution that is a pest preventative AND A+ leaf shine! it includes neem oil so i will also be going over how to emulsify it successfully.
🌿 MATERIALS MENTIONED 🌿
Neem Oil Concentrate (Garden Safe is sold out but I trust Bonide): amzn.to/3l9PQdZ
Dr. Bronner's: amzn.to/3jmdgg3
Glass Spray Bottles: amzn.to/3n9KuBv
Micro Fiber Cloth: amzn.to/2GsF041
🌿 MERCH 🌿
goodandplanty.store/
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🌿 BLM + HOUSEPLANT RESOURCES 🌿
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If you have any additions/edits/feedback please dm me on IG!
🌿 PRODUCTS I USE 🌿
SOIL
organic potting soil: amzn.to/3fPb79P
organic perlite: amzn.to/33W8nW7
peat moss: amzn.to/3gWQbiD
mosquito bits: amzn.to/30T90Of
FERTILIZER
general indoor fertilizer: amzn.to/3fUl31Y
orchid fertilizer (I use this on my hoyas!): amzn.to/2E03z7b
succulent/cacti fertilizer: amzn.to/3fQkC8Z
MORE!
my humidifier: amzn.to/2XWVpUc
moisture meter: amzn.to/3fVZ5M1
pest control: amzn.to/3at3aWT
pesticide for when it’s serious: amzn.to/2Enu7zA
white 2ft long grow lights: amzn.to/31Swr9s
red/blue grow lights with auto timer: amzn.to/33V5che
white terra cotta pots: amzn.to/3gOIFX3
spaghnum moss: amzn.to/33Xxp7i
🌿 THE MUSIC 🌿
onion prod. by lukerembo
Thank you for watching!
💚 Kat
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT sponsored by the products listed above but I do make a small commission from purchases made through those links, at no additional cost to you. I only put in links to the exact products I use/love! If you use the links, thank you so much for supporting the channel!!

[@LuuuuucyL]

play this vid on 1.5 speed and its perfect

[@leafsandlecawithclaudia3820]

Thanks for the tip!

[@ruatpuiirenthlei5514]

Thanks

[@dishawaghmare5011]

🤣🤣😂perfect

[@hudonedem8517]

Stress relief lol

[@leafsandlecawithclaudia3820]

@@cadavercakes hmmmm not sure...

[@evianne1009]

Don't put your plants in direct sun light or underneath growlights for the first 8 hours after doing the neem treatment. It can actually burn the leaves!

[@anavergara935]

thanks! this is super helpful, i'll do this treatment at night then :)

[@saraitomblin9246]

Even bright indirect light?

[@CorpseBride64]

Yes!

[@evianne1009]

@@saraitomblin9246 sorry for the late reply, but yes even bright indirect light can burn them

[@garyd395]

Thankmyou

[@emdesigns7941]

This worked like a charm! All my plants look so happy and beautiful after this. Thank you!!!

[@Heavenzslave]

One of the best videos on using neem oil! Thank you!

[@chrissycovington5782]

You mentioned this in another video and I came looking for it specifically! Thank you!

[@stormiechantell]

I love your videos I just started my plant mom journey , I have a monstera , coffee plant , and aloe vera so far

[@violetvidaurri6571]

Great timing, I was looking for something to clean my plant leaves. 💚

[@GoodandPlanty]

hope this helps! thanks for watching 💚

[@shilohgilbert9770]

Thank you so much! I recently got a lemon lime maranta and it had lots of mineral stains! Can't wait to try this!

[@flowermllk]

Ah this is great, I’ve only recently got into foliage plants! I’ve previously only owned succulents and they don’t need any leaf care at all. This is really helpful ☺️

[@GoodandPlanty]

yay! how fun that you are expanding your collection! :)

[@sejsix]

Thanks so much for this information! I really appreciate your advice. Many blessings to you!

[@blueSkies777]

Really thorough information on prevention, helps me on my new plant journey. Learning a lot from your channel. TYSM!!

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you so so much!

[@derrongoodengardenandlifes8655]

I’m definitely gonna need this. I just moved my two Monstera plants inside the house from the garden for the winter. Thanks for the info.

[@GoodandPlanty]

suuuper good time to clean all those leaves. thanks for watching!

[@taylorradcliffe712]

Yessss I was just about to clean my leaves this weekend too so this is perfect thank you!!

