The TikTok Hack That Will Make It Easier To Dry Your Air Plants

Unlike traditional plants that absorb water through their roots, air plants absorb water and nutrients through their leaves. After soaking air plants, it's important to dry off excess moisture in order to prevent rotting. And, thanks to TikTok and its myriad hacks, there's a new, easy way to do just that for your air plants. Turns out, you can repurpose a wire fruit basket stand.

The particular design of the fruit stand is what makes this hack great for drying air plants because it allows for additional airflow to reach nearly all of the leaves as opposed to leaving it on a towel on the counter, often encouraging water to pool on one side. For an additional hack, try placing your wire fruit rack outside in the shade to allow the wind and additional airflow to expedite the drying process. Do avoid direct sun on wet air plant leaves as they may become scorched. Once the air plants have thoroughly dried, it's safe to return them to their displays inside until their next watering day.

This TikTok hack is an easy way to care for your air plants and can be an essential addition to your watering routine and overall effort to elongate their lives. Properly drying air plants after soaking is crucial to ensure their health and longevity, as leaving them wet can lead air plants to turn brown. These plants aren't adapted to retain excessive moisture, and water trapped in their base or between their leaves can cause them to rot, leading to irreversible damage.

Another issue from improper drying when it comes to air plants is pest infestations. Wet air plants are more susceptible to pests like mealybugs and scale, which are attracted to damp environments. If not properly dried, air plants can become breeding grounds for these unwanted guests, leading to infestations that harm the plant's overall health. These types of infestations are also highly contagious and can quickly and easily infect nearby plants.

Further, keeping air plants wet may result in mold and mildew growth. These fungi thrive in damp conditions and can quickly spread across the plant — compromising its aesthetics and potentially harming its vitality. Drying the plant thoroughly after soaking (like in a fruit basket stand) mitigates this risk.