🐛 APHIDS
Aphids are soft-bodied and usually gather on young shoots and under leaves. The easiest homemade control is a strong spray of water to knock them off, then a mild soap spray: 1 teaspoon pure liquid soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the undersides of leaves, wait a few hours, then rinse if the plant is sensitive. Repeat every 3–5 days until they disappear. Ladybugs and lacewings also help a lot, so avoid harsh sprays when beneficial insects are present.
🪰 WHITEFLIES
Whiteflies hide under leaves and fly up when the plant is touched. Use yellow sticky cards near the plant to catch adults, and spray the undersides of leaves with mild soap water to target young whiteflies. Remove badly infested leaves if needed. Repeat every 3–4 days because new ones hatch quickly. For small plants, gently shaking the plant and vacuuming the flying adults can also help.
🟤 SCALE
Scale insects are harder to remove because they have a protective shell. The best homemade method is physical removal: wipe stems and leaves with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, or gently scrub them off with a soft toothbrush and soapy water. Prune heavily infested parts. Soap sprays work better on the tiny young “crawler” stage, not the hard adult shells, so repeat checks weekly.
🌿 THRIPS
Thrips are tiny, fast insects that leave silvery scars on leaves and flowers. Remove badly damaged leaves or flowers first, then rinse the plant well, especially new growth and undersides. Use mild soap spray every 3–4 days. Blue or yellow sticky traps can help catch adults. Thrips hide deep in buds and leaf folds, so repeated treatment is more important than one strong spray.
🕸️ SPIDER MITES
Spider mites love hot, dry conditions and leave fine webbing plus tiny pale dots on leaves. Start by washing the plant with water, especially under the leaves. Increase humidity around indoor plants and isolate badly infested ones. Use mild soap spray every 3–5 days, but avoid spraying in full sun. Remove leaves that are badly webbed because they often hold many mites and eggs.
⚪ MEALYBUGS
Mealybugs look like white cottony clusters, usually in leaf joints and hidden corners. For small infestations, dab each one with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then wipe them away. After that, spray the plant with mild soap water to reach tiny ones hiding nearby. Check the plant every few days because eggs and young mealybugs can stay hidden. Isolate infested houseplants so they do not spread.