[@GoodandPlanty]

glad i could help! 😌

[@katinkabvre8207]

Great video! 🥰 Does this still work for plants that don’t like their leaves being wet like my begonia maculata f.ex?

[@michellecastro2475]

Ty. Straight to the point. Going to try this.

[@stanleybalbinjr7604]

Very, very great video!!! Thank you so much for the awesome tips! I will be doing this!!👍🏻👍🏻

[@neeha3975]

Just one question! Do i have to rinse it off with clean water after the neem oil treatment?

[@Princess_nji]

such a great video ill def. try this! btw is it ok to clean velvety leaves with this mixture?

[@shantistellmo139]

I just saw this video great :) I remember when i used the same cloth cleaning the leaves of my plants and spread thrips all around. I will use paper for this next time. And im acctually watering my plants with neem,soap, water, mix, works great, but should clean them too. Some plants can be a little bit sensetive(like coleus) and its important to mix the neem good.. Sharing because i wish i knew! Great video! water with neem and clean with neem.. Neem is your best friend :) Helped me from having trouble for a long time with this pests! Still can find some tiny larvas, but you also have to beat the cycle of the thrips and im lazy doing that xD like cleaning every third day or so? ;_; If i had fewer plants maybe

[@barbramcgill7435]

This was informative. Thank you kindly and I do enjoy your channel.

[@riaendonila8512]

Hey I just wanna ask if how many days u usually store the mixture from the plastic container?

[@casandrasmith6266]

Typically, I mix my neem oil spray solution on the same day I will be using it. I adjust the ingredient amounts depending on how many plants I'm spraying. The longer you keep the mixed solution in the spray bottle, the less potent it gets. My favorite recipe is: 16 oz water (I have well water so I use tap water), 1 tsp neem oil, 1/2 tsp Sal Suds, 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil. Sometimes I half the solution if I'm not spraying as many of my plants that day. Hope this helps!

[@chatryna]

What are your thoughts on taking neem only and buffing the leaves on top and underneath?

[@madelinerivera3837]

Can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing. 😉

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you for watching!! 💚💚

[@ashira21]

If some of the essential oils you listed help keep pests away, is it ok to just use those and soap? I don't have neem oil and I just got a new plant yesterday and I'm wondering if I can just use what I already have. But if I absolutely need neem oil then I'll definitely get some. Your video was very helpful.

[@lwinko1190]

How long the mixture can be stored for reuse? Is the effect of the mixture changed with time?

[@Sophie-cs3ii]

I love your videos so much! Thank you for the lovely content😊 I recently caught mealy bugs on some of my plants including some cacti☹ Could you do a video about mealy bugs and talk about your experiences if you had them so far?

[@GoodandPlanty]

oh no 😭 mealy bugs are the worst. i recommend cleaning them off with a q tip and hydrogen peroxide and then spraying the plant with an insecticide. maybe i’ll do an in depth video later!

[@melissazhang390]

Great video. For me I use castile soap solution together with neem oil.

[@kella.cordes]

Love this! I’ve definitely used this mixture as a pest preventative but I would usually just spray them down and eventually rinse them off, and then I’d use the lemon juice + water mixture you mentioned to clean off the leaves if they were looking gross 😂 This is going to save me so much time thank you so much lol

[@GoodandPlanty]

that works too but I don’t think I have the patience for that 😂 hopefully this works well for you!!

[@carlapilbro1344]

@@GoodandPlanty 🤣🤣

[@alexisf4239]

my crusty dusty leaves def needed this

[@GoodandPlanty]

here to end all things crusty and dusty 😤

[@MeganG55]

Do you use this on your spider plants? If so should I clean the babies to and the stem there on?

[@breew3298]

Thank you! I’m going to try this!!!

[@GoodandPlanty]

wonderful! it’s made a huge difference for my plants :)

[@FloridaBikeVlogger]

is it okay to use regular tap water when doing this?

[@jbadru12]

Thanks for this!!!

[@heavnli_goddess6052]

Very helpful! Thanks 🌱🌱

[@GoodandPlanty]

so glad! thanks for watching 💚

[@kmills1320]

Much appreciated advice

[@bushyparkpo]

would neem powder mix with water work the same?

