# Hard water marks on phrag leaves



## TheLorax (Sep 18, 2007)

Several phrags I purchased have hard water marks. Not that this makes a plant unhealthy but I'd like to clean them up for the sake of aesthetics now that they are growing inside a home as opposed to inside a greenhouse. I took a damp rag and gently tried to clean each leaf and barely reduced the water marks. What do you use to clean phrag leaves or do you just leave the hard water marks. I do realize they don't hurt the plant at all.


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## Ron-NY (Sep 18, 2007)

I believe some one told me lemon juice will remove it


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## TheLorax (Sep 18, 2007)

I'll add it to my grocery list and try it. Thanks for suggesting it.


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## Candace (Sep 18, 2007)

I've also used milk with some success.


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## TheLorax (Sep 18, 2007)

Milk I can try tomorrow morning.


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## Ron-NY (Sep 18, 2007)

remember that is milk without Cherios oke: Milk gives a nice shine and I have used for that. Do an experiment, buy a lemon and do one leaf with each and report back for us which works better...thanks


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## Candace (Sep 18, 2007)

I think lemon juice works better, but if the spotting isn't too bad the milk might work.


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## goldenrose (Sep 18, 2007)

I hope the test takes place in an controlled environment.


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## TheLorax (Sep 18, 2007)

Oh yes, but of course. A very controlled environment. I was planning on sticking the milk on a cat's tail before swiping it down a plant leaf while sticking the lemon juice on one particular dog's tongue to get other leaves. He seems to have acquired a taste for plants lately so might as well try to cure the dog of this bad habit while sprucing up my new babies a bit. What are your thoughts? 

Smartass :noangel:

Oops, missed your post Ron. I can do some of the plants tomorrow with milk and the others this coming Sunday after I go grocery shopping. I'll post photos, you decide.


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## NYEric (Sep 19, 2007)

Lemon juice/water solution or even lemon Pledge.


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## TheLorax (Sep 19, 2007)

One thing this house is never lacking is Lemon Pledge. Not that anyone uses it much these days but it's here.


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## gonewild (Sep 19, 2007)

Isn't Lemon Pledge a wax?
I don't think it is a good idea to seal the leaf with wax.


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## Candace (Sep 19, 2007)

Eric, what are you smoking??


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## bwester (Sep 19, 2007)

Eric, this is a virtual *****-slap

<<<<SMACK!!!!!>>>>>


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## biothanasis (Sep 19, 2007)

Hi all,
I think that vinegar, diluted or not, perfectly desolves salts...!!! Well, I don't excactly know how it will affect leaves and the smell is not very pleasant!!!


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## Ron-NY (Sep 19, 2007)

I assume it is the acid in lemon juice that dissolves the salt, vinegar should work too but I don't know if it is too acidic. I don't show plants...the judging center is just too far, so i have never bothered cleaning leaves and I use rain water for most of the plants so hard water stains is not an issue. Occasionally there will be marks from treating or fertilizing the plants but that usually eventually washes off with watering.


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## TheLorax (Sep 19, 2007)

So I take it that nice silicone shine isn't the greatest for my new plants?

Here's what I can tell you so far, the milk didn't work too well. I had to rub a little bit more than I was comfortable with to try to erase some of the hard water stains. I'll pick up some lemon juice however my bet is that lemon juice has a much lower pH than vinegar so why not use vinegar?


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## Rick (Sep 19, 2007)

I recently bought (and used) one of those leaf shine products from home depot. It worked great, but recently I had an unexplaned event that almost every plant I used it on dropped all its old leaves and bud blasted. This is probably over 2 months since the application, but its a funny coincidence


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## Candace (Sep 19, 2007)

> Here's what I can tell you so far, the milk didn't work too well.


Yeah, it really only helps the lighter water stains.


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## L I Jane (Sep 19, 2007)

Try WD -40--supposed to be good for everything.It's basically Fish oil!cleans grills & bugs off windshields etc


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## SlipperFan (Sep 19, 2007)

This is all interesting. I use milk applied with cotton balls and have had good success. If the spots don't come off right away, don't rub. Just leave a little on for awhile and then wipe it off.


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## TheLorax (Sep 21, 2007)

And the winner is... drum roll please...

WD40!


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## SlipperKing (Sep 21, 2007)

Citrus base cleaners work well on all orchids. I use the stuff to clean up my plants to display at local orchid shows. Mainly lemon juice but I have used grapefuit juice too. Suger base juices tend to allow sootie mold to grow on the leaves after putting them back into the greenhouse. I've had bad luck with milk, if you don't get all the milk off. It will spoil and smell bad on the plants. Whatever you use follow up with plenty of water.


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## TheLorax (Sep 21, 2007)

Thank you SlipperKing. The milk didn't work for me and I haven't been to the store to pick up lemon juice yet but I will.


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