A fundamental right is the ability to breathe clean air. However, especially in cities, we seldom ever have access to pure air to breathe. Since most Americans spend their time indoors, ensuring that the air we breathe is healthy should be a primary focus.
Many indoor plants may purify the air in your house in addition to being lovely to look at. Yes! All plants serve as natural air filters—thank you, Mother Nature!—but some are more effective than others in removing pollutants.
Can indoor plants really purify your home?
After NASA published a series of studies from the late 1980s claiming that indoor plants might filter the air, people began to fill their windowsills with greenery in growing numbers.
Sadly, it appears that some wishful thinking was there at the time. According to recent research, a 1,500 square foot home would require 680 plants for the foliage to effectively combat pollutants.
However, indoor plants offer additional air-improving and health advantages that you may enjoy without turning your home into a wall-to-wall jungle. The presence of even a little quantity of vegetation may improve indoor air quality. Why not thus add a few low-maintenance plants to your living area?
Health benefits of air-purifying indoor plants
Indoor plants can still enhance your air quality even if it would require outrageously large volumes of foliage to alter VOC levels in your home or workplace.
Indoor plants can
- reduce irritation to eyes, ears, nose and throat
- prevent or ease coughing and congestion
- lower your stress
- boost your attention capacity
Purifying indoor plants raises relative humidity and lowers CO2 levels. In other words, they assist in the removal of stale air and serve as a natural humidifier, preventing or reducing irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and even the lungs.
Foliage does not just improve air quality; it also makes people feel better. For instance, interacting with indoor plants might help you feel less stressed.
You are not required to converse with your aloe vera unless you wish to. Never would we pass judgment. Repotting, trimming, or watering your indoor plants that filter the air will work.
Similarly, the ficus may help you stay focused when you’re slogging through a difficult activity like a school paper or a report for work just by being in the same room as you.
12 of the Best Indoor Plants that Clean the Air
1. ALOE VERA
Since it prefers a bright location, a healing aloe plant is a great addition to your kitchen windowsill. This succulent will be removing formaldehyde and benzene, which are present in varnishes, floor finishes, and detergents, from the air while also being on standby to treat any cooking burns.
In a sunny area, this plant will flourish. It is ideal for new plant parents because it doesn’t need frequent watering.
2. PEACE LILY
Peace lilies may absorb benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, toluene, and xylene, according to a 1918 NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America research. Peace lilies are the ideal plant for those of us who have poor gardening skills.
They are simple to cultivate and don’t need much attention. Place them simply in a shaded area and maintain soil moisture without overwatering. Most of the summer will see flowers on these plants.
You may want to avoid having a room full of those flowers because they (like all flowers) do release some pollen and flowery odors into the air. Maintain the plant’s leaves clear of dust to enhance its ability to purify the air.
3. BAMBOO PALM
All palm trees make excellent air purifiers. As you breathe at night, the surface area of palm leaves pulls more carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen back into the space they are in.
The bamboo palm, also known as the reed palm, thrives in shade or partial sunlight and makes a wonderful houseplant since it helps to remove toxic substances like formaldehyde and benzene.
Put it where it receives gentle morning or afternoon sun for the best results. Additionally, it needs regular watering; just be careful not to overdo it.
4. SPIDER PLANT
The hardy spider plant is a great option for those of you who are new to growing houseplants. Toxins including carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the printing and rubber sectors, will be discreetly combated. This is one of the few houseplants that is safe for pets, if you have any.
You may also develop a large family of plants by repotting the tiny “spiderettes”; they will essentially take care of themselves and you.
5. GERBERA DAISY
The Gerbera Daisy, perhaps the list’s prettiest item, is frequently used as a gardening ornament. The Gerbera Daisy is unique in that it can create large amounts of oxygen at night while eliminating toxic substances like benzene and trichloroethylene. Keep this book nearby for better sleep; it’s helpful for people with sleep apnea and breathing issues.
The Gerbera Daisy enjoys direct light in the winter, and bright sunshine in the summer, spring, and fall. Regular watering is required, and the soil should be maintained wet. The number of suggested flower pots is up to the planter’s choice because of the flower’s ornamental character.