[@casandrasmith6266]

Thanks for the video!! For anyone looking for another neem oil option, I've used Harris Neem Oil for a couple of years now and it does the job I need it to do. I buy mine from Amazon. I also use Sal Suds instead of castile soap and 5-10 drops of peppermint essential oil in my mixture. Peppermint oil specifically kills some buggies on contact. I keep a separate spray bottle on hand filled with water, 1tbsp Sal Suds, 1 dropper full peppermint essential oil. This solution has worked on ants, beatles, and bees!! Hope this helps!

[@andreatremaine4109]

Do u have to wipe down with wet cloth after ?

[@ThaNewGenesis]

Love this!

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you!

[@margaretmccoy4321]

Beautiful information thanks for your demonistration

[@nvcken]

hi, may I ask does Neem oil help to protect plant from rust diseases?

[@amandalim3077]

i definitely should have watched this video first. i made a newbie mistake and burned some of my monstera deliciosa leaves. luckily the damage isn't too bad, but lesson learned!! watch plant videos first and then take care of my plants. :)

[@gingersmith2888]

What did you use that burned the leaves? I want to make sure I don’t use it!

[@Nadia-rk4qi]

I did the same with my Calathea Peacock plant 😭

[@catherinedesilets8960]

I’m a pretty new plant parent only since June 2020 So far, I’ve had zero bugs. Thanks for making this I will start cleaning my new plants w a preventative treatment.. 2 questions: 1- how long can you store the gallon of soap, neem & peppermint & water for? Seems like it’ll take a while to use that much 2- how often would you suggest this cleaning? When you get a new plant & then? I’ve been just cleaning my plants with rain water every 2 weeks so far.. I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@GoodandPlanty]

hi catherine! how exciting that you've started your plant journey!! 1 - i go through a lot of this solution due to the amount of plants i have. i probably store it for about a month. i'm not sure that it would go "bad" but i would just make sure the solution doesn't separate. if needed, maybe half the recipe i shared. 2 - i have been upping my cleaning for the winter months for sure. in the summer i would aim for once a month. in the winter, maybe once every two weeks. this is so much easier said than done, though! that's just my ideal routine :) rainwater is a great way to gently cleanse your plants!

[@leenaadami]

Can I use horticulture oil instead of mean oil?

[@lisabale8171]

Will definitely be using this in large batches! Are there any plants that we should be careful using this on (ex: soft velvety leaves like Micans or Alocasia or begonias?) or can this mixture be applied safely to most?

[@GoodandPlanty]

i’ve applied it to most of my plants with no problems! i’m a bit more careful with begonias though. i dab them gently and use a couple less sprays.

[@Bbycks1]

Can I use this on begonia rex leaves?

[@lambsauce8662]

I have a question about my solution. I made it with half a gallon of water and one tablespoon. Then I made one with a quarter gallon of water and 1/4 tablespoon of neem since I needed a smaller amount. The neem solution isn't really oily at all I can't really feel the oil but I can see the water is emulsified. Is it supposed to be really oily?

[@pattypat4504]

yayyyy 💚

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you for watching 🥺💚

[@Nikolas_kloudas]

Can i use dish soap or it is dangerous?

[@blart2498]

your energy is so calming, such a lovely channel :) is it okay to use lavender essential oil instead of peppermint for this?

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you so much! 💚 i believe lavender also repels pests but i haven't tried it for myself yet

[@KiwikimNZ]

I use warm water to help mix the neem oil :) oh and I use my fish tank water to water my plants also ..,

[@tariqahmad4016]

How often we can do this please

[@be28ans]

Thank you

[@FAIRYILOVEYOU]

Can I use spring water

[@SailorChibiMoon1000]

I need help!! My English Ivy is dying!! Toddler kept knocking it over & my mom wouldn't put soil back in its pot. It looks dry/dead; I've started doing the green house effect, but I dunno where 2 go frm there?!😿😿

[@MsBubu26]

Thanks Kat! I just bought neem oil to do that cleaner. Also, I’m not sure if you mentioned it but how long can you keep the gallon before the mixture is not good anymore?

[@GoodandPlanty]

i think i've kept my mixture for about a month before? store it in a dark, room temp place and i mix aggressively before using again. i think halving the mixture would be best if you are worried about using the full gallon.

[@MsBubu26]

@@GoodandPlanty great thanks for the follow up! 😊 i’m indeed worried since i’m new with plant maintenance! Before it was just water and thats it!

[@kathrideguzman9210]

Hi what do you think of using vinegar and water mix? I’ve used 1 tsp of vinegar and around 350 ml of water. Is that too strong and will ruin my plants’ leaves? I’m really worried about it’s acidity being too strong and killing it.

