9 Houseplants That Clean The Air
...And Are Almost Impossible To Kill
Pop quiz: which is more polluted, indoor air or outdoor air? 10 times
out of 10, indoor air in your house, office or apartment is going to be
worse than the air outside. Indoor air pollution has been ranked among
the top 5 greatest risks to public health by the EPA, and stagnant indoor air allows pollutants to build up and stick to the things inside of your home.
The things in our homes emit some nasty toxic chemicals, like
formaldehyde for example. You can also be impacted by pollutants like
pollen, bacteria, mold, dust and various outdoor contaminants that find
their way inside.
Fortunately, houseplants can help us solve some of these air quality
issues. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, these houseplants are
basically impossible to kill. Let’s check them out!
1) Garden Mum
This plant was found by NASA to be a real air-purifying beast. It
removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene from your home’s air.
It’s popular and inexpensive, plus they can be planted outside too.
2) Spider Plant
Spider plants are incredibly easy to grow, so if you’re a beginner,
this is a great one to start with. It lights bright, indirect light and
sends out shoots with flowers on them that will eventually grow into
baby spider plants that you can propagate yourself. Before too long,
you’ll have more spider plants than you’ll know what to do with.
3) Dracaena
There are over 40 kinds of dracaena plants, which makes it easy to
find the right one for you. They remove benzene, formaldehyde,
trichloroethylene, and xylene from the air. They are toxic to cats and
dogs though, so if you have pets, you might want to think twice about
this one.
4) Ficus
Ficus trees are a favorite of mine as they are able to grow quite
large depending on the type of pot you have them in. They typically
stand between 2 and 10 feet tall and have some serious air cleaning
abilities. You can also keep it outside in the spring and summer. The
ficus removes benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from indoor
air.
5) Peace Lily
Not only does the peace lily send up beautiful flowers, but they’re
impossible to kill and have great air cleaning abilities. They flower
through most of the summer and prefer shady spots with moist but not
soggy soil. It removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and
trichloroethylene.
6) Boston Fern
This plant likes cool locations with high humidity and indirect
light. Bathrooms are a perfect spot for these little friends. They
remove pollutants like xylene and formaldehyde from indoor air.
7) Snake Plant
I see this one all over the place in offices and restaurants – and
for good reason. They’re pretty much impossible to kill. They need water
only occasionally (about once per month) and prefer drier conditions.
They don’t need much direct sunlight either. They remove benzene,
formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and xylene from indoor air.
8) Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palms are most effective at filtering formaldehyde. They
thrive in full sun and bright light. They grow as high as 12 foot too,
making them an incredible presence indoors. They remove benzene,
formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
9) Aloe Vera
Aloe is a multi-use plant for sure. It has health benefits when
consumed in smaller amounts, helps relieve burns, and cleans your indoor
air as well. It removes formaldehyde effectively from indoor air.
Having these plants inside your house will dramatically improve air
quality, and will also provide you with an increases sense of being
connected to nature. You’ll be surprised how much life a single plant
can add to a room!
