How to Kill Houseplant Insects
- 1). Pour 1 quart of warm water into a small bucket. Add 1/2 teaspoon of mild detergent and stir. Place a washrag in the bucket and wring it out. Wipe the pests right off of the houseplants. Dip the rag back in the bucket to release the pests in the soapy water. They will drown. Repeat until you get all of the insects.
- 2). Set yellow insect traps around the base of your infected houseplants. Both gardening and home improvement stores carry these traps. They are sticky on the top. The insects are attracted to the yellow color, but then get stuck on the traps where they die. Replace the sticky traps when they become full. You can stop using the traps when you no longer spot insects on them.
- 3). Pour rubbing alcohol into a small bowl. Soak several cotton balls in the alcohol until they have absorbed the liquid. Wipe down the houseplants with the cotton balls. The rubbing alcohol won't harm the plants, but it will kill the unwanted insects.
- 4). Prune away all of the plant parts that are infected with the insects. Toss them into a bag that can be sealed shut. Toss out with the trash on trash day. Most plants can withstand a mild to moderate amount of pruning.
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