[@GoodandPlanty]

hi! i actually don’t recommend using vinegar. once in a while might be ok but routinely will dry out your leaves. if you do decide to use vinegar, i’ve seen the ratio 1tsp-1tbsp vinegar to 1 gal water suggested!

[@kwinz12384]

How do you deal with velvety leaf type plants like the calathea warscewiczii? The texture means it's quite difficult to wipe down with a cloth

[@GoodandPlanty]

hello! i spray my velvety leaf plants with a little bit less solution. i then use more of a dabbing motion than a rubbing motion to make sure i don't damage the leaves. i also make sure the rag i'm using is micro fiber so that it's not rough on the foliage.

[@mayac2266]

1. Can I just spray and don’t wipe for insect prevention? It will save me a lot of time 2. Can I use less dish soap like 1 tsp ?cause I don’t want to bubble my solution too much 3. If you store the leftover in gallon can, will it break down the plastic? Or should I store it in glass storage. And how long is it good for? Thanks for your vid and answers :)

[@OkaasansTarot]

You're the bomb! This helps a lot, that bottle of neem oil should last me a while

[@GoodandPlanty]

definitely!! glad i could help!

[@banimaarif]

How long it can last?

[@torpeedo6321]

Hi, Great Video! Could you please help me and tell me what kind of plant you showed by the end of the video? Thanks!

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you so much! sorry, i should've labeled them - the plant is a black pagoda lipstick plant.

[@cngwt3979]

just did this today for my calathea leaves to remove the hard water stains and she looks so glossy and beautiful! didn’t have essential oil so i just skipped that. still worked great :)

[@GoodandPlanty]

oh yay!! i love the glossy look 🤩you are brave for putting up with the neem oil smell haha

[@cngwt3979]

@@GoodandPlanty haha i find that it doesn't smell that bad. and the smell doesn't really stay for more than 2 days 😆

[@Daintyukhti]

Can I use the dr.Bronner’s lavender Castile soap??

[@GoodandPlanty]

yes!

[@shortstackrblx1417]

I love your hairrrrr

[@GoodandPlanty]

thank you! 💚

[@fernandacampello873]

really interesting mixture!! I was looking for something more natural like this to clean the leaves of my plants. I must ask: neem oil, ready for use, still does the work? I just got one and I need to find usage for it 😅

[@GoodandPlanty]

ready to use is a wonderful pest preventative too! however, i’m not sure how to adjust the recipe i mention for ready to use. i would use your bottle more as a gentle pest preventative than a leaf cleaner. hope that makes sense!

[@fernandacampello873]

@@GoodandPlanty it does!! thank you so much 🌿💚

[@EpiphanyX5323]

I kept thinking the water dripping noise was coming from my house; I kept taking off my headphones, LOL! Unfortunately, where I live there are a lot of minerals in the water, so I have to use the lemon juice/water solution to get the hard water spots off the leaves. Luckily, I only have to do that with new plants that I bring home! However, I do follow up with a similar solution to what you use. I agree that Neem oil stinks badly. haha

[@GoodandPlanty]

Oh god, I'm sure you're not the only one!! 😂 I should've mentioned that from the beginning but at that point I had totally gotten used to the noise lol. Good to know other use a similar solution and have success with it too! Guess the nasty neem is worth it 😩

[@EpiphanyX5323]

@@GoodandPlanty Haha. I don't blame the pests for disliking neem!

[@reslsuarez]

Hi, is it okay to use the same cloth to wipe all the plants? Or it would potentially infect each other if there are pests? Can i use paper towel instead and dispose or will it leave some white residue on the leaves?

[@ceecee8757]

I use a damp paper towel and use a new one when I go plant to plant. You could be spreading any larvae you wipe using the same rag.

[@reslsuarez]

@@ceecee8757 thank you

[@LH7One8]

What is the shelf life of this mixture? Does it have to be used within a certain time period?

[@charlottecobain6986]

Neem concentrate starts losing efficacy about 4 hours after mixing. Wish I could figure out what’s used to shelf stabilize the pre-mixed stuff from stores. I’d end up wasting a lot less of my concentrate if I could figure out how to stabilize it 😂

[@CurlyAsako817]

Where and how do you store your jug? I just made some today with Bonner's soap

[@GoodandPlanty]

i store it in a closet where it's protected from light and kept at a steady room temp! :)

[@CurlyAsako817]

That is exactly where I have mine! Thanks.

