Yes, you must keep your plants clean!

Accumulation of dust and dirt on the leaves causes the pores to clog and prevents your plant from absorbing adequate air and light.

Firstly you want to remove any yellow or brown dead leaves. Do the same for flowers. Also check the pot and remove anything thing that has already fallen off onto the soil to prevent disease. I try to do this as soon as I see this without waiting for the once a week bath.

Secondly comes the real cleaning. A good time to do so is when you are already dusting the rest of your house. If are one of those that does not tend to dust at least once a week forget what I said and clean your plants every week. Use a damp cloth to wipe large leaves from base to tip. Be careful not to bruise or crack the leaf - just use your hand to support the bottom. For smaller leaves use a small, clean paint brush or a soft tooth brush. This is specially important for plants like African Violets that have fuzzy or hairy leaves.

Once a month pamper your plants with a bath. Smaller plants can just be rinsed off with lukewarm water right in your kitchen sink. Use the spray nozzle on a medium or low pressure setting and target all the leaves including there undersides. I tend to put my larger house plants in the bath tub and let them have a nice shower. Remember to much water pressure will damage the plant so go easy. This cleansing will also rinse away any small insects. Be sure to let the plants drip dry before you move them back specially if they reside in a sunny spot.

Tips

• Use only room temperature water to clean. Cold water will leave spots on the foliage.
• When rinsing your plants, cover the base with a plastic wrap or bag so the soil in the pot does not wash away.
• Do not use any leaf shine products. These coat the leaves and their pores, similar to dust, and prevent the plant from breathing.