I’ve been asked a question by one of my readers about how to clean and dry Phalaenopsis orchid leaves when it is in full water culture. Whilst I currently have no experience at growing Phalaenopsis orchids in full water culture, I’d like to offer some advice about how to ensure the orchid is sufficiently dry after cleaning the leaves to reduce the likelihood of rot.
Before I start, I will point out that I am not an expert and my advice is based on my own experiences with growing Phalaenopsis orchids at home in bark media. If you do not agree with the suggestions, you do not have to act on them. So, let’s get going.
There are a couple of things to consider before you clean your Phalaenopsis orchid leaves. First is the size of the orchid. The orchid can be quite large (one of my orchids is ma-hoosive!) or they can be rather small (sometimes called miniature Phalaenopsis – for obvious reasons). The larger orchids mostly have more space between their leaves than smaller ones, which makes it much easier to reach the nooks and crannies to remove excess water.
The next is how many leaves does it currently have? Most of mine have around 5-6 leaves per plant. However, I have one that has about 10 leaves fairly close together which means it can be trickier to clean them. The more leaves your orchid has, the more care you will need to take to not break or damage them when you are cleaning.
To clean Phalaenopsis orchid leaves in full water culture I would do one of two things. Either use a damp cloth to wipe the orchid leaves whilst it is in its container, (or at least on a kitchen table minus its container). I keep a bowl to hand with tepid / warm water and a few drops of mild washing up liquid, so I can re-fresh the cloth when it starts to dry out a bit. The soapy solution helps water to evaporate faster because it breaks surface tension. This means that by the time you’ve completed the whole orchid, the leaves you started cleaning will probably be dry. I use this method if there is no need to repot an orchid. It’s relatively quick and easy, and doesn’t mean dealing with escapee bits of bark!
Or if I’m in the process of re-potting an orchid, I’d take it to the sink and gently wash the leaves with a small sponge and a mild soapy solution. I put a small dot of washing up liquid (E-Cover or similar) on a sponge, run it under tepid to warm water to help the sponge develop a lather and then gently wipe the leaves of the orchid. Once the leaves are cleaned, I’d run the orchid under the tap (tepid to warm water) until the soap has been washed away.
To help absorb any water that had reached between the leaves or in the crown of the Phalaenopsis, I use the corner of a paper towel which is really good at getting moisture out of the hard to reach places. You can gently wipe the leaves with a dry cloth or paper towel to absorb excess water too. So long as there is no water pooling in the crown or between the leaves, you need not worry about rot developing.
To help further dry the leaves, they will need air movement. If I choose to wash my orchid, I place it in front of a fan to help the water evaporate, once I have re-potted it. Remember though you are trying to create a gentle breeze rather than gale force wind, so do not place it too close! Leave the fan running for 10-15 minutes, then switch it off and place the orchid in its usual spot. Take care with this method in the winter as it could chill your orchid, and it won’t thank you for it.
I hope you find this useful.
Happy growing!
Clare
My Orchid Diary 
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