Tackle Infestations of Aphids on Houseplants: 5 Effective Methods to Get Indoor Pests Under Control

Aphids are the bane of many gardeners, but they can also be a problem for houseplant parents. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects. They feed on plants by sucking out the sap, which can cause significant damage.

Among houseplant pests, aphids are pretty serious but not impossible to manage. Here, we go over what they are, how to identify them and their damage, and how to control aphids in your home.

What Are Aphids?

Aphids are very small insects with soft bodies that belong to the family Aphididae. There are about 5,000 species of aphids, with a few hundred that infest and harm plants in agriculture, in gardens, and in houseplants.

Most aphids are wingless. They infest plants to suck sap as a food source. This can cause yellowing, stunted growth, and dropped and dead foliage. Large infestations can kill plants.

Aphids secrete a sweet substance called honeydew, which attracts ants. Ants often develop a symbiotic relationship with aphids, protecting them from predators so they can enjoy this food source. This is more likely to occur outdoors. Honeydew can also promote sooty mold, another way these pests damage plants.

Identifying Aphids

Aphids on houseplants are most likely to be pear aphids, which are light green in color. All are very small and pear-shaped. Aphids on your houseplants may also be pink, gray, white, or black. Although small, you’ll see aphids as they cluster together in large numbers.

Look for aphids on new growth and the ends of stems and leaves. They are often clustered around green, new stems and on the undersides of leaves. Leaves under attack from aphids often curl. Finding sticky honeydew or sooty mold on plants is also an indicator of an aphid infestation.

How to Get Rid of Aphids

Aphid control begins with vigilance. It’s easier to manage or totally get rid of aphids if you act before an infestation gets too large. Aphids can multiply rapidly, especially indoors when there is no winter cold to pause their breeding and development.

Once you do see aphids on your houseplants, you have several options for managing them or trying to totally eliminate them.

1. Manual Removal

The simplest way to get rid of aphids from houseplants is to remove them manually. You can do this with a stream of water. Place your potted plant in the sink, or take it outside to use the hose. A strong stream of water will blast the aphids off the leaves and stems.

For a more delicate plant, fill a sink or bucket with water. Turn the plant upside down and dip the foliage in the water. The aphids should come off, but you can also gently dislodge them from leaves and stems.

If the infestation of aphids is very light, you can remove them by wiping them away. Use a wet cotton ball or cotton swab to gently wipe them off and dispose of them. You can use a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol to kill the aphids as you remove them.

Another option, which you might want to use along with others, is to remove whole leaves or stems. If you see that one particular stem or leaf is more heavily infested than the rest of the plant, it’s easier to simply snip it off and dispose of it. You can then manage the lighter infestation on the rest of the plant.

2. Insecticidal Soap

A gentle chemical solution to managing aphids is insecticidal soap. These products are designed to kill insects without harming plants. Use a product from a garden center and follow the label directions. Some come in a concentrated form that you need to dilute. Bonide insecticidal soap from Amazon is gentle yet effective on aphids on indoor and outdoor plants.

Or, make your own homemade aphid control with liquid soap (like Castile soap, which you can get on Amazon). Mix two teaspoons in a gallon of water.

With either product, apply the insecticidal soap to leaves and stems using a spray bottle. Focus on areas where you see most of the aphids, such as the undersides of leaves. For the best results, use the spray every few days until the infestation is under control.

3. Neem Oil

Another gentle product, and one that is entirely organic, is neem oil. Neem oil is made from the neem tree. It is safe to use on plants, even edible plants that you might harvest for food later.

Neem oil works on aphids by suffocating them and preventing them from feeding. The active ingredient in neem oil is similar to hormones in the insects, so it also disrupts their reproductive cycle. For neem oil to work, it needs to come into direct contact with the insects. Spray it onto the surfaces of leaves and stems where you see aphids. Repeat this every week. Neem oil spray can be purchased from Amazon or your local garden center.

4. Homemade Sprays

A homemade insecticidal soap is one option for killing aphids, but you can also try other mixtures to see what works best. For a DIY garlic spray recipe, blend up a garlic bulb, a small onion, and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Add the paste to a quart of water and let it steep for about an hour. Strain the solution, add one tablespoon of dish soap, and use the mixture in a spray bottle.

5. Chemical Insecticides

It’s always best, especially for indoor plants, to use organic and pet- and human-safe products before turning to chemical insecticides. However, if these don’t work sufficiently and you want to save a plant, try chemical pesticides.

Make sure you find a product that is labeled for aphids and for indoor use. Follow the directions on the product. If you’re worried about pets or children being harmed, treat the plant outside and bring it back indoors once it has recovered and you’ve washed away any residual pesticide. This should be a last resort method of aphid control.

Houseplant Aphid Control Essentials

Of course, another option for getting rid of aphids is to get rid of entire plants. It’s hard to give up, but if you have tried other methods and your plant isn’t recovering, it’s best to dispose of it. An infested plant can pass the aphids on to other, healthy plants. Even after you’ve managed an infestation, keep an eye on all houseplants for signs that any aphids have remained and attack them early.