How to Kill the White Cotton-Type Insect on Indoor Plants

White cotton-type insects on indoor plant foliage are almost always mealybugs. Mealybugs suck sap from plants, which can eventually lead to the plants’ death. These bugs are common on indoor and outdoor plants. Mealybugs prefer to hide in plant crevices and on the undersides of leaves. However, you may also see some moving along stems or more open areas of foliage.

Rubber gloves
Rubbing alcohol
Cotton swabs
Liquid dish detergent
Bucket
Cloth
Insecticidal soap

Instructions

- 1
  Put on rubber gloves. Inspect the plants and squish the bugs you see or dip a cotton swab in a bottle of rubbing alcohol and wipe this over each bug to kill it. This is all you will need to do for small infestations, and all you should do if the mealybugs have infested African violet plants as these plants have water-sensitive foliage.
- 2
  Mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing detergent with 1 gallon of warm water in a bucket. Place a cloth in this mixture.
- 3
  Take the bucket and the plants to a sink or tub. Use a cloth to gently wipe the leaves with the soapy water to remove any remaining bugs, as well as mealybug egg masses or the sticky secretions these bugs leave behind.
- 4
  Check plants weekly to make sure no more mealybugs have infested the plants. If mealybugs continue to be a problem, spray the plants with a commercial insecticidal soap.

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