How to Remove Bugs From House Plants

Alcohol

• 1

  Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Use it on a small test area of a plant infected with aphids or mealybugs.

• 2

  Inspect the test area within 24 to 48 hours to ensure alcohol has not burned the plant. If the plant is unaffected, dab all aphids or mealybugs with alcohol-saturated swabs to remove them.

• 3

  Use a damp cloth to wipe treated foliage and remove any alcohol residue.

Soaps

• 4

  Purchase insecticidal soap packaged for houseplants to kill spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies and thrips. Read the label to determine if the soap is toxic to your particular plant.

• 5

  Apply soap at the recommended rate and frequency; do not exceed directions.

• 6

  Repeat application if indicated on the label to kill second-generation bugs, which hatch after first-generation adults are killed.

Oils

• 7

  Purchase horticultural oil specifically prepared for use on houseplants. Look for dilute concentrations of neem oil preparations as an organic control for aphids, scale insects and spider mites.

• 8

  Spritz infected plant parts lightly with the finest misting adjustment to suffocate insects with oil. Wipe treated foliage with a damp cloth to remove oil residue.

• 9

  Repeat the application if necessary, and follow label directions exactly for subsequent treatments.

Trap Cropping

• 10

  Scatter wheat seeds in a shallow container of moist soil. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, and mist daily until sprouts appear.

• 11

  Place the container of sprouts near plants where fungus gnats are a problem. Wait several days to give female gnats sufficient time to lay eggs on the wheat sprouts. Remove the container and put it in a plastic bag; tie it and discard it in a trash receptacle outside.

• 12

  Repeat this procedure at two-week intervals until the gnats are gone. Bag and discard each batch of sprouts outside to prevent re-infestation.