[@CurlyAsako817]

How long does should the jug keep? Also, how often should I spray them with this solution?

[@Planty_Star]

are all of these ingredients okay to go into the soil?

[@dessenlover]

As long as it's not too concentrated, you don't use too much, or too often, your plants will be okay! The key is to use it when you need it

[@angelikazawitkowska-grad]

Is it true, that neem oil after mixing with water and soap, is good to use for only 8 hours? So you have to do this mixture every time right before to use it? I saw this in information a couple of times lately.

[@avamarshall1209]

Actually, it will last up to four days in water. 22 days in soil, 4 days in water. So, if you do a soil drench, you can do it every three weeks, but if you’re spraying it on the leaves, the mixture will only last for four days. The potency of the oil anyways. I still use mine to clean the leaves, but I know that the oil isn’t working like it should after four days.

[@angelikazawitkowska-grad]

@@avamarshall1209 thank you!

[@simonschneider6998]

I dont know what it is with my neem oil but when i put it in the water the water turns white and it mixes with the water perfektly

[@GoodandPlanty]

lucky you!! is it already diluted maybe?

[@Plant_Mama]

My plants and their dirty nasty leaves are looking at me like...can't you be as nice to me as Kat is to her plants LOL Need to get some essential oils ahh

[@GoodandPlanty]

my leaves get neglected too 😭 this is one of those videos where it’s do as I say not as I do

[@BennyShnicks]

Is it ok if my dish soap is antibacterial??

[@GoodandPlanty]

the 'purer' the soap the better. you can always do a leaf test to make sure that the mixture won't hurt the plant!

[@peritapugnandi6624]

Aren‘t there beneficial bacteria on the leaves? 🤔 If i remember correctly, antibacterial dish soap were not so good for them. For the soil I‘m sure. But not for the surface of the leaves. Got some research to do 🤓

[@lisarutter1703]

I have made this mixture and it works wonderfully🪴🌱💚

[@AnnasViolets]

I like neem oil. It helps to keep all of my 200 plants healthy, BUT it stinks so bad, still worth it.

[@noelsartstudio3197]

What’s the name of that plant over your left shoulder? The one that looks like a monstera mixed with an Arugula lol.

[@GoodandPlanty]

Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum! also called philodendron hope and philodendron selloum

[@noelsartstudio3197]

@@GoodandPlanty THANK YOU SO MUchhhhh

[@1andycandy639]

I don’t think regular dish soap will be good for your plant over time. I’ve been watching mine closely and had to rule out which ingredient was causing them to burn and die off. It was the Dawn soap. I was also told that is why Dr. Bronners Castile soap is highly recommended because dish soaps are super stripping. The light bulb went off. I really don’t think any kind of dish soap is great advice. Ijs.

[@elanalipkin6661]

dr. bronners 4 lyf

[@GoodandPlanty]

u know it baby!😌

[@elyvanescente]

minute 6:48 . Thats where it actually starts. you are welcome :p

[@olabavarsi]

I make plants videos and have a leak at my home 😇 what a coincident 😂😂

[@MC1RPOSITIVESusieQ]

Pretty sure Rosemary oil is safe

[@irmasyed4689]

Come to the point pls

[@estherkane85]

3.21 guys 😒😒😒

[@citycritteradventures7427]

if i could make a suggestion, it seems like you're spending a lot of time/energy to try and appear fun, pleasing and cool (in the eyes of others), both during the filming and editing, and much less energy being your unique self. from what i see there is something lovely inside, and i'd like to see that, rather than the run-of-the-mill that you see from most people, which doesn't make you stand out, rather makes you forgettable. what stands out to me is your unique energy, and that's what i remembered - wishing you all the best. you've got a cheerer and supporter here!

[@samano7646]

Music over your voice. Why? Can't listen to a thing 😦

[@tamivesey2661]

Too much additives

[@andruw9011]

The ingredients sound expensive, why not just use a Captain Jack's Neem Oil Spray?

[@paulamyers103]

5 minutes in & we haven’t been shown how to make it. Please consider being more concise. I offer my request with no malice. I believe it would greatly benefit you. ❤️

[@ajl8615]

You talk too much instead of showing the mixture.

[@m27238]

Too long of a video

[@gavinapaz1535]

You talk so long

[@frgarcia89]

Not everyone’s tap water is hard girl. Distilled water is NOT required