Please help, disease on leaves of phalaneopsis

[julianeve]

Hi guys, I have come to this forum before as a guest and always found important and valuable info ... I finally decided to try getting help here too ...
My orchids are all in such beautiful shape and bloom that a friend of mine has asked me to help with hers. This is on the leaves of the orchid and its keiki that she dropped off at my place.
The orchid is sad, needs complete repotting and some spa before that but I do not know what is this thing on the leaves. Does anyone have any idea what this is and how to help? Thank you!

PS: I hope the photos attach, am total newbie.

[Shadeflower]

Hi welcome to the forum,
It looks a lot like pest damage.

I would repot the whole thing, soak it in some water with a drop of dishwashing liquid, then repot with fresh media.
I'd get a general insecticide that is designed for the main pests like mealybugs, thrips and spider mites. I use Insecticide for roses and edible vegetables so check it is safe to use first.

But honestly I don't entirely recognize the damage. It looks like a dog has shed his hair all over it

[WaterWitchin]

Picture isn't in enough focus for me to see well, but doing what Shadeflower suggests would be a good place to start.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

That looks like scale insects or mealy bug insects.

[julianeve]

Thank you all, so much! It seems there are no mealy bugs. I'm worried about the brownish spots but will definitely try the dishwashing liquid and soaking ... Should I also cut off the infected leaf? At least keiki's, which is completely "eaten".

Will report back, thank you so so much!

[julianeve]

Okay for anyone interested, here is what went down. I am guessing pretty standard for anyone who knows about any care but I will still share if anyone has the same issues and this turns out helpful.
I took the orchid out of the pot, cut the spike, all the rotten and completely dried out roots and then put it for a bit of a swim in my bathtub. I also added a bit of a dishwashing liquid as kindly suggested.
Afterwards, I took disinfected shears and cut off the diseased leaves. The plant had a keiki at the end of one of its spikes. The keiki also had this disease which I had no luck in discovering what it is but I did the same with the keiki. I gently wiped the leaves and where I cut the leaves, I also put cinnamon.
Then I repotted both and put them in a nice just bright enough spot.

This is what happened since then:
The keiki is growing new roots and new leaves, the same happened with the mother plant. The new leaves that are growing do NOT have the disease. I cannot even tell you how happy I am. And the mother plant has now started growing a new spike to bloom for the first time in years. It happened so fast, I am beyond delighted.

Ever since this has happened, I have had friends and my grandmother bring me their orchids, asking for help. I wish I could be an orchid doctor for a living.