6. DRACEANA PLANT
Draceana plants come in more than 40 distinct varieties, so it’s simple to pick one that’s ideal for your house or place of business. However, considering that plants are poisonous to cats and dogs when swallowed, pet owners might wish to choose a different plant.
Draceana plants can reach heights over three feet, necessitating larger containers and more room. Instead of being watered, they prefer to be misted.
This plant is ideal for having indoors because it doesn’t require much sunshine. It may eliminate dangerous contaminants from the atmosphere while also supplying oxygen to clean up stale air.
7. GOLDEN POTHOS
Pothos is a low-light enthusiast and a suitable starting point for growing indoor plants. It functions well under a variety of circumstances. It should ideally dry out between waterings and have low to moderate light.
It is a potent plant that may remove formaldehyde. A hanging basket will be covered in a waterfall of green thanks to this quickly growing vine. Since formaldehyde is present in automobile exhaust, think about using it in your garage. It is tolerant when overwatered and tolerates a great deal of neglect. When cultivated in a hydroponic setting, it prospers.
8. CHINESE EVERGREEN
One of the most popular houseplants is the Chinese Evergreen, and for good reason. This plant releases a lot of oxygen while clearing out toxic substances like formaldehyde and benzene from interior environments. As its name implies, it is well-liked in China, especially for how well it purges the air of dangerous contaminants.
Although this plant doesn’t require much sunshine, it does require consistent amounts of water because it is a tropical plant. If you see the ends starting to turn brown, make sure you at least sprinkle them with water.
9. ELEPHANT EAR
This attractive vining plant may grow to be extremely big with enormous leaves in addition to purifying the air. EE philos are quite tolerant of shade and have average watering requirements.
Particularly when formaldehyde concentrations are greater, this plant is a miracle worker in eliminating it.
Simply keep them out of young children’s grasp since they are harmful.
10. SNAKE PLANT
The Mother-In-Tongue Law’s plant is special because it produces oxygen at night and may clean the air by removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.
In addition to being among the greatest indoor plants for clean air, snake plants are hardy and can survive in poor conditions. They thrive in pots and grow well with little water and sunshine.
11. RUBBER PLANT (FICUS)
While planted as low-maintenance houseplants, rubber plants (Ficus robusta) can enhance the quality of indoor air. Their substantial leaves have the capacity to break down airborne toxins, rendering them harmless. They take in exhaled carbon dioxide and transform it into oxygen for breathing. Additionally, rubber plants remove bacterial and mold spores from the air.
Rubber plants are tolerant of neglect, making it simple for people with little plant knowledge to cultivate them. It is best to let them dry out in between waterings.
12. CHRYSANTHEMUM
These lovely blossoms aid in the removal of a variety of pollutants, including as ammonia and benzene, which are frequently present in glue, plastics, and household cleaners.
Put this plant near a window that receives direct sunlight since it enjoys it. A chrysanthemum may provide color to your living room or kitchen.
Why does indoor air quality matter?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors, whether we’re sleeping, binge-watching Netflix, or working in an office. We are also subjected to indoor air pollution throughout that time spent indoors.
Causes of indoor air pollution
- furnishings
- carpet
- upholstery
- dry-cleaned clothing
- paint
- synthetic building materials
- cleaning products
- pesticides
- bacteria
- mold
- outdoor pollution that enters
Your coffee table certainly doesn’t come to mind when you think about gas emissions, but if it’s built of particleboard, it does. The upholstery on the furniture and the paint on the walls are only two more things in a house or workplace that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde.
Typically, indoor levels of VOCs are two to five times greater than outdoor levels. All of us are subject to some degree of indoor air pollution, and it’s probably not a problem. However, it can sometimes make you feel nauseous if the ventilation is poor or if you’re a particularly sensitive person. It is frequently referred to as “sick building syndrome,” and some of the symptoms include headaches, nausea, and exhaustion.
You’ll soon be able to breathe easier if you add a few clean air houseplants to the areas that you use the most, such as your bedroom, living room, or workplace. You might start by looking through my list of the top indoor plants that purify the air.