The Truth About Leaf Shine Products for Houseplants

Although many people want the leaves of their houseplants to shine, leaf shine products for houseplants aren’t a good idea. This video tells you why leaf shine products can be harmful to houseplants, and how they can even be bad for you. Houseplants that are treated with leaf shine products are unable to breathe. This affects their health negatively. This also means that the houseplants aren’t able to clean your indoor air for you. There are some plants that have shinier leaves than others, and newer leaves tend to be shinier.
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[@HealthyHouseplants]

Note regarding stomata location I didn't clarify in the video: Most of the stomata are on the underside of leaves, but some are also on the underside. Additionally, when you spray leaf shine products on the leaves, even carefully, often it does get to the underside of the leaves.

[@margaritamorelos1146]

Thank you, I was about to order a spray at Amazon but I decided to watch some videos about it. Thanks again for great information.

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Margarita Morelos, You're welcome! So glad it helped, and thanks for your feedback and for watching.

[@joelleweetjewel9948]

I sprayed leaf shine on my thrip-infested monstera bc I read online that it could prevent thrips from piercing the leaf, making them starve. The good news is I haven't seen any thrips in over a week! The bad news is my plant isn't looking very happy. 😅 I've been wiping it down with water hoping that the leaf shine would come off, I just hope the stomatas aren't permanently blocked now.

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Joëlle Weetjewel, Suffocating the thrips can help get rid of them, and leaf shine will do that. A better choice in the future is Neem Oil, which does the same thing but without the damage to the plant. Here is a video on Neem: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYrQeoJoot2ipLM / To remove the leaf shine, you can spray on some isopropyl alcohol, which will help break up the leaf shine, and it won't hurt the leaves. I actually suggest also using alcohol to kill pests on plant foliage--in particular mealybugs. Coat the leaf with a fine spray of alcohol, then gently wipe it off with a microfiber cloth, if you have one. Here's a video on cleaning leaves with the microfiber cloth/cleaning them in general: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i33Xd2Bnp5Kinrs

[@lesliewheeler7071]

Thanks for the video! Recently, I did try the mayonnaise technique that someone suggested I try (on one plant). Things didn't go very well!!! The leaves started yellowing a couple days later😵 I tried to clean off the residue, but that didn't work out too well. Many leaves died, but the plant recovered and it looks pretty good now, thankfully. I just bought a very beautiful and shiny heart leaf philodendron. I think it was sprayed with leaf shine and feel a bit worried 😓😓😓. I'll be keeping my eye on it! Honestly, I think it can't be too, too harmful because plants don't seem to be dying after use... Like with mayonnaise application, for example. Luckily, I know now to let the plant just be a natural beauty either way.

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Leslie Wheeler, You're welcome! The leaf shine products aren't as harmful as clogging up the plant's stomata with mayonnaise, so the plant will be okay. And it'll grow new leaves, too. The natural way is the healthiest way, though, as you've found out!

[@littlebeebs1]

I just bought a gorgeous, huge Mandevilla from the grocery store last week. The florist had just prayed every one of them with leaf shine . How is the best way to remove the leaf shine ? I’m scared to put it in the sun until it’s gone . It’s had leaves and flowers turn brown . But only a few . Thanks so much 😊

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Jennifer Liebo, Thanks for watching. You can probably remove the leaf shine with rubbing alcohol. Try a section and see if it comes off. Then rinse well afterwards. (This comment didn't show up until now--not sure why. I would have replied sooner.)

[@flowingriver8630]

What do you think about recommendations on wiping the leaves with milk or two parts of milk and one of water? I’ve seen some people do this to make them look shinier and give them some nutrients too, but I’m not sure! Do you still recommend just plain water?..

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Flowing River, It may get sticky, but you could try it. If it does get sticky, it will attract more dust. That's why I usually just do water.

[@DaddyAboodi]

Well I just wasted 5 bucks 😐

[@LydiaStormx]

At the florist where I work, one of my jobs is to spray leaf shine on the plants before they go out into the display room. It hurts me to do it and I try to spray as little as possible :(

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Lydia, Sorry to hear about that, but it's good you spray as little as possible. Good news is that people will often bring the plants home and not spray them anymore, because they don't have the spray. So, new leaves won't be coated. Thanks for watching!

[@sebastianjungle]

any tips on pesticide spray do we need to wash our plants after. or leave it on as on the bottle it says it pretect the plant any tips please

[@HealthyHouseplants]

Tuberface, It will depend on the spray. What type of spray is it?

[@sebastianjungle]

Healthy Houseplants i. uk we have this BugClear™ Ultra 2 Insect spray,

[@HealthyHouseplants]

@@sebastianjungle I found it online, but can't see the ingredients. What are the active ingredients?

[@sebastianjungle]

Healthy Houseplants i think is this For use on ornamental plants, flowers, roses and shrubs. Can be used to treat plants growing outside and in greenhouses. BugClear Ultra 2 contains rape seed oil, extracted from oil seed rape, and pyrethrum, a chrysanthemum extract.

[@sebastianjungle]

link u can see ingridienc on this amzon page www.amazon.co.uk/Scotts-Miracle-Gro-BugClear-Ultra-Insects/dp/B07DCDC817

[@aldwinfz]

i wonder is there any explanation why leaf shine product are said Blocking the stomata so the plant can't breathe, but some said that other stuff like lemon, or mineral oils are okay or Do Not block the stomata? Thanks

[@HealthyHouseplants]

aldwinnv, Most oily substances will block the stomata. Mineral oils would, but lemon juice wouldn't.

[@haylinmilsam]

I’ve seen leaf-shine products in stores and never felt it was good for plants. Thanks for confirming! I have heard of using lemon juice in a bit of water, or a drop of dishwashing liquid in water, as a way to clean leaves. I’m not sure it’s necessarily used to make leaves shine, though. Have you ever heard of either of these methods? Thank you!

[@HealthyHouseplants]

haylinmilsam, thanks for watching! Lemon juice could be used to clean the leaves, which would make them shinier, although I'm not sure about the acidity in the juice on some delicate plant leaves, so I'd just stick with water. Dishwashing liquid is sometimes used to kill any pest and diseases and their eggs on the foliage. But when you use dishwashing detergent, you also need to use a surfactant, which will make the soap stick to the foliage in order to kill the pests. An easier method is to simply use insecticidal soap, which already has the right proportions of everything you need. You can spray on and let sit and rinse off. Let me know if you have anymore questions! :)

[@haylinmilsam]

Healthy Houseplants Thank you! Can you recommend a good insecticidal soap? Thanks, Mary Ann

[@HealthyHouseplants]

@@haylinmilsam Safer insecticidal soap is a good one!

[@northeastslingshot1664]

@@HealthyHouseplants I like a drop of Dr Bronner diluted in warm water and use a clean sponge. Give them a bath!😆😃 Always rinse with clean water. Im your newest subscriber!😃

[@HealthyHouseplants]

@@northeastslingshot1664, Great idea. Thanks for sharing, and thanks so much for subscribing! :)

[@chrisgoldbach4450]

Thinking my coffee plant leaves are dying because the company who sent it may of used leaf polish

[@HealthyHouseplants]

chris goldbach, yikes. I haven't tried this, but have been thinking about the best way to remove the leaf shine recently, as this is an obvious problem. Maybe try seeing if the leaf shine will come off on just one leaf with some isopropyl alcohol. I often use alcohol to kill mealybugs, and have used it on my coffee plant without any problems. I'd try it on one leaf--gently taking it off. And wait a few days to see how the leaf is doing.