10 air purifying plants for better air quality at home
Harmful pollutants, which are not confined to outdoor spaces, can be found in homes and offices. However, plants can help to improve indoor air quality and clean the air that you and your family breathe.
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Any greens, whether air purifying plants or healing plants (like aloe vera), add some color, decor, and life to your home. But some plants are more efficient than others in cleaning indoor air. NASA’s Clean Air Study proved that some air purifying plants have the power to remove “volatile organic pollutants” from interiors. For this reason, we picked 10 of the most efficient air purifying plants that you should have at home, for a healthier indoor air quality.
Photo by Designecologist
1- Spider Plant
The hearty Spider plants' will teach any beginner how to properly care for any plant. This medium-sized greenery would look great in any room, as it can be easily placed in different spaces. Spider plants are slo very adaptable, need low maintenance, and are undoubtedly one of the easiest plants to grow. They also love indirect sunlight, well-drained soil, and do well in many different climates and conditions.
Spider plants are very effective in naturally removing Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air. These toxins are very common in homes, and are found in common materials like paint, varnishes, cleaning agents, and many more.
Get it shipped straight to your door here or pick one up at your local Walmart.
Photo by Unknown Wong
2- Boston Fern
Boston ferns are easy to grow, love to spread out, and make perfect hanging baskets. These gorgeous plants naturally grow in all of the world’s tropical regions, which is why they do well in humid environments, and they love to be sprayed with water.
You can place your Boston Ferns in a lit space, but without exposing them to the light. These plants are generally happy in indirect sunlight, with regular misting, and a constantly moist soil. Also, make sure to never place your Boston Fern in a cold room. These tropical plants usually thrive in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees F. Boston ferns are also one of those air purifying plants that remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from any indoor space.
3- Philodendron
Philodendron is a beautiful plant, with pretty heart-shaped leaves, and can really elevate any indoor space with its elegance. Philodendrons have many benefits: for instance, they are very easy to care. You should make sure to place them in a space with indirect sunlight, but under the shade. Also, make sure to add a little fertilizer to its soil, and always moderate watering. It’s the perfect plant for beginners as they don’t require much maintenance.
Philodendrons are air purifying plants that are great for removing Formaldehyde from the air. These toxins are usually found in cigarette smoke, walls, carpets, adhesives… Luckily, Philodendrons are a great way to improve the air quality at your home, and eliminate these pollutants from your indoor air.
Photo by pisauikan
4- Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a healing plant that is good for the skin because of its anti-inflammatory benefits. It has many benefits and its gel can be used in different ways: to hydrate the face or to heal a skin-burn. One additional benefit of Aloe Vera is its efficiency in clearing the air and improving indoor air quality at home. This plant loves warm, bright rooms, and will do well in the garden. One of the most popular succulents, Aloe Vera, makes wonderful houseplants. You need to make sure to water it sporadically as it should completely dry out before being watered. For this reason, make sure to water it once every one or two weeks. For soil, consider a mixture specifically for succulents and cactus.
Aloe Vera is one of those air purifying plants with many benefits. They are good at filtering Benzene and Formaldehyde from the air, and are also really good for skin care.
5- English Ivy
English Ivy is an evergreen perennial plant with big leaves, and loves to climb on any surface. This plant usually grows well in partial and full shade, and enjoys well-drained soil. English Ivy plants prefer to be watered when it is dry to the touch at the top. You should also make sure to always, and thoroughly drain them, to prevent overly wet soil and unhealthy leaves. English Ivy should also be fed every two weeks in spring and summer, with a small amount of basic food for houseplants and fertilizers every month in the fall and winter. Make sure that the plant is not stressed before offering food or fertilizer to keep it healthy.
English Ivy has super plant powers to clean indoor air because it reduces mold and gets rid of many toxins from the air: Toluene, Xylene, Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Xylene.
Photo by Huy Phan
6- Ficus/Weeping Fig
Ficus Trees, also knowns as the Weeping Fig, is a common house plant that is also often found in offices. These plants can be temperamental, and enjoy bright rooms with indirect sunlight. They don’t like cold or drafts, and they should be kept in indoor spaces with temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 F. Make sure there is plenty of humidity around the plant by misting with water, as they like high humidity but not overly wet roots.
The Ficus Tree is a powerful purifying plant that can remove toxins like Benzene, Trichloroethylene, and Formaldehyde from the air. These pollutants are commonly found in houses, specifically in rubber, detergents, dyes, plastic, and many other materials.
7- Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreen is another great indoor plant for beginners or first-time-plant-owners, as it is pretty easy to grow. These air purifying plants benefits are many, and they love well-drained soil. This is why you should make sure to always moderate watering. Also, make sure to place your Chinese Evergreen in a place with low to medium light, and humid at the same time. Chinese Evergreens don’t require a lot of maintenance, and can be fertilized just twice a year with a standard house plant fertilizer. They enjoy indoor temperatures that range from 70 – 72 F, and do not like drafts.
Chinese evergreen plants are good for purifying the air against Xylene and Formaldehyde. When at home or in the office, these plans will help you breathe better. With so many potentially harmful chemicals floating around in the air, it’s nice to know your lovely little house plant can help.
Photo by Igor Flek
8- Barberton Daisy
This air purifying flower plant exists in many colors: red, orange, pink, or yellow. It is very pretty, and can never fail to add a dynamic pop of color to your interior. This plant loves natural light: You should make sure to place it in a room with lots of direct sunlight. You should also water a Barberton Daisy regularly, and when you do so, you should make sure that the soil is well-drain, yet always moist.
This plant removes specific toxins found in common homes and household materials (like glue, synthetic fibres, drapes, paint …)
9- Chrysanthemum
Chrystathemum are also called “mums” or “chrysanths”. They are colorful flower plants that come in almost every color, and bloom in North-East Europe, as well as Asia. They would look really good at the center of your dining table, or next to a pile of books in your library. To take good care of your Chrysanthemum, you should make sure to place it under direct sunlight near a window, and always water it to keep the soil moist at all times.
The petals of this air purifying plant are also great air filters. They clean indoor air from Benzene and Ammonia. These toxins are commonly found in detergents, glue, plastic, and many other industrial chemicals.
10- Dragon tree
Dragon trees are fun-looking: they have spiky green leaves with red edges. When placed at home, they add dynamism to your decor and purify your indoor air at the same time. This plant should be placed in a room with fair sunlight, and with a high ceiling because it slowly grows up to 8 ft. Dragon trees should be watered once per week, and the soil shouldn’t be very wet.
This air purifying plant fights Trichloroethylene and Xylene from your indoor air. These toxins are found in paint, spot removers, cleaning fluids...
Photo by Helena Lopes
These purifying plants will bring some nature to your house while enhancing the indoor air quality at home. We usually tent to think about outdoor air pollution, but it is also very important to think about the air quality that we breath at home, to lead a healthiest lifestyle possible. Make sure to buy one of our top-picks, as these air purifying plants benefits are many: but most importantly, they remove all toxins and pollutant from the air that you, and your loved ones, breath.
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