Whether relaxing, binge-watching favorite shows or working in your home office, you spend a lot of time indoors. But, have you ever given a thought to the quality of the air you’re breathing? Unfortunately, the air quality inside your house is affected by many factors like the environment, fireplace, HVAC systems, and surroundings. But here’s the good news – your green plant friends can improve the quality of the air you breathe.
Can Indoor Plants Purify Your Home?
Plants remove toxins from the air and serve as natural humidifiers. In addition, different plants can fight different types of indoor pollution by filtering pollutants such as:
- Benzene, which you can find in detergents, rubber paints, inks, oils, dyes, gasoline, and floor finishes.
- Ammonia which you can find in cleaning products.
- Carbon monoxide from fireplaces, vehicles, stoves, and furnace fumes.
- Formaldehyde which you can find in facial tissues, tobacco smoke, gas stoves, adhesive binders in floor coverings, paper towels, carpet backing, and grocery bags.
Moreover, indoor plants also serve health benefits such as lowering stress levels, boosting capacity to concentrate, reducing irritation to the eyes, and preventing congestion. Above all, indoor plants bring life to your home and make you feel better.
To give your place a healthy breath of clean air, here’s a list of the 11 best air purifying plants to bring home now.
Rubber Tree
Rubber trees, also known as rubber plants, produce a lot of oxygen by converting the carbon dioxide we exhale. Also, these plants absorb and break down harmful chemicals in the air. Apart from producing oxygen and removing air toxins, the rubber plant efficiently removes mold spores and bacteria from the air. It’s because rubber trees fight off mold and bacteria as the defense mechanism to protect the soil.
English Ivy
Beautiful as a houseplant or groundcover, English ivy, is a classic choice that adds elegance to your home while removing harmful chemicals. This easy-to-maintain perennial vine effectively removes airborne particles making it perfect for purifying the air in your home. Moreover, according to several studies, English ivy is also capable of reducing mold levels in homes.
Snake Plant
Also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, the snake plant is a great low-maintenance plant that can survive the most challenging conditions. However, make sure you don’t overwater it. The snake plants are best for bedrooms as they release oxygen at night, allowing you to breathe better while you sleep. Also, snake plants are perfectly capable of filtering pollutants from air such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene.
Peace Lily
An evergreen favorite for houseplant lovers, the peace lily is one of the top plants to purify your air as it can help reduce certain harmful compounds. The plant is known for its excellent ability to fight toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, leaving fresh air in the room for you to breathe. Besides, peace lilies are very easy to care for as they even show signs of drooping when they need water. However, you may want to keep your babies and pets away from the plant as they are mildly toxic to humans and animals. Also, always wash your hands after touching the plant.